Cabinet cards replaced the CDV as the most widely used photograph in the late 1800s. This collection spans from the 1870s to the 1910s. Most of the people are unidentified, but it can be assumed they represent a mix of extended family, friends, and schoolmates.
Note: The high-resolution JPEGs are large files and can be up to 50 MB in size!
Date: circa 1896
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified woman posing in front of columns.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, an S. L. Hubbard was a photographer in Wapakoneta in 1896-97.
Card text: S. L. Hubbard, Wapakoneta, Ohio
Date: circa 1890
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Victoria Sutherland (1849-1902), posing with floor-length hair. She was one of the Seven Sutherland Sisters, which was, according to Wikipedia,
a singing group which included the seven daughters of Fletcher and Mary Sutherland of Lockport, New York. They appeared with Barnum and Bailey's from the early 1880s to the early 1900s.Their distinguishing feature was their long hair.
The photographer, Francis Frank Wendt, was affiliated with Charles Eisenmann, known for photos of circus sideshow workers and "human curiosities." See item 0032 for another example of this genre.
Card text: Wendt - Ivory Process - Boonton, N.J.
Date: circa 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified older man holding his bowler hat. Sepia photo mounted with oval cutout. Based on the frame and style, I'm guessing this is from the 1890s.
Date: circa 1880s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Vignette photo of unidentified woman. She may be one of the women in 0025 (and connected to the woman in 00024). They appear related, and the photographers' studios are both in Portland, Indiana.
Card text: The Challenge Art Gallery. Photographed by J. G. Clapp - Portland, Indiana.
Date: circa 1880s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Vignette photo of unidentified woman. She may be one of the women in 0025 (and connected to the woman in 00023). They appear related, and the photographers' studios are both in Portland, Indiana.
Card text: The Challenge Art Gallery. Photographed by J. G. Clapp - Portland, Indiana.
Date: circa 1880s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Two unidentified young women and a girl. The original photo is very faded and the image here has been enhanced. This looks like it was taken outside, but it may also be a studio shot.
Card text: Malin & Schwartz - Eclipse Studio. - Portland, Ind.
Date: circa 1895
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Family portrait of Peter and Caroline Linn, my great-great grandparents. Peter Linn (1859-1925) is in the middle, and at upper-left is Caroline Barbara (Menchhofer) Linn (1852-1924). (Elsewhere in this photo collection exists a large-scale Menchhofer family tree printed on paper.)
Clockwise from Caroline: Oldest daughter Salome Linn, about age 12; Anna Linn, about 7; Walter Linn (my great-grandfather), about 3 here; Bertha Linn, about age 5; and Addie Linn, about 10.
Card text: Lewis & Wife, CELINA, O.
Description: Duplicate print of 0026.
Date: circa 1896
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Studio photo of unidentified teenage boy sitting in a chair.
Card text: Chowning - Urbana, O.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, someone named named C. H. Chowning was a photographer in Urbana from 1896 to 1897, so this photo is very possibly from that time period.
Date: late 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified young man in a formal studio portrait. I don't think this is the same person in 0029, but I woudn't be surprised if they are related. The raised border around this photo is a great specimen of this time period.
Card text: La France Cabinette - Dougherty Bros. - 16½ E. HIGH ST. - Springfield, O.
Date: circa 1880s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Formal studio portrait of a young man. Vignette.
Card text: J J Hover, LIMA OHIO
Date: Between 1883 and 1897
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Full-body studio portrait of unidentified man in a suit in front of a painted winter scene backdrop. He is very underdressed for this weather! I don't think this is the same man in 0031, but they sure could be related. The backdrop painting appears again in item 0036.
On the back, an ornate graphic for the photographer's business.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, D.C. Conley (AKA Conley Bros.) were photographers in Celina from 1883 to 1897.
Card text: D. C. CONLEY & BRO. - EXTRA FINE FINISH - CELINA, O.
Card text, reverse: Negatives Preserved: Duplicates can be had at any time - D. C. CONLEY & BRO. - CELINA, OHIO. - INSTANTANEOUS PROCESS - ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Description: Reverse side of 0030.
Date: Between 1883 and 1897
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified man holding a bowler hat and posing in front of painted backdrop, a pastoral scene. This man and the guy in 0030 have very similar tastes in suits and haircuts, but I don't think they're the same person.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, D.C. Conley (AKA COnley Bros.) were photographers in Celina from 1883 to 1897.
Card text: Conley Bros. - CELINA, O.
Date: circa 1890
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Promotional card for one Olga, a "Circassian Beauty" from New York City. This risque (for the time) photograph is is very faded, so here I have enhanced the contrast somewhat.
The photographer, Obermüller, was known for photographing sideshow performers, and it's likely that "Olga" is only a stage name and that she's not really a Circassian from the Caucasus region (in what is now Russia).
According to Wikipedia:
In the 1860s the showman P. T. Barnum exhibited women whom he claimed were Circassian beauties. They wore a distinctive curly, big hair style, which had no precedent in earlier portrayals of Circassians, but which was soon copied by other female performers in the United States, who became known as "moss-haired girls".
On the reverse side, a handwritten note reads, somewhat confusingly, "Be good & you will be happy & miss lots of fun. Olga".
Card text: Obermüller and Son - Opposite 5th St., near 4th Ave., N.Y.
Description: Reverse side of 0032.
Date: circa 1880s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Close-up formal studio portrait with vignette of an unidentified woman who looks to be in her 30s.
Card text: CABINET PORTRAIT - LEWIS & WIFE, CELINA, O.
Date: circa 1886
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified family in formal studio portrait. Presumably, this is a husband and wife with their two boys, who look to be about ages 6 and 8. The card itself has a wonderful gold-on-green graphic logo printed on the reverse side.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, Appleton and Hollinger were active in Dayton from 1885 to 1887 at 3rd and Jefferson, so this photo is very possibly from that time period.
Card text: APPLETON & HOLLINGER - DAYTON, OHIO.
Card text, reverse: PORTRAITS BY APPLETON & HOLLINGER - 3d & Jefferson - DAYTON, O
Description: Reverse side of 0034.
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Formal studio portrait of unidentified woman. Oval cut-out. Based on the hair and clothing styles, I'm guessing this photo is from the 1890s.
Card text: Daniels - HENRY, ILL.
Date: Between 1883 and 1897
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified man and woman, full body, in photographer's studio. The winter-scene background is the same as seen in item 0030, and the printed card text and graphics are the same too.
On the back, an ornate graphic for the photographer's business, along with dried glue, evidence of this photo having once been in an album.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, D.C. Conley (AKA Conley Bros.) were photographers in Celina from 1883 to 1897.
Card text: D. C. CONLEY & BRO. - EXTRA FINE FINISH - CELINA, O.
Card text, reverse: Negatives Preserved: Duplicates can be had at any time - D. C. CONLEY & BRO. - CELINA, OHIO. - INSTANTANEOUS PROCESS - ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Description: Reverse side of 0036.
Date: circa 1893
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Full-body pose of a young Ollie Loudenback, my great-grandmother, at about age 5 or 6, holding flowers and standing in front of a beach-themed backdrop. Ollie was the daughter of John Loudenback and Mary (Dock) Loudenback.
On the reverse side are hand-written instructions for the watercolorist and an order for a 16X20 print. Still attached is a lock of hair, a nice auburn color.
Card text: Harry Hiner - BOWDLE BLOCK - LIMA, O.
Label text, reverse: Imperial Portrait Co., Chicago.
Handwriting, reverse: To my eyes, the note reads,"take full size of this if you can in water color eyes black & hair same would like for you to make this one full form."
Description: Reverse side of 0037.
Date: circa1896
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Vignette photo of unidentified toddler sitting in a chair. I suspect this is Trixie Loudenback, younger sister of Ollie Loudenback, because of similarities to 0037.
Although the photographers are different, the handwriting on the back looks to be the same as that on 0037, both photos contained a lock of hair, and both were to be sent to the same watercolorist in Chicago.
It's possible that the family used the same photographer, who originally worked for Henry Hiner, and then later worked for Lewis & Wife.
Card text: Lewis & Wife - CELINA, O.
Label text, reverse: Imperial Portrait Co., Chicago.
Handwriting, reverse: "Take in water tint full size just as it is - white speck on cheek not natural - sample of hair & eyes dark brown"
Description: Reverse side of 0038.
Date: mid-1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified young man against white background in studio portrait, vignette.
This man could possibly be either Alonzo Loudenback (born 1868), or his brother David Frank Loudenback (born 1870). As for the photographer, Harry C. Hiner is listed as having been a photographer in Lima from 1891 to 1897.
Card text: Harry Hiner - BOWDLE BLOCK - LIMA, O.
Date: 1922
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: This is not really a cabinet card, as it is a memorial card for baby Robert Earl Linn, son of Ollie (Loudenback) Linn and Walter Linn. Robert would have been my grandfather's brother.
Card text: IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF - Robert Earl Linn - Born Feb. 19, 1922. - Died March 13, 1922.
Date: mid-1880s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified family in studio setting. It's possible that this is part of the Loudenback family.
Refer to item 0010. Francis Apple was the son of Elizabeth (Loudenback) Apple, and lived in St. Paris, Ohio. Francis had a younger brother, Otto. Could this photo be the Apple family? If so, then the older boy is Francis as a young teenager. The man with the beard could be Simon Apple, his father.
Card text: Valentine, St. Paris, Ohio
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified girl and baby, in photo studio setting with white background.
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified woman sitting in a rocking chair in front of Japanese-style screen.
Card text: Lewis & Wife - CELINA, O.
Date: circa 1896
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: Unidentified woman in oval cutout frame. The card is very lightly embossed in lower-right corner with the text:
Wichersham - URBANA, O.
According to the book Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, by Diane VanSkiver Gagel, someone named named J. R. Wickersham was a photographer in Urbana from 1896 to 1897, so this photo is very possibly from that time period.
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: A baby on a floral blanket. Based on the scalloped edges of this card, it may be from around 1890.
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: A toddler standing next to a baby, who is sitting on a floral blanket. It appears to be the same blanket as seen in item 0045. Based on the scalloped edges of this card, it may be from around 1890.
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: An unidentified baby in a chair.
Card text: Lewis & Wife - CELINA, O.
Date: 1890s
Type: Cabinet card
Size: 4.25"w × 6.5"h
Description: A baby with a long dress, sitting on a fur-covered chair.
Card text: Lewis & Wife - CELINA, O.
