Portraits from the first 100 years of photography
This undated cabinet card portrait was taken in the ancient shipping town of Gravesend, Kent, England. Gravesend is on the south bank of the Thames Estuary, about 21 miles (35 km) from central London. The photograph was taken at the studio of Frederick Charles Gould, who became known for images he captured of the many... Continue Reading →
The young man in this carte-de-visite portrait is wearing a military-style tunic with an "F" on the collar. The photograph was taken at the studio of Fredrique Holmstedt in Vadstena, Sweden. I had difficulty finding information online about Fredrique. Unable to read the handwritten dedication in Swedish in the upper left corner, I turned to... Continue Reading →
On November 11, 1918, an armistice came into effect which ended the fighting on the Western Front in the First World War. In connection with that event, many countries observe a public holiday or official day of remembrance on November 11 each year. In the United States, Veterans Day honors all veterans of the armed... Continue Reading →
I wish I knew how this cabinet card came to Vermont. I bought it from a local antiques dealer, who couldn't tell me anything about it. When I looked at the writing on the back, my first thought was that it might be Armenian, but I wasn't sure. (For a large scan of the back,... Continue Reading →
When I saw this carte-de-visite for sale on eBay in England, I assumed the sitter must have been a member of the Salvation Army (Leger des Heils in Dutch). The shape of her brooch resembles some of the shield pins worn by members of that organization, but the lettering doesn't look like anything I've seen... Continue Reading →
This 19th-century photograph was printed on very thin paper and glued to a stiffer paper mount. At some point the mount was trimmed to the dimensions of a postcard, possibly so that it would fit into an album. The back is blank. I bought it from a dealer in Suffolk, England, who couldn't tell me... Continue Reading →
"Now I lay me down to sleep" Stereoviews often portrayed scenes of domestic life, with people in costumes and staged settings. Such narrative scenes were generally meant to entertain or amuse. Some, especially the ones with children, were designed to touch a sentimental chord in the viewer. The subject of children saying bedtime prayers was... Continue Reading →
This ethereal CDV portrait was made by A. Brossut of Digoin, Bourgogne (Burgundy). The young woman isn't identified. I found a few references online to "A. Brossut, éditeur," but no other information about the photographer.
Tokens of Companionship 
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