Portraits from the first 100 years of photography
This boudoir card photograph came to me from Maine. The boudoir card format appeared in the mid-1880s as a slightly larger and more expensive alternative to cabinet cards. The larger size was particularly suitable for group portraits.* This one was taken in the town of Pirmasens, Germany, near the border with France. The studio belonged... Continue Reading →
This postcard came to me from a dealer in Pennsylvania who specializes in photographs from Russia and Eastern Europe. He said the photo was Russian, which made sense. The only woman in the photo is wearing what appears to be a Russian nurse's outfit from the First World War. But who were the men, and... Continue Reading →
This press photograph doesn't have the year printed on it, but the caption on the back contains some clues: National festival of the American colony at Berlin on the 4th of July, the day of the declaration of independence of America. The festival was held in the garden-plot of the "Esplanade-Hotel" at Berlin. Our photo... 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 →
This photo came from a collector of banjos and musical ephemera in Boston, Massachusetts. The names of the men in the photo are written on the back, along with the following inscription: Andenken an den Touristenverein Waldfreunde (Feuerbach) im Jahr 1922 This translates roughly to "Souvenir of the Waldfreunde touring group in the year 1922." ... Continue Reading →
When I bought this postcard, I assumed the Juneau Restaurant was in Juneau, Alaska. Naturally, I was wrong. The restaurant was attached to the Hotel Juneau in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The hotel was named for city founder Solomon Juneau, a French-Canadian fortune-seeker who arrived in the area in 1818. (The state capital of Alaska is named... Continue Reading →
If you encountered three enchanting ladies in a wood at dusk, and they offered to tell your fortune, would you accept? In the land of Hans Christian Andersen, anything is possible.... I have yet to find any information about the photographer, P. Christensen. Sonderburg is the German name for the town of Sønderborg, in... Continue Reading →
This multi-generational portrait was made at Atelier Fritz Tschira in the scenic town of Osterode am Harz. Osterode is at the edge of the Harz mountains, which are the highest in northern Germany. The postcard isn't dated, but my guess would be late 1920s. If anyone has a different guess, based on clothing or hairstyles... Continue Reading →
When I start researching a foreign photographer, I never expect to find much. I can usually find a few references online, and sometimes studio addresses or dates of operation, but that's generally it. On the other hand, some studios are well documented in their own countries, and the E. Bieber studio in Hamburg is one... Continue Reading →
This cabinet card was made at a studio called Atelier Mąke in Gnesen, Prussia, which is now Gniezno, Poland. An astute visitor to this page, D.B. from Milwaukee, informed me that Atelier Make was owned and operated by a woman named Ludwika Mąke, who worked as a professional photographer in Gniezno for 35 years. That's... Continue Reading →
The closest English equivalent of the German word Elfenreigen would be "fairy round dance," although Elfenreigen is also sometimes translated as "dance of the elves." "Carlsberg" may have been the location where this photo was taken. A very kind visitor to the blog (bradwardine42) left a comment under the post with the following information: I... Continue Reading →
This German Feldpost (field/military) postcard is dated Aug. 19, 1916. Infantrymen are being entertained by a man in civilian clothes holding a music box with the words "Automate à musique" on the front. Perched calmly on top of the music box is a black and white cat. A second man in civilian clothes stands a... Continue Reading →
Tokens of Companionship 
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