Happy Birthday United States of America!!

1918 Postcard

Happy 4th of July! - 1900's Patriotic Young Women

I thought this early photograph, dated between 1900 - 1910,  to be particularly fitting for today's post.  It shows thirteen young women all dressed alike and each holding an American flag.  They are wearing white shirtwaist blouses with dark skirts and dark bows at the neck.  Most are wearing a version of the Gibson Girl hairstyle so popular at the time.  I wonder if they were appearing in a school function or community event for a holiday such as the Fourth of July? I guess I'll never know as this oversized, 7" x 9" cabinet card does not identify the subjects or the photographer.

Tintype Tuesday - Beautiful 1870's Woman

This lovely young lady posed for the photographer for this tintype most likely in the 1870's.  She is sitting in the typical fringed chair of the era.  She has her hair pulled back in a rather severe fashion and it is difficult to tell what is on the top of her head but it appears to be a bow or other hair accessory.  She is wearing ear-bobs, necklace an rings on her right hand.  The top of her dress seems to be quite fitted with beautiful frilled neckline and cuffs, and I am not sure if the dress has a bustle, but I am guessing that it does.  She appears to be holding something in her left hand, but I cannot tell what it is.

Due to the high, quite decorative neckline I believe this photo to have been take in the mid to late 1870's.  Unfortunately as is most often the case with tintypes, both the subject and the photographer are unidentified.

Military Monday - WWI Sailor? and Wife ca 1918

This real photo postcard shows what I believe is a WWI sailor and and wife posing for the camera.  This appears to be the type of uniform sailors wore during WWI.  The couple is mostly unidentified except for their first names which are found on the back where it says, "To Grandmother, From Ruth and Harvey." 

WWI began in July of 1914 and lasted until November 1918.  This particular type of postcard was produced by AZO and as evidenced by the photo stamp box on the back was produced between 1918 and 1930.  It is possible that it was taken in 1918, possibly at the end of the war.  Unfortunately, since it was not postmarked and mailed, I cannot be certain.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - 1900 Philadelphia Woman

This photograph of an unidentified, mature, well-dressed woman was taken in Philadelphia probably around 1900. Her pose is very austere and from her clothing she appears to be well off. This card is an example of the changes cabinet cards went through at the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th. The size began changing as did the material the card was made out of. This particular card measures 3 5/8" x 5 1/2" instead of the standard for cabinet cards of 4" x 6". It is gray in color and made out of materials that became popular at that time, densely pressed cardboard between two pieces of covering that is pure color¹. It is embossed with the photographer's name as well as engraved with scrolls around the inner frame.

The photographer was E. J. Davis, located at 2021 Frankford Ave, and 1608 Susquehanna Ave, Philadelphia. He sounds like he must have been fairly prosperous at his profession, but I have been unable to find out anything about him. I did find this one small ad in the January 1908 edition of Snapshots from Google² books:

Sources:

1. Phototree.com
2. Google books