Two with ferns. RPPC. Private Collection.
I remember seeing footage of families waving fern at departing WWI soldiers. Fern is a strong symbol of protection and the love and care of family and community. These two look close and each have fern in their hand. The gent on the left reminds me of Liam Neeson.
RPPC: AZO 1904-1918
Giving the pup a drink by the wagon. RPPC. Private Collection.
These three are hanging out by an untethered wagon, perhaps a father and his two sons. The bottles they’re holding look ‘dusty fresh’ from the cave; maybe this was the homemade kind of fizzy drink. The puppy on top of the metal milk jug survived and most likely went on the hunt for a fresh bowl of water right after. Ha!
1880s-1890s Walton Stauf. Cabinet card. Private Collection.
back of card signature.
Mr. Cool is posing in a fine long tail coat with matching waistcoat, and with his hands in pockets. He doubled up his fob chain, made a hole into the waistcoat pocket, passed it through and extended it all the way to his pants’ pocket -that’s one very long chain. I can see this gent thinking up something like this after losing an expensive pocket watch and then wanting the replacement to be more secure.
Well, we know he was right-handed. :)
And from the suit with the creased pants that he wasn’t hard up for money, but I couldn’t find anything about him. Pity!
There were/are very few Staufs in the U.S. A Henrietta Stauf emigrated from Germany to Maryland passing through Canada in 1858. She likely was related to Walton.
Photographer: Jeffres & Rogers. 112 N. Charles St. Baltimore. Maryland. The back is blank.
September 1912 young man at desk. RPPC. Private Collection.
A studious looking gent at his desk, his coats and hats hanging behind him, and with a pile of books stacked by the wall. There’s an ink bottle on the table, and the calendar dates this picture to September 1912. The window is open with the blinds closed to shield the room from the sun.
He seems to be gazing off, wishing to look serious. I love indoor pictures like this. I find there’s always so much to look at.
Victorian gentleman with cane, top hat and mustache. Cabinet card. Private Collection.
No, you are not dreaming. I’m usually not a fan of facial hair but this portrait is so much what a mature Victorian gentleman should look like I just had to get it. Under the mustache this man was a handsome fella.
He looks noble with his gaze going up. Fascinating how facial hair can change one’s appearance. This gent was in his thirties at most but the mustache makes him look older. But yes, I love this one very much.
See, he looks younger now.
“The moustaches are glorious, glorious. I have cut them short, and trimmed them a little at the ends to improve their shape. They are charming, charming. Without them, life would be a blank.” Edgar Allan Poe
I took this quote from a great BBC article explaining the reasons why Victorian men wore beards and mustaches. A fun good read. Thank you, Mr. Gillette, I’ll never see one of your disposable razors the same way again.
The back of this cabinet card is blank.
Bowlers And High Collars 