A PICTURE’S WORTH: THE CABINET CARD

By Mary Davis

Charles Joice (Personal Family Collection)

Today, people take dozens of pictures a day, but back in the 1880s, a person was fortunate to have just one photograph of a loved one. I can’t help but feel that the value of a photograph has been diluted with the plethora of digital images, both ones we’ve taken and the deluge of them on the Internet.

In The Débutante’s Secret, a stranger watching Aunt Henny has a cabinet card he is often looking at. But what is a cabinet card? The term and general meaning of cabinet card has been in my little brain filed under “things I can use in my stories set in the late 1800s and on,” but I can’t remember specifically when I learned this information.

Photographs were first printed on paper from a negative in 1847. That’s a lot farther back than I realized.

Allen Calkin (Personal Family Collection)

When photography was beginning to gain popularity, cartes-de-visite (visting cards) were created in France in the 1850s, a smaller (2.5 x 4 inches) precursor to cabinet cards. Cabinet cards consisted of a thin-paper photograph (roughly 4 x 5.5 inches) mounted on a light-to-heavy-weight cardstock (roughly 3.5 x 6.5 inches). Where the cartes-de-visite were small and designed to give as calling cards or to give to a friend, cabinet cards by design were meant to sit upon a cabinet and could be viewed from across the room.

Agnes McGregor (Personal Family Collection)

Due to the photography process and difference in paper, earlier photographs and cabinet cards were the brownish sepia tone because of the albumen process used. Albumen is found in egg whites. This process was replaced by collodion, gelatin, and gelatin bromide processes, which generally created black and white photographs.

Cabinet cards were first introduced in 1863 in landscape format before they introduced portrait style. Though they were around in the 1870s, they rose to the height of their popularity in the 1880s and began to decline in the 1890s.

Harold Blakey (Personal Family Collection)

Over the decades, various weights and colors of cardstock were used to mount these photographic memories on. Light-weight card and light colors were more common in the early years (1866-1880), then heavier card and darker colors from 1880s on. Borders and lettering also changed from decade to decade. Some had one or two lines in red or gold and some were edged in one color or another. Often some sort of embossing framed the picture.

Vanity, too, was a consideration. From nearly the beginning, photographers employed artists to touch up negatives to hide facial imperfections before making prints. I suppose this was wise to keep customers happy if they were going to lay down a chunk of money. Besides, the photographer’s name was generally printed or embossed on the card so others could find them to have their portrait taken.

E. D. & Mary E. Shugart 1908 (Personal Family Collection)

For a time (early on), cabinet cards supplanted the photographic album that had become popular with the smaller cartes-de-visite. The cardstock used for cabinet cards was generally thicker than for the cartes-de-visite.

With the invention of the Brownie camera in 1900 and personal photography becoming popular, cabinet cards fell out of favor. The last ones were likely made in the 1930s, but they had been mostly gone since around 1920.

***All images of cabinet cards in this post are from my private family collection and may not be used elsewhere without written permission. I feel blessed to have these treasures.

Russel & Floyd Calkin 1903 (Personal Family Collection)

I love to see tons of pictures of my grand-babies, but I also value these single images of bygone relatives. I love the feel of a physical picture in my hands and print off photos just so I can hold them.

Do you prefer digital or physical copies of pictures?

***NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER***

THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET (Quilting Circle 4)

Will Geneviève open her heart to a love she never imagined?

Washington State 1894

Geneviève Marseille has one purpose in coming to Kamola—stopping her brother from digging up the past. Deputy Montana has lived a simple life. But when a fancy French lady steps off the train and into his arms, his modest existence might not be enough anymore. A nemesis from Aunt Henny's past arrives in town threatening her with jail. Will she flee as she’d done all those years ago, or stand her ground in the town she’s made her home? When secrets come out, will the lives of Geneviève, Montana, and Aunt Henny ever be the same?

 

MARY DAVIS is a bestselling, award-winning novelist of over two dozen titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her latest release is THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (The Quilting Circle Book 3, Salah Award Winner). The Quilting Circle Book 4, THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET, will release August of 2021. Some of her other recent titles include; "Holly and Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection, Courting Her Amish Heart, The Widow’s Plight, Courting Her Secret Heart , “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection , and Courting Her Prodigal Heart . 2019 titles include The Daughter's Predicament and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty-six years and one cat. She has three adult children and three incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at:

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Snowballs for All

 by Anita Mae Draper

Postcard from California postmarked St. George, Brant, (Ontario) May 18, 1908. Public Domain, Courtesy of South Dumfries Historical Society

The month of March is known for winter making a last blustery stand before its power wanes and the warming sun melts snow. This provides the perfect temperature for making sticky snowballs. The postcard featured above was sent from Los Angeles, California on May 13, 1908 to St. George, Ontario. The reverse starts off by saying that the sender is leaving California with regret and will be home soon by way of Chicago. Although the snow should be gone by May, one never knows when it comes to our weather.

Children Snowballing Near Observatory, St. Louis (Shaw's) Botanical Garden, [Mo.] c1905. Public Domain

This 1905 stereograph taken at the St Louis Botanical Garden in Missouri shows a snowball exchange between children on the site of the observatory. I had thought the person with an armload of snowballs might have been an adult, but considering the year, the short length of her outfit appears to negate that guess.

Did you know that many communities have bylaws concerning the throwing of snowballs? It is usually necessitated and enforced when the act hurts others, whether children or adults. The article from the Newmarket Era shows a good example of a bylaw to stop bullying. If only it was that easy the rest of the year.

Imperial Oil's office staff snowball fight, Burrard Inlet, Vancouver, BC. 1915-1916.  Courtesy Glenbow Archives, Alberta

An interesting photograph from 1915-1916 found at the Glenbow Archives in Alberta shows a snowball fight at noon between office staff members at Imperial Oil's refinery (Ioco), Burrard Inlet, Vancouver, British Columbia. The body language in this candid shot seems to imply the male is threatening to throw the snowballs, although we don't know if he completed the action. 

Hans Dahl -  Snowball fight and snowman, by 1937. Public Domain

On the other hand, the women in this Hans Dahl painting have chosen to direct their snowballs at a snowman. Are they aiming for his hat, face, or the club-like stick in his hands? 

A Republican-Democratic snow battle at the Capitol. Page boys. December 14, 1923. Public Domain

Does it seem natural to anyone else that a snowball fight would occur between Republican and Democratic page boys at the Capitol? This became an annual snow battle on the Capitol grounds until at least 1930, as long as good snowball making material was available.

Snow scenes. Snowballing on Jaffa Road. January 1942. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Although Jerusalem isn't known for its snowy scenes, the city does experience it every three or four years in varying amounts. Back in 1942, an overnight snowfall brought the community, including soldiers, out along the Jaffa Road to try their hand at target practice. 

Have you ever been hit by a snowball? How did you respond?

This closes my series on snowball throwing, an activity to be enjoyed for all if done responsibly. Follow the links for other posts in this series:

Jan 5, 2021: Snowballs Go Way Back

Feb 5, 2021: Snowball Fights in War and Play

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Anita Mae Draper served a 20-year term working on air bases in the communication trade of the Canadian Armed Forces before retiring to the open skies of the prairies. She uses her experience and love of history to pepper her stories of yesteryear's romance with realism as well as faith. Anita Mae Draper's published stories appear in Barbour Publishing, WhiteFire Publishing, and Guideposts Books. Readers can enrich their story experience with visual references by checking out Anita's Pinterest boards. All links available on her website at www.anitamaedraper.com 

Autumn Pumpkins

by Anita Mae Draper

With pumpkin being a quintessential component of autumn displays and holiday meals in our modern world, I searched out pumpkin images from the 19th and early 20th century to see if history felt the same. This 1892 cover of Harper's Bazar (note the spelling) shows a woman cutting up a large pumpkin-like squash that we can guess will be used for pumpkin pie, pudding, and other baking. According to The Fire Lands Pioneer, Norwalk, Ohio, 1862, pumpkins were also boiled down to a syrup and used as a sweetener.

Harper's Bazar Thanksgiving, 1892. Library of Congress, Public Domain

For contrast, look at the similarity in this 1939 photograph where a man working in a Texas bakery is cutting up the same type of pumpkin. The genders are different, but the pose of their hands are almost identical. 

Cutting up pumpkin for pies. Bakery, San Angelo, Texas, Nov 1939. Library of Congress, Public Domain

Pumpkin size, shape and color varies depending on their use and were grown at local farms across North America, or sent to processing plants to be canned, as they are today. 

Miscellaneous products, Edmonton, Alberta, 1921. Glenbow Archives, Public Domain

Trethewey Farm in Toronto was a 600 acre Model Farm with greenhouses and canning facilities that produced products from field to market. This next Wikipedia image from the Toronto Public Library shows a girl carrying a pumpkin from Trethewey Farm, yet doesn't explain if she's a worker or happy buyer.

Girl with pumpkin from Tretheway Farm, Toronto, Canada, 1909. Source: Toronto Public Library/Wikipedia (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

This glass lantern slide from the McCord Museum shows that the frost has decimated the pumpkin leaves and stems leaving a black, prickly mess, but this young lad doesn't mind as it only makes the pumpkins sweeter and hastens their ripening process.

Boy with pumpkin, about 1925, McCord Museum, Montreal

The fertile Yakima Valley in Washington state has long shown the abundance of its fruit and vegetable crops including pumpkins that required 2 men to carry from field to wagon in this 1904 stereograph.

Gathering in the pumpkins in the Yakima Valley, Washington, c1904. Library of Congress Public Domain

Many local fall fairs still have categories to see who can grow the largest vegetables including pumpkins and squash. 

William Warnock and Daughters with Giant Squash, Iron Bridge, circa 1930. Huron Shores Museum Public Domain

Pumpkins are abundant and never wasted. The ones that aren't attractive enough for home cooks and autumn displays, or shipped off for processing, are left in the fields for cattle fodder, or stored away for winter feed where they provide protein and energy to cattle, goats, and livestock. 

With the Canadian Thanksgiving held on the 2nd Monday in October, I'll leave you with this happy greeting...

Hearty Thanksgiving Greeting, 1910. Public Domain

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Anita Mae Draper lives on the Canadian prairies where she uses her experience and love of history to enhance her stories of yesteryear's romance with realism and faith. Readers can enrich their story experience with visual references by checking Anita's Pinterest boards. All links available on her website at www.anitamaedraper.com

Porch Swing Time

Porch swing up for the winter, Mayetta, Kansas, Nov 1940. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, DC

According to the calendar, as well as the sight of birds who'd left us for the season, it's time to lower the old porch swing and set a spell. As you may have guessed, this post is about one of those favorite pieces of porch furniture - the swing, and the people who use them.

The front porch is of American origin from 19th mid-century, but it's most glorious years were those from the 1880's until the 1940's. These were the years of new neighborhoods with shortened work days where people enjoyed sitting out and watching the world go by, if only for a few hours of the evening. 

In this first image, soon-to-be-president Woodrow Wilson shares family time with his wife on the swing, while his three daughters sit and stand nearby. Although probably staged, it shows a typical front porch setting with the bonus of 1912 fashion. 

Woodrow Wilson, seated posed on swing on porch, facing front, with his wife and three daughters, c1912. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, DC

A similar setting is that of Arnold Genthe and two women friends sharing a porch swing. The image is slightly blurry, yet comical because Arnold Genthe was a successful photographer and this time he is the object of the image and not the creator of it. I wonder what he thought when the finished product emerged from the chemicals and wash of his darkroom. 

Arnold Genthe and two women friends seated on a swing on the porch of his bungalow in Long Beach, New York, between 1911-1942. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, DC

The moment I saw this next image, my heart reacted to the despair in the woman's face. The year is 1912 and a blanket emblazoned with White Star Line covers her lap. Charlotte Collyer and her daughter are survivors of the Titanic sinking. Husband and father, Harvey Collyer, was carrying their life savings of $5,000 when the ship went down. Along with losing all the money needed for their new fruit farm in Idaho, Charlotte and her daughter lost all their possessions which had been stored in the hold of the ship. They were left destitute. Charlotte pushed on to Idaho to fulfill her husband's dream, selling her story of survival to make ends meet, and we are left with this image of her shock and grief.

Mrs. Charlotte Collyer with her daughter Marjorie, 1912. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

A porch swing with a gentle summer breeze can be a great place to read and that's exactly what this mother and child are doing on their front porch at Sabine Farms in Marshall, Texas. The caption accompanying this photo brings attention to the garden in the background as well as the book.

Wife of FSA (Farm Security Administration) client reading book to her son on swing on her front porch. Notice garden in background and title of book. Sabine Farms, Marshall, Texas, 1939. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Of course, reading is enjoyed by all ages whether it's a book, newspaper or letter. Some people can't read on a moving swing as they get motion sickness if they look down, but that's the beauty of a porch swing...it can be as still as the person sitting on it wants it to be. Or, for the more adventurous, a slight push of a toe can glide it into motion. 

Front porch, Elgin, Illinois, 1941. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Sitting on a porch swing is a lovely place to be, don't you think? The 1920 Montgomery Ward catalogue shows 2 distinct styles of porch swings and one is almost double the price as the other. But is it due to comfort or beauty?

Porch Swings, 1920 Montgomery Ward catalogue. Source: archive.org

Please share your memories of a porch swing, if have some, and if you don't, any thoughts on the subject?

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Anita Mae Draper's historical romances are written under the western skies of the Saskatchewan prairie where her love of research and genealogy yield fascinating truths that layer her stories with rich historical details.  Anita's short story, Here We Come A-Wassailing, was a finalist for the Word Guild's 2015 Word Awards. Her novellas are included in Austen in Austin Volume 1, The American Heiress Brides Collection, and The Secret Admirer Romance Collection. Readers can check out Anita's Pinterest boards for a visual idea of her stories to enrich their reading experience.  Discover more at:

Website - www.anitamaedraper.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/anitamaedraper/

Romance on a Toboggan

Toboggan Party, glass negative, ca 1910-1915. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

The social aspect of tobogganing with friends is an enjoyment that can be experienced on snow or in water. Today's post shows images of winter tobogganing, with water tobogganing images to follow at a later date.

In today's modern world the sport of tobogganing might be considered too childish for adults with hectic lives, but a century ago, it was used as a social event for all ages, and especially as a romantic pursuit at a time when chivalry, chaperones and decorum often stood between two interested parties. 

In Sketches from America published in 1870, John White states "...a toboggin is made to hold at least two persons, as in the practice of the sport these two persons are usually of different sexes..." He goes on to explain that the person who steers the toboggan is at the back and can choose the snowbank he wishes to end up in when he upsets the craft and tumbles into the snow with his seat mate of choice. How clever.

Tobogganing, Quebec, 1863. Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. R9266-919 Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana

Tobogganing certainly was an event enjoyed by all levels of society, including Lady Dufferin, viceregal consort of the 1872-1878 Governor General of Canada, who held toboggan parties on the grounds of Rideau Hall. (For more on composite photography, see my post here.)

"The Toboggan Party", Rideau Hall. This illuminated composite photograph is from Lady Dufferin's personal album. c 1872-1875. Source: Credit: William James Topley/Library and Archives Canada/PA-008492

Around the same period, Outing: The Gentleman's Magazine of Sport, Travel and Outdoor Life, Vol IX Oct 1886-1887 states that, "At present every Canadian city has its toboggan clubs with their elaborately built and prepared slides." The article, Snow-shoe and Toboggan by Newell B. Woodworth, goes on to say that in November 1884, the Saratoga Toboggan Club in New York had the first designated slide in the United States, as opposed to untended natural hills and slopes. 

Saratoga Toboggan Club at their custom-built, members-only toboggan slide, ca 1884-1885. Courtesy of the Saratoga Springs Public Library

By 1886, the Saratoga club slide had been moved to the Glen Mitchell Hotel where it became the longest in the nation running with almost 2,000 feet of iced surface.

Boston, Mass. had an informal toboggan run in Franklin Park prior to 1904 when a large slide was created to provide the public with an alternative sport to ice skating.

Toboganning [sic] scene at Franklin Park, Boston, Mass. C1904 Panoramic. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

In Burlington, Vermont, the Charles H. Emerson & Co. manufactured wood products including his patented STAR toboggans, promoted as being, "The Best Flat Toboggans Made". 

[Advertisement for Star toboggans, showing people sledding in daylight] / Phoenix Litho. Co., Chicago. C1886. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Near Wilmington, Delaware, the Winterthur Museum is a good place to look for snow images, including these next two showing the social aspects of tobogganing.

[Tobogganing for all ages, undated.] Courtesy, the Winterthur Library, Winterthur Archives

[Tobogganing by horse, undated.] Courtesy, the Winterthur Library, Winterthur Archives

Since I've shown you enough photos of the bottom of a toboggan slide, what about one from the top? Taken during the 1922 Ottawa Winter Carnival, the toboggan slide ran alongside the drained Rideau Canal locks and down to the Ottawa River. If not a participant, the best vantage point was on the stone terrace of the Chateau Laurier which was also the launch point of the slide. 

Rideau Canal Toboggan run, Ottawa Winter Carnival, 1922. Credit: Canadian National Railways/Library and Archives Canada

Tobogganing on an iced slide of this magnitude would be exhilarating, don't you think? 

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Anita Mae Draper's historical romances are written under the western skies of the Saskatchewan prairie where her love of research and genealogy yield fascinating truths that layer her stories with rich historical details. Anita's short story, Here We Come A-Wassailing, was a finalist for the Word Guild's 2015 Word Awards. Her novellas are included in Austen in Austin Volume 1, The American Heiress Brides Collection, andThe Secret Admirer Romance Collection. Readers can check out Anita's Pinterest boards for a visual idea of her stories to enrich their reading experience. Discover more at:
Website - www.anitamaedraper.com
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/anitamaedraper/

Autumn Views

Autumn - the word reminds me of wood smoke on a crisp morning, multi-colored leaves fluttering through the air, and the taste of pumpkin pie. At least, those are the sensations I experience when I see or hear the word. As usual, an image search revealed a lot more than I imagined.

This 1874 print of autumn leaves with the phrase, Walk in Love, came in under the heading of Prang's Floral Mottoes. Included information also called it an emblem picture. I would have loved to find one in cross-stitch or crewel work, and at 28 x 43.3 cm would have been perfect for seasonal wall decor.

[Prang's floral mottoes, no. 18?]. Walk in love. L. Prang & Co. Boston, [1874]. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

In 1887, this print of two women enjoying themselves on a plaza suggests the day to be quite warm according to their wardrobe, however, the scattering of colored leaves by their feet prove the seasonal change to autumn has begun.

Happy Autumn Hours, c1887 Jan. 13. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Another fashion image showing autumn is this delightful American poster by Penrhyn Stanlaws, artist, showing a woman "...wearing a long yellow coat and matching hat, walking pass (sp) trees as the wind blows leaves all around her." The color combinations in this poster, as well as the artistic use of the archaic spelling of the word, AVTVMN, draw my gaze when placed among other autumn images. 

Autumn Hours, Signed: Penrhyn Stanlaws, 1907. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

In the early 20th century, stereographs were commonly found displaying social life. This one from 1903 shows five women gathering leaves - still a favorite fall activity - and comes under the title, A Golden Autumn Day.

A Golden Autumn Day, c1903. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Although this 1906 Vancouver, British Columbia, street scene doesn't look like autumn, the caption on the back reads, "Granville Street, near Pender. Looking North. A foggy day in the autumn. One auto, tram cars on the left hand side, the hand cart, Rand Bros. office, Old Style sign of 'Semi-Ready.' The corner before the Rogers building was built." Do you know what caught my eye in this photograph other than the fashion and the tram? The Semi-Ready sign. My imagination ran away wondering what was sold as semi-ready in this era (ie clothing, baking, food, shoes?) until I spotted the title. 

Granville Street near Pender Street, looking north, showing sign for Semi-Ready Tailoring, ca 1906. Source: City of Vancouver Archives

Of course, I can't show autumn images without some type of vegetable display and here we have a 1912 photograph showing harvest treasures from Edmonton, Alberta. 

Autumn Harvest Vegetable Display, Edmonton, Alberta. 1912. Source: Glenbow Archives, Calgary, Alberta

And because I like showing fashion via real photographs, this 1912 image from Milton, Ontario is from Bessie Murray's photograph album showing the closing exercises of the W.L.C. in 1912. No scattering of leaves, but entitled, Seven Women Dressed in Autumn Clothing.

Seven Women Dressed in Autumn Clothing, 1912. Source: Milton Historical Society

Of course, what would autumn be without a cattle roundup...This 1904 Montana stereograph shows, "2 cowboys on horseback, one rolling cigarette; the other lighting cigarette; herd of cattle in background." I wonder if this was used in a cigarette ad? I seem to recall several such ads with cowboys and cattle while growing up.

Cowboys on the range - an autumn beef roundup, Montana, c1904. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Since many social events of autumn ended in a hay ride, I found this image entitled, Vacation Days in Autumn on the Farm, which was published in both photographic prints and stereographs from 1900-1910. The summary information reads, "Women enjoy hayride on cart pulled by two cows." Note that these cows are female oxen, not milking or beef cows as commonly known.

Vacation days in autumn on the farm. 1900-1910. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Do you remember the smells of burning leaves? Here's a 1940 color slide from Connecticut showing something not often seen these days...leaf burning in the streets.

Burning the autumn leaves in Norwich, Connecticut, 1940 Nov. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

The scenes of autumn are varied and ever-changing, depending on where you live, but full of color and the expectation of new things to come - like Christmas. 

What comes to mind when you think of Autumn?

To me, fall means looking skyward for migrating cranes. These beautiful large birds are slowly making a return from near extinction and some pass over our house ever spring and fall where they're mixed in with sandhill cranes. Postage stamps, like this Canada 5 cent from 1955, followed by a 3 cent U.S. stamp in 1957,  brought some awareness to their situation, as do conservation efforts on both sides of the border.

Whooping Crane, Canada Post 5c stamp, 1955. Courtesy of National Archives of Canada

To bring awareness of their plight, I included a dancing crane scene in my published novella, Sweet Love Grows. (see below)

Anita Mae Draper's historical romances are written under the western skies of the Saskatchewan prairie where her love of research and genealogy yield fascinating truths that layer her stories with rich historical details.  Anita's short story, Here We Come A-Wassailing, was a finalist for the Word Guild's 2015 Word Awards. Her novellas are included in Austen in Austin Volume 1, The American Heiress Brides Collection, and The Secret Admirer Romance Collection. Readers can check out Anita's Pinterest boards for a visual idea of her stories to enrich their reading experience.  Discover more at:

Website - www.anitamaedraper.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/anitamaedraper/