19th Century Cabinet Card - Three Young Brothers

Collectibles : Photographic

 

Fine quality cabinet card, showing three young brothers and taken in the 1880s-1890s. These young boys are dressed in their dress suits with short pants. Their high top boots have black buttons, and they are all wearing big floppy bow ties. Note the background used by this photographer, Udell’s of Cleveland, Ohio- it’s a wonderful and quite realistic trompe d'oeil of a bookcase, books, a vase and a small painting.

None of the boys are smiling, typical of this period of photography. Photographers of this era regularly asked their subjects not to smile, so that photos would turn out sharp and clear. Smiles were difficult to maintain without movement over the time period needed for photo exposure, which is why so many early photos show no smiles.

This cabinet card is in Very Good condition, showing good surface with no scuffing, as well as fine contrast and excellent clarity. The gold scalloped edge add to the card’s lovely quality, and the fancy graphics of a hawk, seen on the back are truly a delight.

Item ID: RL601-608-5