Portraits from the first 100 years of photography
This formal portrait has a handwritten inscription on the back: "Rudolf Holsti, Tallinna, 1923, helmikussa." Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, and helmikussa means February in Finnish. Rudolf Holsti (1881-1945) became one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Finland after that country declared its independence from Soviet Russia in December 1917. He served... Continue Reading →
This snapshot was for sale in a shop near Bellows Falls, Vermont, called The Big Red Barn. The names of the women in the photo are written on the back, along with the location: Elliot Elm Cafe, Brattleboro, VT. I haven't found any information about the Elliot Elm Cafe, but the Elliot Street Cafe was located... Continue Reading →
This photograph came from a dealer in Llangefni, Wales, who didn't know where it had originated. It appears to be a gelatin silver print, mounted on heavy cardboard, and I'd guess it was made around 1900. Although the photo isn't particularly old, the image has a timeless quality. Nothing about it looks modern or industrial.... Continue Reading →
The young man appearing on this carte-de-visite could be certain everyone would remember his profession. You might even say he was in tune with the latest trends in advertising and self-promotion. The one thing he neglected to do was write his name on the back, which is a pity. The CDV was made by James... Continue Reading →
I'm guessing about the relationships between the sitters in the previous post and this one. Do you think the baby in the portrait above looks like the one below? I think this may be the same child, a little older: In the decades after the Civil War, it was common for wealthy and... Continue Reading →
If you've already looked at the previous post, Jeanne Fouillon and her beautiful harp, then you've already seen the portrait above. When I put that post together last week, I hadn't yet tried to identify the dignified gentleman with the harp. It seemed like a long shot, but one that might be worth a try. ... Continue Reading →
If you've been following this blog for a while, you may remember a post from last October titled School dog and her charges (UK). I had bought that CDV because the group portrait included a dog posing charmingly with students. Then, after scanning it, I had noticed that one of the girls was of mixed-race... Continue Reading →
Here's another occupational carte-de-visite from England. It looks like an early one, maybe early 1870s. At the mouth of the River Tyne on the North Sea, South Shields was a major shipbuilding center from the 1850s onward. The photo was taken in an industrial setting, possibly a shipyard, by a photographer from the studio of... Continue Reading →
This carte-de-visite may have been made at High Brooms Brick and Tile Company, founded in 1885 in Southborough, Kent, England. It's hard to tell what the father is sitting on, but we can see he's wearing gaiters of some sort below the knees, probably to keep his legs dry or clean. The photographer is identified on... Continue Reading →
These two young men may have been students at a military academy or members of a cadet corps, which was another type of officer-training program. They're both wearing a military-style tunic with no insignia. It's also possible the tunic was part of a uniform at an educational institution not connected to the military. I'll update... Continue Reading →
This enigmatic portrait was made by career photographer Stephen H. Waite (1836-1906). My eyes were first drawn to the large brush in the woman's hand, then quickly moved to the striking brooch which may have served to clasp her beautiful coat. Another fine garment is draped over the chair, possibly a cloak. Was she an... Continue Reading →
Fabyan House was a grand resort hotel in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Completed in 1873, it was named after Horace Fabyan, who had operated a hotel on the same site called the Mount Washington House, which had burned in 1853. Fabyan House had 250 rooms for up to 500 guests. It had its own... Continue Reading →
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