South Main Street, between 11th and 12th,
Anderson, IN
example from LOST GALLERY
This is a timeline of information found on both “Acme Studio” and John B Dettmer. It appears it is the same photographer.
As you will see, J B Dettmer moved around a lot. Even his contemporaries noticed that. (see newspaper item, 17 Mar 1910)
Very little family information has been found about J B Dettmer. A Mamie Dettmer is mentioned at the same residence as J B Dettmer in 1884 and 1886 Covington, KY, city directories but more as a relative than a spouse.
Care has been taken to spell the name the same as the source. Some are Dettmer and some are Dettmar. For the most part, the spelling of "Dettmar" was used in the newspaper items and "Dettmer" was used in city directroy listings.
Photographer: J B Dettmer
Walnut and Howard sts
Muncie, IND.
example from LOST GALLERY
written on reverse:
Minnie Laudig
This is a timeline of information found on both “Acme Studio” and John B Dettmer.
As you will see, J B Dettmer moved around a lot. Even his contemporaries noticed that. (See newspaper item, 17 Mar 1910)
Very little family information was found about Dettmer. A Mamie Dettmer is mention at the same residence as J B Dettmer in 1884 and 1886 but more as a relative than a spouse.
1860
Cincinnati, OH, according to Artists in Ohio, John Dettmer is born
1875 - 1879
Cincinnati, OH, city directory NOT listed
1880
Cincinnati, OH, city directory John Dettmer as photographer at George Schuster, 100 w 4th
1881
Cincinnati, OH, city directory NOT listed
1882
Cincinnati, OH, city directory as J B Dettmer photographer; bds 489 w 6th ; NOT listed in Business Section; (perhaps working for Schuster of Skewis)
1882
Covington, KY, city directory NOT listed; Mamie Dettmer listed at 163 Madison
1883
Cincinnati, OH, city directory John B Dettmer as photographer with J D Skewes at 102 w 5th
1884
Cincinnati, OH, city directory John B Dettmer as photographer with J D Skewes; Skewes also has gallery in Covington, KY, at 222 W 5th
1884
Covington, KY, city directory John B Dettmer as photographer at 163 Madison; Mamie Dettmer at same address; NO business section listing, probably working for Skewis
1885
Cincinnati, OH, city directory John B Dettmer as photographer with Heckle and Dettmer (William S Heckle and John B Dettmer) at 402 Freeman
1886
Cincinnati, OH, city directory missing pages 181-826
1886
Covington, KY, city directory John B DettmAr as photographer; res Jos. Heckle’s; Mamie Dettmer at same address; Business pages as Heckle and DettmEr, 402 Freeman av
1887
Cincinnati, OH, city directory as John B Dettmer photographer with Heckle and Dettmer (William S Heckle and John B Dettmer) at 402 Freeman Av; res Newport
1888
Cincinnati, OH, city directory John B Dettmer as photographer (Shelby and Dettmer) at 402 Freeman; res same
1888
Covington, KY, city directory NOT listed
1889
Cincinnati, OH, city directory as John B Dettmer as photographer at 1047 w 8th; res same;
1889
Muncie, IN, city directory NOT listed in res pages or bus pages (earliest available)
1890
Cincinnati, OH, city directory NOT listed in res pages or bus pages
1890 Jul 12
Richmond (IN) Item, news item as J B Dettmer photographer at 18 s 13th st; formerly with M H Watts
1890 Jul
Richmond, (IN) Item, four sma ads for J B Dettmer studio at 18 s 13th
1890 Nov 08
Muncie (IN) Evening Press news item “50 years ago today” says Dettmer had studio at cor of Howard and Walnut
1890 Nov 12
Muncie (IN) Morning News, small ad for Dettmer Studio, corner of Walnut and Howard
1891 Jan 25
Muncie (IN) Evening Press news item “50 Years Ago Today” says Dettmer had studio on Walnut opposite the National Hotel (which was at 500-506 s Walnut)
1892 Mar 11
Muncie (IN) Morning News, item says T J Bullard and Jack Dettmar purchased the Frank Moore Photo Gallery on East Main; mentions previous gallery on South Walnut; they have also been operating in Anderson but have returned to Muncie
1892 Mar 23
Muncie (IN) Morning News, item says Jack Dettmar went to Anderson on business
1892 Jun 23, Jun 25
Muncie (IN) Morning News, small ad for Bullard and Dettmar at 308 East Main, Muncie, IN
1892 Dec 29
Muncie (IN) Morning News, small item, Jack Dettmar is going to Kentucky to engage in his profession
1893 Feb 23
Muncie (IN) Morning News, item says Acme Photograph Gallery, on Main between Tenth and Eleventh in Anderson, IN, operated by Bullard, has been destroyed by fire; item also mentions previous gallery fire in Muncie, IN operated by Bullard and Dettmar
1894 Apr 14
Muncie (IN) Morning News, item says Photographers Dettmar and Bullard of Albany were visiting Muncie that day
1895 May 02
Muncie (IN) Morning News, small item says Jack Dettmar is now located in Dunkirk
1895 Jun 21
Muncie (IN) Morning News, item says Jack Dettmar, photographer plans to return to Muncie and plans to establish a Bullard and Dettmar Gallery there
1897
Muncie, IN, city directory, George R Bullard is listed as Proprietor of the Elite Studio at 122 ½ Main
1897 - 1899
Muncie, IN, city directory NOT listed
1898 Apr 28
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press, item says Lee Limberg and Jack Dettmar have moved the photograph gallery to Dillsboro
1900
Cincinnati, OH, city directory- There is a John B Dettmer as SHOEMAKER; res 1516 Lynn; NOT the photographer
1900
Hamilton, OH, city directory, John B Dettmer or Dettmar NOT listed, res or bus
1900 Jun 07
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press, item says Lee Limberg, photographer and Jack Dettmar are both located in Cincinnati, OH
1901
Hamilton, OH, city directory, John B Dettmar as photographer, Addyston, Miami Township
1901
Addyston, OH, city directory (with Hamilton directory) John B Dettmar as photographer at 1st st, res Cincinnati, OH (but NOT listed in 1901 Cincinnati city directory page 214)
1901
Muncie, IN, city directory, Dettmar or Bullard NOT listed; M D Goodlander is at 122 ½ E Main
1901
Richmond, IN, city directory, J B Dettmar NOT listed
1901
Hamilton, OH, city directory, J B Dettmar as photographer on 1st st; Business Section says Dettmar J B of Addyston
1901 May 03
Lawrence (IN) Aurora Bulletin, items says Jack Dettmar has opened a studio in Dillsboro, IN
1902 Apr 19
Lawrenceburg (IN) Aurora Bulletin, item says Jack Dettmar expects to open a gallery in North Vernon; also says Dettmar was formerly associated with W G Hera
1902 May 03
Lawrenceburg (IN) Aurora Bulletin, item says “Jack” Dettmar has opened a studio in Dillsboro
1902 Oct 04
Lawrenceburg (IN) Aurora Bulletin item says Dettmar has a gallery in Richmond
1903
Richmond, IN, city directory John B Dettmar as photographer at 722 Main; res same
1905
Richmond, IN, city directory, John B Dettmar NOT listed
1907 Apr 04
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press, item says John B Dettmar has closed his gallery and move to Cincinnati to take over a gallery he has purchased there
1908
Cincinnati, OH, city directory NOT listed
1908 Feb 07
Lawrenceburg (IN) Aurora Bulletin item says Jack Dettmar in March, will open a gallery in Lawrenceburg on Walnut Street
1908 Sep 05
Dillsboro (IN) News, item says J B Dettmar, Photographer, will remain in Dillsboro until the first of September
1908 Sep 16
Dillsboro (IN) News, item says J “D” Dettmar, photographer, has decided to stay in Dillsboro until Oct 1
1908 Oct 01
Lawrenceburgh (IN) Dearborn County Register, item says Lee Limberg and Jack Dettmar have moved the gallery from Dillsboro to Sunman and will return “for the winter”
1909
Cincinnati, OH, city directory J B Dettmar Gallery as photographer at swc Vine and Liberty; res 940 Findlay; not shown in business pages
1909 Feb 04
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press, item says John B Dettmar, photographer in Sunman for a few months, has been studying “Ophtholmology”
1909 May 06
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press item says J B Dettmar and Lee Limberg have moved from Sunman to Milan
1909 Oct 14
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press item says J B Dettmar had moved from Milan to Napoleon
1910
Cincinnati, OH, city directory Dettmer NOT listed
1910 Mar 17
Lawrenceburgh Dearborn County Register item says Jack Dettmar “from everywhere” has opened a gallery in Englewood NJ
1910 Apr 07
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press item says J B Dettmar is now located in Englewood, NJ
1910 Nov 16
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press item says J B Dettmar has moved to Sunman
1910 Nov 23
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press item says J B Dettmar is moving back to Indiana
1920 Jan 24
Chicago, IL, US census, John B “Detmer” as photographer, living with married daughter (may not be the right Dettmar)
In later years, there was a farmer, a shoemaker and an iron worker by the same name in the same area.
Timeline Recap of locations:
1880 to 1882 - Cincinnati, OH, Dettmer as photographer working for George Schuster, 100 w 4th
1883 to 1884 – Cincinnati, OH, Dettmer as photographer working for J D Skewes
1885 to 1887 – Cincinnati, OH, as photographers Heckle and Dettmer a 402 Freeman
1888 to 1888 – Cincinnati, OH, as photographers Shelby and Dettmer at 402 Freeman
1889 to 1889 – Cincinnati, OH Dettmer as photographer at 1047 w 8th
1890 Jul - Richmond, IN, Dettmer as photographer at 18 S 13th
1890 Nov to 1891 Jan - Muncie, IN, Dettmer as photographer at corner of Walnut and Howard or 500-506 S Walnut
1892 Jun – Muncie, IN, Bullard and Dettmer as photographers at 308 E Main
1893 Feb – Muncie, IN, Acme Photograph Gallery, Bullard and Dettmer operators, destroyed by fire
1894 Apr – Muncie, IN, Bullard and Dettmer visiting Muncie, IN, from Albany
1895 May – Dettmer as photographer in Dunkirk
1897 – Muncie, IN, Bullard as photographer at “Elite” studio, 122 ½ Main
1898 Apr – Lawrenceburg to Dillsboro, Limberg and Dettmar have moved
1901 – Hamilton, OH, Dettmer as photographer at 1st street
1901 May – Dillsboro, IN, Dettmer opens studio
1902 Apr – Lawrenceburg, IN, Dettmer to open studio
1902 May – Dillsboro, IN, Dettmer opens a studio
1902 Oct – Richmond, IN, Dettmer has opened a studio
1903 – Richmond. IN, Dettmer has studio at 722 Main
1907 Apr - Lawrenceburg, IN, Dettmar moving to Cincinnati
1908 Sep – Lawrenceburg, IN, Dettmer to leave Lawrenceburg in October
1908 Oct – Dillsboro to Sunman Limberg and Dettmar move “for the winter”
1909 – Cincinnati, OH, Dettmer gallery at 940 Findlay
1909 Feb – Sunman, IN, Dettmer as photographer “for a few months”
1909 Oct – Milan to Napoleon, Dettmer moves
1910 Mar, Apr – Englewood, NJ, Dettmer opens gallery
1910 Nov – Lawrenceburg, IN, Dettmer moves to Sunman, IN
1913 Apr – Muncie, IN, Dettmer and Wing as photographer at 302 Laurel
12 Jul 1890
Richmond (IN) Item -
July, 1890
ad ran four times
Muncie (IN) Morning News -
22 Dec 1890
11 Mar 1892
25 Jun 1892
29 Dec 1892
23 Feb 1893
14 Apr 1894
02 May 1895
21 Jun 1895
28 Apr 1898
07 Jun 1900
19 Apr 1902
03 May 1902
04 Apr 1907
07 Feb 1908
16 Sep 1906
01 Oct 1908
04 Feb 1909
06 May 1909
14 Oct 1909
17 Mar 1910
"from everywhere"
Lawrenceburg (IN) Press -
07 Apr 1910
16 Nov 1910
23 Nov 1910
and below, apparently a sideline ...
The Indianapolis Star Sun - 11 May 1913
08 Nov 1940
50 years ago is 08 Nov 1890
Muncie (IN) evening Press - 25 Jan 1941
50 years ago would be 25 Jan 1891
Although this birth date is probably accurate, no documents have been found for support
South Main Street, between 11th and 12th,
Anderson, IN
example from auction site
photographer: J B Dettmer
402 Freeman Av. Cincinnati, OH
Example from auction site
Finished around 1885 to 1887
photographer: J B Dettmer
Walnut and Howard Streets, Muncie, IN
example from Conkle Family Collection
photographer: J B DettmerWalnut and Howard Streets, Muncie, IN
Example from auction site
1232 Larimer Street, Denver. CO
example from auction site
(NO connection to Dettmar or Acme of Indiana has been found.)
402 Freeman Av, Cincinnati, OH
example from auction site
(finished between 1885 and 1887)
Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's
INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in
LOST GALLERY are listed there.
This is a work always in progress.
Additional information and new examples are always welcome. Any
additional information will help narrow the time that these precious
antiques were made.
All submissions should be free of glare and shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges
are sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.
Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity
and presentation here.
This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as
always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the
use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately
removed.
