Portraits from the first 100 years of photography
The young woman above is wearing a skirt that matches the flag behind her. She's also wearing ribbons on her shoulders, bodice and waist. But which flag is it? From 1807 until 1953, the flag of Wales was white with a red dragon at the center. The cabinet card was made by Alfred Betts (1829-1890)... Continue Reading →
On this final day of Women's History Month, I thought it might be fun to turn to the realm of sport. This photograph came to me from Wales. It has nothing written or printed on it. Update, April 4: This morning I came across another copy of this image on a blog post titled Pulling... Continue Reading →
In the previous post we were in Glasgow, the most populous city in Scotland. Today we're 280 miles (450 km) to the south, in north Wales, near the seaside resort town of Llandudno. The cabinet card photograph above was taken by William Laroche & Sons. William Sylvester Laroche opened his first studio in Llandudno around 1872. ... 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 →
Tokens of Companionship 
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