CDV of a Woman from Aurora, Illinois 1880s-1890s

This is a CDV of a woman, taken by D. C. Pratt of Aurora, Illinois, probably in the late 1880s or 1890s.  There is no other identifying information on the CDV.

This woman looks like she may be Native American (Indian), or perhaps Asian, or maybe neither, it is hard to tell - at least for me.  It is sort of Sepia toned, no special background or props, and the clothing she's wearing looks pretty mainstream for the period.

She has a bit an exotic look to her, and that is enough to make this an interesting photo.  At least to me.

CDV Photo of a Man in Cowboy-ish Garb, Waukegan, Illinois, circa 1870s.

 

I suppose I can file this in the CDVs I don't see every day category.  This fellow is decked out in his hat, long coat, a bolo tie (sort of), with his pant legs stuffed into his boots - pretty much the way they were worn back then.  And the boots appear to have what we would call today a "western heel", which was pretty good for stirrups and such.

 

It is super neat!  And that is about the best thing I can say about it.

 

There is a name on back, written in some kind of green substance (crayon?  don't think it's ink), and it is almost impossible for me to be sure.  We think it is A. C. Dier.  But it could be Duir, or any of a number of other names.  We're just guessing.

 

The photographer is R. W. Hook of Waukegan, Illinois.   

I really like this one, and I'm tempted to keep it, but for now it's for sale in the shop - www.leopatti1910.com  (search for "cdv photo man cowboy hat" and you should find it. 

Cabinet Photo of a Young Woman with Long Hair and Bare Arms

 

This is a cabinet photo (a little more than 4 x 6 inches, including the mounting) of woman wearing a dark short sleeved dress.  It was taken by F. B. Merker of Belleville, Illinois.  There is no other identifying information.

 

My best guess is that this is from the 1880s or 1890s, and it was unusual for a woman (or a man for that matter) to display bare arms in a formal portrait.   Also, I originally thought that was a boa draped over her shoulder, but it isn't - it's her hair, probably in a long pony tail.  Most women her age, in that era, would not have worn their hair down.

 

Maybe she was an actress (you know how they are).  Maybe she was ahead of her time stylistically. 

Or maybe it was a fad, or maybe it was well within the moral conventions of the time, or perhaps it was the latest and greatest from the fashion houses of Paris.  I honestly have no idea.

 

Unique photos are hard to find.  If it were easy to find them, they would not be unique.  I suppose every photo is unique in some way, in fact I know they are,  but some are more unique than others.  This woman's bare arms and long hair draped over her shoulder sets this photo apart.

 

(Old joke:  how do you find a unique photo?  You neek up on it.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Little Martha Sharples, 1892-1926.

This is little Martha Sharples - a bit larger normal Cabinet Photo with 3 views of the little girl. 

I know this is Martha Sharples because it says so on the back - and it also gives her married name (Hess), and her parents names - David T. & Adeline Sharples.  With that information you can find out a lot about this little girl.

She was born Nov 22, 1892 in Elgin (Kane County) Illinois, which means this photo was taken in 1897-98, give or take.   She married a Henry Lawrence Hess in on April 26, 1916 in West Chester, Pennsylvania - their 96th anniversary is coming up.  I have no idea of the events surrounding a move from Illinois to Pennsylvania, but apparently it happened.   She had two children in the next couple of years, and then a daughter on May 28th, 1926.  She died about a week later, June 2, 1926, at the age of 33 at Media (Delaware County) Pennsylvania.  Although I can't say with 100% certainty, it seems pretty obvious she died from some complication arising from giving birth, probably excessive bleeding or infection.   Both of her parents, David & Adeline Shaples, outlived her.  I believe she was their only child.

I suspect there is no one alive now who ever met or knew Martha Sharples.

Martha's daughter, the one born in 1926, died in 2010, at the age of 84. 

  

I look at these old pictures, and sometimes I find myself mourning for these people, who are for the most part long gone. I actually feel sad for them.  In this photo, Martha is a little girl.  She seems happy and well cared for, and I'm fairly certain no one expected her to die as a result of child birth.  Everybody expected her to get married, have children, become a grandmother and so on.  But fate had something else in store for Martha Sharples Hess.  She never saw her children grow up.

Update:  SOLD!

Old Photo of a man in a dress uniform

This is an antique photo of a man in a uniform of some sort, probably early 20th (maybe late 19th) century. 

I'm not sure what kind of uniform it is, but it has a military look about it.  Having a military look doesn't necessarily make it military, but on the other hand, there is a good possibility.  The overall appearance is right - a man with short hair standing more or less at parade rest.   Also there are shoulder epaulets, the "U.S" insignia on the collar, plus what looks like crossed swords behind it.   I can't see that clearly, so I could be wrong, but if it is crossed swords, then this is most likely an early military dress uniform of some sort.

The photo is mounted on dark cardboard, and embossed in that cardboard is "Monroe Ft. Sheridan".  I believe Monroe is the photographer & Ft. Sheridan is the location - specifically Illinois.

But I don't know for sure, so I hope someone who is expert in military uniforms (specifically US Army) will jump in and straighten me out if I'm wrong. 

Anyway, it's a neat photo.

Update: Sold!