Another YOUNG GIRL AT BAKER'S ART GALLERY?

Those from Sepia Saturday who have been around for several years might remember a post I did on November 19, 2010 entitled The Lovely Young Girl at Baker's Art Gallery. It was about two lovely photos of a young girl taken at a photography studio in Columbus, Ohio. You might even see a comment you left with the post.

Over the past years I've been contacted by several people hoping to find out more information about the gallery. Alas, I have to tell them I'm not an expert and that everything I found online was put in the post. Let's see what happens this time.

The photo below was also taken at the Baker's Art Gallery in the late 1880s to sometime within the 1890s. I found this in Betty Schnabel's father's album. I believe Betty's father, Donald G. Schnabel, was from Ohio, though I can't verify it. If you don't know about Betty just click on "Betty Schnabel" in the labels below to see a variety of photos all purchased at the estate sale of her belongings.

First I was excited to find another photo from the gallery, but even more excited by the subject. When you collect vintage photos once in a while you come across ones of people cross-dressing. The most common are photos of women dressing up as men. They are usually done as a lark with a few gals dressed in suits "acting masculine." Occasionally I've also found ones of men purposely dressed as women as a joke. But the more interesting photos are those of someone cross-dressing because it's who they were. Often you're not sure what you're looking at, as is the case with this image. Is this a young man with very feminine features? Or is this a young woman who chose to dress as a man and perhaps live as a man? It is the first photo I have of a woman possibly living as a man. I have several of men that have me curious. There's an interesting story here that we'll probably never know.




Click on either image to see them larger.

This is my contribution to this week's Sepia Saturday which is about long hair. Sepia Saturday is giving you the long of it, I'm giving you the short of it.

GEORGE E. BOWEN and the lovely young lady

This lovely young lady is from Fat Hill, Illinois. Yes, you read that correctly, Fat Hill. The actual name of the town is Cerro Gordo which is Spanish for fat hill. The town was named for a battle between U.S. troops and Mexican troops in April 1847.

Battle of Cerro Gordo, (April 1847), confrontation at a mountain pass about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Veracruz, Mex., where the U.S. Army under General Winfield Scott first met serious resistance in the Mexican War. Advancing to the interior, Scott’s 8,500 men reached Plan del Río, a few miles from Cerro Gordo, where they met a Mexican force of 12,000 men under General Antonio López de Santa Anna entrenched in the pass. A flanking maneuver to gain the enemy rear, suggested and guided by Captain Robert E. Lee (later commanding general of the Confederate Army), was in progress when fighting began on the front, and the Mexicans broke. Santa Anna escaped, leaving about 1,130 casualties and about 3,000 prisoners. The American loss was 431, including 63 dead. Scott moved on to Puebla, the second largest city of Mexico, and later to Mexico City. (SOURCE: Britannica)

So why name your town after a battle? What was the connection? I have not found an answer.

As to the young lady...mother, sister, lover, or wife? We’ll never know how this lovely young lady defined herself. I have no information about her. Was she a pleasant person or a “mean girl” whose words could cut like a knife? Looks can be deceiving.





The photo was taken at the Bowen studio in Cerro Gordo, Illinios. The photographer was George E. Bowen who was born on Nov. 25, 1874 and died in Cerro Gordo on Jan 19, 1939. His wife, Katherine A., was born on Aug. 18, 1879 and died on May 10, 1977. Their son, Harold D., was born on April 9, 1910 and died on March 11, 1932.

In the 1910 census George is listed as an artist. In the 1920 census he is listed as a photographer.

Looking at the 1880 census there is only one boy age 6 named George Bowen so I’m taking a wild guess that it is George and his family. They resided in Chalmers Township with his father, JL (?), and mother, Lydia A. There were 3 sons besides George and 1 daughter.

In 1913 George bought the Medaris Studio at Bement, Iowa. No other information is given about this purchase. (SOURCE: Bulletin of Photography, No. 13; published in 1913)

At some point this young lady and George crossed paths in his studio.Were either of them rushed just wanting to get it over with, having someplace else to go? Or was it a quiet sitting with George wanting to show the young lady at her best?

We’ll never know what became of this lady, but we do know that on April 9, 1932 George and his wife lost their only son, Harold Dale. He was 29. Was it an accident or illness? George was only alive for another 7 years. Katherine lived for another 38 years. What was Katherine’s life like? All mysteries.

In this post George and the young lady are again reunited for those moments when they met, not something they could have ever imagined.

This is another photo from my friend Bert's collection. You can see more from his collection by clicking on the "Bert's collection" below.

UPDATE: Reader WJY has kindly provided the following fascinating information about the town Cerro Gordo in Illinois:

General Santa Ana lost his leg during the French Pastry War between France and Mexico. At the battle of Cerro Gordo, a group of Illinois militia captured Santa Ana's headquarters, and seized his cork leg. They returned to their home in Piatt County. The small village of Griswold was renamed Cerro Gordo to honor the militiamens capture of Santa Ana's cork leg. The leg can be seen in the state historical museum in Springfield. Hey, I couldn't make this stuff up.

GERTRUDE HELEN RICH BOWEN

Last Sunday I purchased a small bin of photographs at the flea market. You can read about it here. For this weeks Sepia Saturday I'm going to feature a woman who probably once owned many of these photos.

Gertrude Helen Rich was born on December 21, 1885. At some point she married and her last name became Bowen. She was a schoolteacher in Nebraska, which is also where I believe she was born. She had a son named Arthur who was stationed in Germany after the war. They both eventually ended up in Phoenix, Arizona. That is all the biographical information I know about Gertrude.

This first photo was a "Souvenir of Our School Days" taken by W. P. Fritz in Fremont, Nebraska. On the back of a copy of this photo it says:

Mrs. Gertrude H. Bowen Graduation Picture Fremont College, Nebraska About 1905

On the back of this shot it says:

Gertrude Helen Rich (Bowen) second from the right, her friend Elizabeth Davidson third from the right, on a picture taking expedition with three high school boys on March 18, 1910. Near Springfield, Nebraska.

Click on image to see it larger.

On October 21, 1930 she received the following teaching certificate.

Click on image to see it larger.

On October 4, 1932 she received the following certificate in Arizona.

Click on image to see it larger.

On the back of this shot it says:

Phoenix, Arizona

July 1954

Left to Right:

Mrs. Gertrude H. Bowen

Homer Graves (her nephew)

Arthur D. Bowen (Mrs. Bowen's son)

Donald Graves (Homer's son)

Click on image to see it larger.

And finally this shot was processed in June 1961.

It fascinates me as to how many collections I have that once belonged to schoolteachers.

All this week I have been featuring photos from this bin which I call the Ten Buck Box. I will continue to feature even more images over the coming weeks.

UPDATE: I've added an additional photo of Gertrude here which is the oldest I have of her. It was taken in 1973. She died in 1974.

The FINE LADY at Duchochois and Klauser

Yesterday was a fine day to be at the flea market. First I found a children's book I used to have. I had forgotten about it until I saw the images and then one of those warm comforting memory flashes overcame me. I soon parted with one dollar.

I would have been content to call it a day with my one find. It was a busy day at the market with lots of food sellers, tool sales, brightly colored toys, and piles of used clothing. I wasn't hoping for much. And then I saw a bin sitting on a table with envelopes sticking out. I zeroed in. Then I smiled. It was a plastic bin of photos.

The down side is that a lot of the photos are damaged, badly damaged with mold. I decided before diving head first into this murky mess I'd ask the seller what he wanted. He said, "Ten bucks."

I stared back from behind my dark sunglasses and stupid ugly sun hat, "For all of it?"

"Yeah."

"Including the box? Do you want to keep the box?"

He shook his head and waved me off as much as saying, "Get that thing out of here."

Ten bucks appeared from my big wallet, not my flea market purse. I had to go deep for this one.

So then began the laborious task of sorting the photos by damage. There are well over 400 photos, some old postcards, some interesting letters, an old address book, a sweet little photo album from the turn of the 20th century, and some personal papers for a woman who was a teacher. In fact I believe this collection of mish-mash belonged to either her or her son. Someone even did some genealogy work which was also included.

I threw away probably about a dozen images. Others needed cleaned with q-tips and alcohol. None of the damaged ones are of real emotional or visual value, so it does not upset me to see them in precarious condition. They have now all been sorted and put into separate envelopes, the moldy ones far from those that are pristine. Just because some are moldy doesn't mean they're useless, such as the one below.

This photo, badly faded, of a woman in a stunningly bulky outfit was taken at the studio of Duchochois and Klauser which was located at 630 Broadway, New York.

Click on images to see them larger.

I'm not finding any biographical information about either photographer, but they did run the following small ad in the New York Weekly Review, Volume 13 in 1862. If you Google their names you will find some of their work in various archives around the country. You can see other work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here is one for sale. And you can click here to see a page of photos, only one by Duchochois and Klauser, of Mrs. H. S. Wilson.

Sadly there is also no information about this woman. The coat fascinates me with the fan pattern on the sleeve. It all appears to be a bit too much, but I'm imaging for her day she was quite stylish. Imagine heading off to work these days carrying your laptop in its case slung over your shoulder. To say nothing of fitting this entire ensemble into your cubicle.

And just to add a little link to the past posts I did over a week ago, we can see that at some point someone did a little hand tinting to the lady. Her cheeks, lips, flowers around her bonnet, and for some reason a white spot on her forehead. She looks quite Christmas-y.

All of these images for less than 3 cents each. Yes, it was a good day at the flea market.

The YOUNG GIRL IN THE BONNET

This is the last of the hand tinted photos. I found this little scrap of paper mixed in a box of snapshots at an antique store. Not regular photo paper; in fact I really don't know what this was printed on, but it shows no dot pattern so it's not a halftone.

Though the paper is damaged, the image is surprisingly intact. All the brush strokes can be seen under my loop, no damage to the little girls face. She most certainly needed rescued from the box before greasy fingers were run across her rosy cheeks.

Coy and LIGHTLY TINTED

This lovely young lady was in a collection of photos that belonged to my friend Burt. There's no information about her, and as you can see one of the photos is in focus, the other not so much.

The hand tinting is much better than the others I have shown this week. I think the first one would have looked nice in a frame on her true loves dresser. Okay, the skin tone is a wee bit on the pancake makeup side...downright Martian looking, but the cheeks and eyes are nice. So two out of three galactic points.

Click on either image to see it larger.

The Gray family got maybe TOO MUCH SUN

I'm calling them the Gray family, though their name is something like Seabcros. They were family relations in some manner of the Kallman family. I just can't figure out the spelling of the name. And try to imagine this "album" which is nothing more than black paper tied together with all photos stapled into the "book." Yes, I said stapled. You can see the staples in the shot below.

For my purpose they are the Gray family. The family that went to the beach and stayed out too long the day before they were getting the family portrait taken.

Another fine example of hand tinting. You can see yesterday's example here.

Click on image to see it larger.

I think you'll agree with me that this is some truly fine fine work. A portrait just calling out from the other side...

Two Sides of WHIGHAM PHOTO in San Francisco

105 years ago today the earth shook and fire raised the city of San Francisco. This is the anniversary of the 1906 earthquake.

Today I have chosen to feature this photo from the George Kallman estate. I have no information about the children in the photo, but the photographer took some memorable photos of the aftermath of the earthquake.

I have not found any biographical information about Whigham. I'm hoping eventually someone steps forward and offers some.

The following three images showing the aftermath of the quake are from the Central Washington University Brooks Library Digital Collection, all taken by Whigham Photo. Click on the links to go to their site and see the images larger along with reference data.

The Mission at San Francisco, California; CWU Brooks Library

At home on the street at San Francisco, California;

CWU Brooks Library

Retrieving bodies at the Brunswick Hotel at San Francisco, California; CWU Brooks Library

Then there's the following little item from the January 5, 1908 newspaper The San Francisco Call from the Library of Congress archives. Click on the link to see the full page of the paper.

Apparently Whigham Photo was in the "Rooms to Let" business.

As with all old photos, you have to wonder what became of the people. Most assuredly, what became of these two children?

UPDATE: Thanks to an anonymous reader we now have a little bit of information about the Whigham Studio:

Whighams Studio was owned by Minnie Seavy of San Francisco. She had two studios one on Mission and the other on Market. One of the newspapers had a baby photo contest which she won with two photos that were titled A Breath of Heaven Day/Night. I know she also owned a few flats as well.

UPDATE: Thanks to Kevin Shiley for the following information.

Richard P Whigham, the photographer, was the older brother of my great grandmother, Matilda Whigham McCaslin. He was born in Belfast, Ireland (now Northern Ireland) and his family emigrated to Calgary, Alberta in 1872. He made his way to San Francisco sometime in the 1890’s and in the 1900 census is listed as a photographer. Minnie Seavy was his 2nd wife, he married her in 1910. He passed away in 1932, and she survived him. In the census data he was always listed as photographer. Minnie is first shown as a photographer in the 1930 census, before that under occupation it said none.  

IS SHE OR ISN'T SHE a little on the Royal side?

This real photo post card has languished in a box of old family photos, specifically the Scottish side of my family. I have two of them and have always wondered who these people are. It's a very nice, good quality card, but I have no idea how it relates to my family other than it was shot in Motherwell, Scotland.

Click on image to see it larger.

Looking at it last night I started to notice that the woman in the dark hat and clothing sort of looks like the Queen Mother, but then thought, "Nah, why would she have a portrait taken in Motherwell?" But I'm not convinced it isn't her with a group of crusters, far more upper crust than anyone in any of my family. This photo has always stood out from everything else.

So I'm wondering if this was perhaps a souvenir card of some sort featuring these upper crusties. Maybe the photographer didn't actually take it and simply did the printing. Perhaps someone somewhere will recognize someone and then let me know.

The photo was taken by T. Johnstone, 71 Brandon Street, Motherwell, Scotland. The only information I've found so far is from a genealogy site:

The firm of Thomas Johnstone was in Motherwell for over 50 years, very popular for weddings etc. There would have been thousands of photographs taken over the years and I very much doubt if any records were kept. It was quite common for people to pop in and have their picture taken on the spur of the moment. I can remember this studio, it was half-way down Brandon Street, on the left-hand side near the City Bakeries shop.

T_Johnstone.jpg

Whoever, whatever, these people are they look like characters out of

Upstairs, Downstairs. Surely they had their own Masterpiece Theater

show.

And now for your viewing pleasure...IN THE CENTER RING...

I present Count and Leslie Vier!

Okay, these little guys are simply as cute as cute can be even if I don't really like using the word cute. These guys are cute. They also look like a circus act with their little matching tights. I'm thinking tumbling across the sawdust covered ring while the spotlight follows them. Perhaps their mother standing on the back of a horse riding in circles.

Of course, they're not a circus act. Well, I can't really say that's true because I don't have any information about them other than that their names are truly Count and Leslie Vier.

They look like both of them are a bundle of energy about to explode. Perhaps anxiously awaiting a trip to the ice cream parlor following their trip to the portrait photographer. I can imagine the photographer watching as they ran circles around him before settling in place.

"Quick! Take the shot!! They may never look this still again!!!"

Seriously, who names a kid "Count" and not expect some trouble?

Another photo from Bert's collection.

UPDATE: I did a bit of searching online and believe I have found photos of the brothers as adults. I'm not positive, but the fellows on this site look very much like these boys. You'll find a listing of photos at the bottom of the page. Just look for Count or Leslie. There is even one of Count on a motorcycle.

The historical information about the two boys is as follows:

Charles Leslie Vier was born in America Fork, Utah Co., Utah on November 25, 1912. He died in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah about 1958. Charles Leslie Vier son of John W. Vier & Harriet A. Preston. He was married to Mildred Irene Johnson on April 6, 1954 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, Utah. Their Children were missing.

Count Woodrow Vier was born in America Fork, Utah Co., Utah on May 5, 1914. He died in Placer, California in October 7, 1978. Count Woodrow Vier son of John W. Vier & Harriet A. Preston. He was married to Dorothea Delores Gillette in February 24, 1943. They had sons.

It's OH SHOOT, I FORGOT TO TAKE THE CURLERS OUT Thursday

Add this date to your calendar so you'll remember to celebrate next year. I'll call it "'Oh Shoot, I Forgot to Take the Curlers Out!' Thursday" which of course next year will actually be "'Oh Shoot, I Forgot to Take the Curlers Out!' Friday." I think you can see where this is going. Only we will know it's a holiday. A very moving holiday.

Click image to see it larger.

Seriously, doesn't this woman look like she went out with the curlers still in? I had a friend that did this. I can remember going to a Chinese restaurant with her and she had 4 curlers in, the pink plastic type. I didn't say anything because she often walked around the house with a few pink curlers at all hours of the day. I guess maybe she saw her reflection in the window and suddenly said, "Oh shoot!" and began pulling the curlers out. She placed them on the table next to the film cans she kept quarters in. She owned an apartment building and used to empty out the coin boxes from the washing machines and dryers, all quarters. She kept the quarters in the film cans and when it came time to pay for the meal she'd start stacking quarters on the table. I miss her. She died in 1999.

Obviously this woman died a long long time ago. There is no information about her and I'm not finding anything about the photo studio. There appears to have been many photographers in Joliet, Illinois because when I search I find other studios, just not this one.

So go stick a curler in your hair and carry it proudly through the day. Guys too. Believe me if your friends have to ask they don't know you all that well. And if a stranger looks at you strangely just say, "Happy 'Oh Shoot, I Forgot to Take the Curlers Out! Thursday" and they'll give you wide berth.

Another photo from Bert's collection.

_____________

For those of you who love cabinet cards I have added another site to my "Other Sites, Other Worlds" list to the left: The Cabinet Card Gallery. No information if the person running the site is the owner of the cards. In fact, no information at all about the site owner.

It's FUNNY HAT MONDAY!

Okay, so it's not really a funny hat, but that was the first thought I had when I saw the photo. There needs to be a weekly Funny Hat Monday holiday. I want to see people all across the country heading out of their homes on their way back to boring work wearing funny hats.

"Hi Fred."

"Hi Sam."

"Funny hat."

"Yeah, you too."

"See ya."

"Yeah, see ya."

I don't think it will catch on. And for those of us who work from our homes, well we could just make every day funny hat day and nobody would know.

Click on image to see it larger.

Secondly I did notice that this is a very good photo with nice depth of field. Love the way the brim is in focus, but not the crown of the hat.

I'm guessing that what she's wearing is somehow significant to a particular culture. Since there is no indication as to where this photographer had their studio I can't make any guess about which immigrant group was the most predominant in the area. Perhaps German or Swiss?

In fact, I can't find anything concrete about this photographer, G. H. Huntzinger. I did find a photo for sale on eBay taken in Indiana by someone named Huntzinger and two references for photos in a library in Ohio, but have no way of knowing if it's the same person.

Oh, and I'm writing this wearing a funny hat. I'll let you imagine what it is.

The MOUSE IN LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA

This photo, from the collection given to me by Bert, fascinates me. I'll admit that I'm searching for a character from the HBO tv show Deadwood when I look at it. One of my all time favorite shows. For some it was just a show full of profanity, but for me that language was like brush strokes on canvas, and I'm a sucker for a good Western. I really loved the incredible beauty of that show and I'm still ticked off that Milch and HBO couldn't get their act together to give it a good send off. So be it.

Click on image to see it larger.

Several years ago I went to Deadwood, South Dakota and I'll admit I was disappointed. The town itself looked historically great, but it was nothing but casinos. Up and down the main drag was one casino after another. I dislike casinos, find them incredibly boring. When it came time to find a place to eat I ended up in Lead, the town where George Hearst had his Homestake mine. No casinos in Lead, just a nice little town.

Lead (pronounced “leed”) is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. Lead is located in western South Dakota, in the Black Hills near the Wyoming state line.

The city was officially founded on July 10, 1876, after the discovery of gold. It is the site of the Homestake Mine, the largest, deepest (8240 feet) and most productive gold mine in the Western Hemisphere before closing in January 2002. By 1910 Lead had a population of 8,382, making it the second largest town in South Dakota.

Lead was originally founded as a company town by the Homestake Mining Company, which ran the nearby Homestake Mine. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

This photo was taken by photographer Meddaugh in Lead. I have no information about the subject or the photographer. I did online searches trying to come at it from every angle I could think of and did find some other photos Meddaugh took, but no positive biographical information.

There was a James Ednard Meddaugh living in the county of Lawrence, South Dakota where Lead and Deadwood are located, in 1892. This particular man was married to Serena Edeline Redlon and they had a son, Jamie Arthur Meddaugh, who was born on August 21, 1892. Possibly James Ednard Meddaugh was the person who took this photo.

Click here and you'll see a photo of Devil's Tower taken by Meddaugh. Click here to see a photo of the US Cavalry riding down Main Street, though I'm not sure if it's Deadwood or Lead. The caption doesn't make it clear.

Here's also a link to a site, Ameritribes, with images taken by a photographer named Meddaugh who lived in Rushville, Nebraska. All of the photos are of Native Americans, including one of a Ghost Dance. Same photographer as the one in Lead? I haven't a clue, but hope to someday find more information.

As to the subject of the photo I find this fellow fascinating. Was he a mouse or a monster? He looks so meek in the photo, but was that just a pose? Did he work in a store or perhaps in one of the many mines? Or was he a cold blooded killer in a new suit bought just for this occasion? Okay, it's my imagination running wild, I'll admit it, but that's what I'm going with. He's Billy the Kid in a new suit. Whoever he is, he passed through history and perhaps this is the only trace left.

UPDATE: Leave it to Far Side of Fifty to come through with some info about the photographer. Click here and here to see two shots by this photographer in her collection. And neither of her shots look like possible crazy gunslingers!

Meddaugh was in business from 1862 to 1926, under both the names Robert J or Isaac, it could have been a father and son ?

The LADIES OF HYDE PARK and C. S. PIERSAULL

I purchased this photo many years ago from an eBay seller in New York state. I've always found it fascinating.

Click on image to see it larger.

The wealthy woman knitting while her three precocious children sit still long enough to be photographed. And who are the two women in the back? Relatives or employees? I have no information as to any of their identities other than the pencil scrawls on the front.

As to the photographer, well, this gets a little interesting. Unlike most photographers who went in for stylish typefaces for their identity this photographer's name, C. S. Piersaull, is barely readable. In no way is he drawing attention to himself or his work. Fortunately President Roosevelt recognized his value.

Over 300 of Mr. Piersaull's photos reside in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library. The following from their site:

Who Was Charles Slyvester Piersaull?

Little is known about Charles Sylvester Piersaull. He was born in 1853 and was married to Josephine Susan Aldrich. The local registry lists his occupation as "Fishmonger" and the sign on his house says "FISH MARKET," but he did more than just sell fish. Piersaull served as the local pharmacist, bicycle repairman, and photographer. As a photographer, Charles Piersaull made his mark by leaving a rich visual record of Hyde Park's past. He took hundreds of photographs of the people, buildings, and culture of Hyde Park at the turn of the 20th century. At the time of his death in 1921, Piersaull's pictures were not taken seriously, but when they resurfaced over 20 years later, President Roosevelt immediately saw their value in understanding Hyde Park's history. The photographs were acquired by the FDR Library in 1943. (SOURCE: FDR Library)

I also found a book called Hyde Park on the Hudson by Margaret Logan Marquez that contains the page shown below. Click on the title link above to go to the book where you'll see several photos taken by Mr. Piersaull.

Click on image to see it larger.

Too often I find either nothing or very little about a photographer from so long ago. This is a rare find to see both the photographer and his wife.

Either the weeks are getting shorter or Sepia Saturday is starting earlier.

The Lovely Young Girl at BAKER'S ART GALLERY

For this weeks Sepia Saturday I give you two cabinet cards of a lovely unknown girl. Both were taken at Baker's Art Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, date unknown.

Since I can't do any research about the young girl, I find I can do some on Baker's Art Gallery which may lead us to make some conclusions about the girl.

Baker's Art Gallery was founded by Lorenzo Marvin Baker. I have found the following biographies:

Lorenzo Marvin Baker (1834-1924). Photographer, born in Copenhagen, New York, April 20, 1834, and active in Columbus (Franklin) format the early 1860s until about 1897. Baker's Art Gallery eventually employed two of his sons, Lorenzo N. and Duane Henry Baker, as well as Jon Samuel Schneider, and was the best-known portrait studio in the state capital until well into the twentieth-century. Between 1874 and 1886, nearly thirty first and second Ohio State Fair prizes went to L. M. Baker for photographs of every description, both plain and finished in watercolor or ink. In later years, the firm made a speciality of commercial work and genre scenes (some of which were shown at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition), and continued successfully until the mid-1950s, when it finally closed. It's founder died in Columbus on February 26, 1924. (SOURCE: Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900)

L. M. BAKER of Baker's Art Gallery, came to Columbus, in 1854 and became a clerk in a store, and later at the Neil House; was an officer at the penitentiary under Governor Chase; served a short time in the army during- the late unpleasantness; went into the photograph business in 1862, and the net year established the present gallery, of which he has been the head ever since. Baker's Art Gallery has the finest are rooms in Ohio, and it is a demonstrated fact that the work of the artists are the best produced in the United States. They were awarded the gold medal for the best specimens of photographs exhibited at the Semi-Centennial at Boston and at the World's Fair at Chicago. (SOURCE: Ohio American Local History Nework)

His son Duane H. Baker:

DUANE HENRY BAKER (1859-1934). Photographer, active in Columbus (Franklin) from 1878 until at least 1909. A son of Lrenzo Marvin Baker, he was born in Columbus in October 1859, and he worked in his father's studio for more than twenty years before gradually taking over the firms' business affairs early in the twentieth century. He later passed the Baker Art Gallery on to his son Lorenzo P. Paker. Duane Henry Baker died in Columbus on April 19, 1934. (SOURCE: Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900)

DUANE H. BAKER, of Baker's Art Gallery, Columbus. Son of L. M. Baker. Finished his education at the Ohio State University, and has since been connected with Baker's Art Gallery, he being business manager and owning a third interest. Was a veteran member of the Columbus Cadets, six years a member of Governor's Guards. Socially a K. of P. and an Elk. (SOURCE: Ohio American Local History Nework)

And the third partner in the business, John Samuel Schneider:

JOHN SAMUEL SCHNEIDER (1860-1926). Photographer, active in Columbus (Franklin) from 1880 to 1912 or later. Born in Galion (Crawford), January 31, 1860, Schneider attended German Wallace College, Berea (Cuyahoga), and trained two years with William H. Moore, then worked under George William Edmondson in NOrwalk (Huron). In 1880 he settled in Columbus, where he was part owner and principal camera operator of Duane H. and Lorenzo Marvin Baker's studio from 1886 until well into the twentieth century. IN 1901 he served as president of the National Photographer's Association and was elected several times to head the Ohio State Photographer's Association. Some of his carefully posed genre scenes were shown at the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition. (SOURCE: Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900)

JOHN S. SCHNIEDER, Of Baker's Art Gallery, Columbus. Son of Rev. John S. Schnieder; completed his education at the German Wallace College, Berea; began as a photographer at Marion and after a short time at Norwalk came to Columbus as one of Baker's staff and in 1886 acquired a third interest in the business. He is in charge of the operating rooms. (SOURCE: Ohio American Local History Nework)

And then there was the youngest son, Lorenzo N. Baker, who was not a partner in the gallery:

LORENZO N. BAKER *1861-1905). Photographer, born in Columbus (Frannklin), December 16, 1861, the younger brother of Duane Henry Baker and second sone of Lorenzo Marvin Baker and his wife, Samantha. He worked in this father's Art Gallery during the 1880s, but by 1890 he had established his own business in Piqua (Miami). In 1899 he was again listed at the family home in Columbus, where he died, February 10, 1905. (SOURCE: Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900)

The two photos I have are blank on the back, but here's an example of their advertising on an earlier card showing their studio.

(SOURCE: Sheaf -Ephemera)

Here is an actual photo of the Gallery from the Ohio Historical Society files.

Here is a photo of the front display window.

And here's a shot of their reception room.

The two photos above are from a vintage book, The Photographic Journal of America, Vol. 31, which can be read here at Google Books. It's quite interesting to read.

What I really find fascinating about Baker's Art Gallery are some of the famous names and otherwise interesting folks that walked through their door:

Rutherford B. Hayes

Annie Oakley

William Mckinley

Actress Grace Arnold

Actor P. Henry Crosby

Actor Robert Drociet

Actor A. Field

Actors Mr. and Mrs. E. Girard

Actress Baby Lillie Havre here and here

Actress Rhea as "Nell Gwynne"

Actor Arthur Stanford

Actress May V. Warren

"The world's greatest finger whistler"

1892 Columbus Baseball Club photo

A theatrical card

A young boy with a violin

And then several portraits of a particular family.

So, this leaves me with a few questions and possible facts.

It's likely our lovely young girl walked through the Baker's reception room and possibly met one of the men shown above. Now, was she simply a well off young lady who posed twice at the studio or was she an actress who brought a change of clothes for a one time sitting?

Both of these images of the young girl are from Bert's collection. Thank you Bert!

_____

Tattered and Lost volumes 1 to 7 available at Amazon.