Spengler and Masure

Photographer: Spengler
106 and 108 Stephenson St. Freeport, Ill.

Robert Leonard Spengler
(26 Mar 1886 - 16 May 1979)

R. L. Spengler worked at several occupations including carpenter, dairy farmer and maintenance man. The 1910 US Census shows him as a photographer but working for another studio. He re-appears in a 1912 Freeport city directory as a photographer with his own studio, rooms 13-15 in the Wilcoxon bldg.
Then by 1917 he is a carpenter and no subsequent documents show he ever returned to photography.

The cabinet card to the left must have been done around 1912.

Freeport Journal Standard
06 Mar 1909

Freeport (IL) Daily Bulletin -
26 Jun 1906

Freeport (IL) Journal Standard -
16 Oct 1908

Freeport (IL) Journal Standard -
21 Aug 1914

Lanark (IL) Gazette -
07 Oct 1914

From newspaper items and city directory listings, it appears that Leonard Spengler operated his own photograph studio from October of 1908 to about 1914. This would be well out of the ordinary cabinet card era so those examples will be scarce.
Later formats are not as easily identified.

photographer: Spengler
106 * 108 Stephenson St, Freeport, WI
(No connection to Spengler of Illinois has been found)
example from auction site

photographer: Spengler and Masure
522 So Halsted St, Chicago
example from auction site
probably finished around 1897

Photographer: Spengler and Masure
522 So. Halsted St.
Chicago

Morris L Masure
(1869 - 1943)

Timeline:

1869
Tosen, Germany, Morris L Masure born to Solomon Masure and Cella Platt
1892
M L Masure arrives in the US
1897 Dec 15
Spengler and Masure studio at 522 s Halstead is mentioned in a labor statistics report to the Illinois state government.
1900
Chicago, IL, US census M L Masure is a photographer at 522 Halstead
1900
M L Masure, Chicago, is mentioned as an exhibitor in the St Louis and Canadian photographer vol 24, 1900
1904 Aug 13
Chicago, IL, Passport Application as photographer
1905 Dec 15
M L Masure studio at 522 Halstead is mentioned in the Annual Report issue 13 of the Illinois dept of Factory Insp for the year ending 15 Dec 1905

1909
This note from contributor S. Wolff
“I have a photograph of my grandparents Sam and Esther Wolff that must have been taken after 1909, when they were married. Below the photograph is written The Masure Studio, S.E. Corner of S. Halsted St., Chicago. Spengler is not mentioned. So, he must have moved to this address after 522 Halsted, perhaps after breaking away from Spengler but before moving to Rockford.” (See example below)

1910 Apr 20
Chicago, IL, US census as photographer; res 912 Belmont
1915 Sep 06
Kane, IL, city records M L Masure marries Cyrene Archambault
1917
Rockford, IL, city directory Masure NOT listed residential or business; the deadline for entries in the city directory is probably early in the year which is possibly why it is omitted
1917 Jul to Dec
Bulletin of Photography vol 21, M L Masure mentioned taking over The Model studio in Rockford, IL, formerly owned by Fred W Tronce

Bulletin of Photography vol 21 1917 Jul to Dec

1918
Rockford, IL, city directory as photographer at The Model Studio, 109 n Main; res 509 Mulberry
1919
Rockford, IL, city directory Model Studio, 109 n Main is listed but Masure is NOT listed in the residential section
1920
Chicago, IL, US census, as photographer; res 2009 Cortez st
1930
Chicago, IL, US census, as photographer; res 1539 Luna av
1943 Mar 13
Aurora, IL, death certificate as retired photographer; M L Masure dies at age 73

Although Masure appears in the 1920 US census, his name is not listed under “photographers” in the 1920 Chicago city directory. This could mean one of two things. First, he may be working for another studio. Second, he may be using a studio name like “Superior” or “Apex” instead of his own name as was the situation in Rockford, IL, with the “Model Studio”. The Chicago city directories of that period do not have residential pages.

There is very limited documentation on this one so far. The best estimate for the cabinet card here is around 1897, that short period when he was working with Spengler. (see above)

from contributor S Wolff:
"a photograph of my grandparents Sam and
Esther Wolff that must have been taken after 1909, when they were married."

Below is the imprint on the lower part of the photo mount. Similar imprints would be from the same era.

Thanks to contributor S Wolff

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.

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Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

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