Figure 1.--Here we see how the name cabinet card was acquired. The cards were proped up on cabinets and other pieces of furniture like pianos. Here we see a portrait of Charley Halsey in front of a Victor Chicago pump organ during the 1900s. Notice all the cabinet cards. They look to be the new style of cabinet cards that appeared after the turn of the 20th century.

Here we see how the name cabinet card was acquired. The cards were proped up on cabinets and other pieces of furniture like pianos. (Stand up paper frames had not yet been invented.) Charley Halsey is sitting in front of of the family a Victor Chicago pump organ during the early 1900s, probably about 1910. Notice all the cabinet cards. They look to be the new style of cabinet cards that appeared after the turn-of-the 20th century. This and Charley's knicker suits help to date the image. Here we see how the name cabinet card was acquired. The cards were proped up on cabinets and other pieces of furniture like pianos. (Stand up paper frames had not yet been invented.) Charley Halsey is sitting in front of of the family a Victor Chicago pump organ during the early 1900s, probably about 1910. Notice all the cabinet cards. They look to be the new style of cabinet cards that appeared after the turn-of-the 20th century. This and Charley's knicker suits help to date the image. We do not know where Charly lived. We know his name because someone has written his name across the score that rests on the organ's music stand. Charley looks about 7-8 years old. Charley is all dressed up in his best church clothes in a dark double-breasted knickers suit with white shirt and tie, long black stockings and hightop shoes nicely polished.

Cabinet Cards

Notice all the family photos that have been propped up above the keyboard (figure 1). They all look to be cabinet cards. Here we see how the name cabinet card was acquired. The cards were proped up on cabinets and other pieces of furniture like pianos. (Stand up paper frames had not yet been invented.) The cabinet card was the most important photographic portrait format of the 19th century. More cabinet card were made than any other type of print. The cabinet card was introduced in 1866 and soon surpassed the smaller CDV format in popularity, at least in the United states. CDVs were commonly put in albums, but not proped up on cbinets like we see here. Some clients, however, continued to prefer the CDV prints. We are not entirely sure as to why 19th century clients chose one from or the other. A cabinet card is a simple term to describe a print that is mounted upon period card stock and large enough to be be displayed in cabinedts.

Family Organs

Charley Halsey is sitting in front of of the family a Victor Chicago pump organ during the early 1900s. This was the age before organ bellows were electronically driven and boys had to do the pumping manually. I think organs were fairly rare. Perhaps mother or father was the church organist. This of course is not the church organ but a private organ for home use.

Chronology

The family snapshot was probably about 1910. Notice all the cabinet cards. They look to be the new style of cabinet cards that appeared after the turn-of-the 20th century. This and Charley's knicker suits help to date the image

Charley

Charley's proper name was surely Charles. We do not know where Charly lived. We know his name because someone has written his name across the score that rests on the organ's music stand. Charley looks about 7-8 years old.

Clothing

Charley is all dressed up in his best church clothes in a dark double-breasted knickers suit with white shirt and tie, long black stockings and hightop shoes nicely polished.

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Created: 11:51 PM 10/19/2010
Last updated: 11:51 PM 10/19/2010