[ebay bin3]
Product Overview
Step back in time with this remarkable collection of authentic, late 19th-century monochromatic photography. This curated set includes a mix of studio cabinet cards and tintypes, featuring portraits of families, children, and individuals. Many of these pieces originate from the Sullivan County, New York area, providing a fascinating window into rural American life and professional studio practices of the era.
What’s Included
This collection captures a variety of historical subjects and photographic formats:
Studio Cabinet Cards: Professional portraits featuring babies, children, and adults. Includes branding from:
R. B. Whittaker (Liberty, Sullivan Co., N. Y.) – Noted for "Awarded first premium of Sull, Co." and "Cloudy weather equally as good as clear for taking pictures."
J. M. Smith (White Lake, Sull. Co., N. Y.)
T. E. Sexton (315 Market Street, Wilmington, Del.) – Includes handwritten annotations identifying subjects as "Jas. Newlin" and "Kizzie & Newlin (Harmony)" with the note "Both Dead."
Tintype Portraits: An evocative grid of smaller format photos featuring men in hats, couples, and formal arrangements.
Historical Scenes: Includes captivating larger-format photographs depicting:
Group Portraits: Large gatherings of families on the porches of Victorian-style homes with ornate "gingerbread" trim, decorative lattice foundations, and rural details like agricultural milk cans.
Children at Play: Candid-style yard scenes featuring children with wagons, pets, and period-appropriate formal attire.
Condition & Provenance
Age: Circa late 19th to early 20th century.
Condition: These are original antique items. They exhibit expected signs of age, including potential edge wear, light surface marks, and paper yellowing consistent with historical photographs of this age.
Details: Several cards feature beautiful, period-authentic typography and decorative floral backings. Handwritten annotations on the reverse provide unique genealogical and personal context for the subjects.
Why You’ll Love It
This collection is perfect for:
Historical Researchers & Genealogists: The presence of identified names and specific locations (Sullivan County, N.Y.; Ridgewood, N.J.; Wilmington, Del.) offers excellent research potential.
Antique Collectors: A diverse array of formats (cabinet cards, tintypes) allows for a comprehensive display of Victorian-era photographic technology.
Interior Decorators: The architectural beauty of the Victorian homes and the charm of the vintage portraits make these ideal for authentic period-style framing.
————————————-
This photograph depicts a large group of approximately 20 individuals, including men, women, and children, gathered on the porch and stairs of a historic home featuring wood siding and decorative "gingerbread" trim.
The setting includes a prominent porch with patterned lattice foundation work and an agricultural-style milk can resting in the bottom-left corner.
An ornate birdcage containing a bird sits on the porch floor between a woman in a white dress and the individuals seated on the stairs.
The group appears in a mix of formal poses and relaxed arrangements, with one young boy standing prominently on the left wearing a cap, and another child holding a small dog on the right side.
The overall architectural style and the presence of the milk can suggest a rural American setting from the late 19th or early 20th century.
two-story wooden house with a dual-level porch that features elaborate, decorative "gingerbread" scrollwork on both the lower and upper railing levels.
Architecture: The house is built in a Victorian style with wood siding and a prominent central gable over the front entrance, featuring a small arched window. The base of the house is surrounded by a decorative lattice foundation.
The Group: A gathering of children is positioned in the yard in front of the house.
Several young children are seated or standing on the left side of the frame.
A young boy stands near the center-left.
Two children appear to be interacting with a small cart or wagon in the center of the yard.
A boy in a vest and trousers stands to the right, looking toward the camera.
Environment: The home is surrounded by trees and set on a grassy, slightly sloped lot. A white fence is visible in the background to the far left. Additional individuals can be seen sitting on the lower porch of the home.
collection of antique, monochromatic portrait photographs laid out on a brown surface.
In image.png, there is a collage of cabinet cards featuring studio portraits of babies, children, and adults. Many of the cards are marked with the name of the photographer, "R. B. Whittaker, Liberty, Sullivan Co., N. Y." or "J. M. Smith, White Lake, Sull. Co., N. Y."
image_2.png shows a close-up of a studio portrait of a baby sitting in a draped chair, with the photographer's information printed at the bottom. Another partially visible photo is seen in the lower right corner.
image_3.png features a group of tintype-style portraits arranged in a grid, interspersed with a larger cabinet card of a baby. The tintypes depict men in hats, a couple, and another man and woman. The photographer’s information is again visible on the larger portrait.
image_4.png provides a closer view of the four tintype-style portraits from image_3.png:
Top left: A man wearing a bowler hat, standing.
Top right: Two men seated, both wearing hats.
Bottom left: A man and woman posing together, with the woman standing and the man seated.
Bottom right: A man standing next to a woman who is seated.
reverse sides of several antique photograph cards, revealing details about the photographers and subjects:
Photographer Information:
Two identical cards prominently advertise "R. B. Whittaker, Photographer, Liberty, Sullivan Co., N. Y.".
These cards feature a decorative floral design and a note stating, "CLOUDY weather equally as good as clear for taking pictures" and "Awarded first premium of Sull, Co.".
Another card displays "R. B. Whittaker, Photographer, Liberty, N. Y." in simpler typography.
A fourth card identifies "T. E. Sexton, Photographer, 315 Market Street, Wilmington, Del.".
Handwritten Annotations:
The card associated with T. E. Sexton includes handwritten names that appear to be "Jas. Newlin" and "Kizzie & Newlin (Harmony)" along with the note "Both Dead".
A plain, unbranded card includes the handwritten text "J. O'Neill, Ridgewood, N. J." and the designation "No. F".