Cabinet Photo of a Teen-aged Girl with long Hair from Easton Pennsylvania

There is nothing unusual about this Cabinet Photo, I just like it.  It's a formal studio portrait of a teen aged girl,  standing with her hand on one of those fancy couches whose name I can never remember.  She has quite long hair draped over her right shoulder.  Her dress is not even quite ankle length, which, along with the way she's wearing her hair, was probably an indicator of youth and an unmarried status at the time (probably 1870s).

The photographer was McCabe, located at 429 Northampton Street, Easton, PA.  I was not able to find out any specific information about the photographer, and there is nothing to indicate who the subject of the photo was.  It's just a nice picture.

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!

A Frederick Gutekunst Cabinet Photo of a Man with Thick Muttonchops

This is a cabinet photo of a man with a polka-dot tie, a plaid suit and thick mutton-chops, probably from the 1880s.  Very stylish for the time, I suppose.  He has the look of an office worker of some sort, but his occupation is anyone's guess.

The photo was taken by "Gutekunst, 715 Arch Street, Philadelphia", or at least in his studio.   Frederick Gutekunst lived from 1831 to 1917, and became a famous and popular photographer in Philadelphia, beginning in the 1850s.

We've had this cabinet card for quite awhile, and it's actually been some time since I've looked at it, but I remember it struck me as being a very "sharp" high quality picture.

 

Update: Sold!

Zen Buddhist Priest Statue

This is a postcard of a 13th wooden statue of a Zen Buddhist priest, from the Japanese Kamakura period, an era which I know nothing about.  In fact my knowledge of Japanese art & culture is not great, period, but I can appreciate what is obviously a beautiful work of art.

This card was published by the Pennsylvania Museum & School of Industrial Art, and I assume it was originally sold in a gift shop.  

I don't know the age of the postcard, but I suspect it is Pre-WWII.  It is divided back, and there's no real clue from the stamp box. 

I like art cards.

CDV Photo of Two Men, Chester County, Pennsylvania - 1860's

This is a CDV (Carte de viste) photo of two men sitting in chairs.  It was taken by an A. McCormick, of Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania.  I can date this to the 1860s for a couple of reasons, but mainly because there is a green George Washington 3 cent tax stamp on back.  I believe this particular stamp dates this photo to 1864.

CDVs are small, usually about 2.5 x 4 inches, usually with an albumen print affixed to a cardboard backing.  They were popular from the 1850s to the 1880s at least.  The thickness and look of the cardboard, plus the styles of the graphics advertising the photographer also give clues to the date.   If you're expert enough, you may also be able to tell by clothing or hair styles - of course people aren't always current with the latest fashions, especially older people.  Sometimes people are nice and write names and dates on it, but usually not.  And sometimes it has a tax stamp.

I like this CDV because it has two men in it, they have interesting mustaches and beards, the hats seem a little unusual, and they're wearing long coats, they both have on what looks like the same kinds of boots, and of course, the tax stamp on back.  And the actual picture looks nicer than what I could reproduce.

Lincoln Avenue in Carbondale, PA - 1909

This is a postcard showing a view of Lincoln Avenue in Carbondale, Pa.  It was sent to an address in Remington, Indiana, and postmarked in Carbondale in 1909.   It was published by the Rotograph Co., "N.Y. City", and printed in Germany.

Many pre-WWI cards were printed in Germany, and frequently have very nice colors and sharp details.  The quality of printing declined after WWI started.

This old card just shows a pleasant street - but if you look closely you'll see a large animal, probably a horse.  It most likely is pulling a cart of some sort.