Max Erler

All entries taken from the Peoria, IL, city directory

1873, 1875
Peoria, IL, city directory, Max Erler NOT listed
1876
Peoria, IL, city directory, Maximillian Erler as photographer (no studio shown); bds Chambers bet Russell av and Knoxville rd
1877
Peoria, IL, city directory, Maximillian Erler as photographer for John W Bays; res 107 s Adams (same address as studio)
1879
Peoria, IL, city directory, Maximillian Erler as photographer at 403 Ham.; res via Chambs (NOT in business pages)
1880
Peoria, IL, city directory, Max Erler NOT listed

1881
Peoria, IL, city directory, Max E Erler as photographer with Bartram & Erler at 1118 S Adams: bds 810 s Adams
1882
Peoria, IL, city directory, Max E Erler as photographer with Erler and Foster (Thomas P Foster) at 1216 s Adams
1883
Peoria, IL, city directory, Max Erler as photographer
From 1893 until he retires about 1927, the studio remains at 1216 South Adams. Occasionally the address is listed as 1216-1218 South Adams.

After 1927 studio continues at the same address, managed by Max Erler’s son, Edward Erler, until he retires about 1952.

The Erler photograph studio was listed in the Peoria, IL, city directory at 1216 and occasionally 1216-1218 South Adams from 1883 to 1952. During that time, it was called the Erler Brothers studio, Erler Studio, the Erler-Hollywood Studio and the Max Erler studio. And, only once, in 1892, it was called in the directory, the “Sunbeam Gallery”.

Since the studio never moved, it will be difficult to date a cabinet card by location. Perhaps the card designs will emerge as a key to dating. If one card can be dated, the other cards with the same design should date around the same time. At least some of the designs are represented here.

Many examples were found of Max Erler's Sunbeam Gallery. Notations have been made showing the repeated use of studio props and backdrops. This too may help date a card from Erler.

An attempt was made here to group these examples by card design.


THIS PAGE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION


update
16 Apr 2020
Re-numbering this page to accommodate new additions. This will take a while.

Design #1

#1-01
(same gate as in #1-01, #1-02, #2-06)
photographer: Sunbeam Gallery, Erler
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Cabinet Card Gallery

#1-02
(same gate as in #1-01, #1-02, #2-06)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-03
photographer: Erler Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams st, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

#1-04
(same backdrop in #1-04, #1-06, #1-14 and #1-21)
photographer: Sunbeam Gallery, Erler
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

#1-05
(same backdrop in #05, #09, #12)
(same chair in #1-05, #1-05, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-06
(same backdrop in #1-04, #1-06, #1-14 and #1-21)
(same chair in #1-05, #1-06, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09, #2-05)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-07
(same chair in #1-05, #1-06, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09, #2-05)
(same table runner in #1-05, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-08
(same chair in #1-05, #1-06, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09, #2-05)
(same table runner in #1-05, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-09
(same backdrop in #1-05, #1-09, #1-12)
(same chair in #1-05, #1-06, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09, #2-05)
(same table runner in #1-05, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-10
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-11
photographer: Erler Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams st, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

#1-12
(same backdrop in #1-05, #1-09, #1-12)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-13
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-14
(Same chairs in #1-14, #2-03)
(same backdrop in #1-04, #1-06, #1-14, #1-21)
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#1-15
(same post in #1-15, #1-16 and #1-22)
#1-23 is slightly distorted)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#1-16
(same post in #1-15, #1-16 and #1-22
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-17
photographer: Sunbeam Gallery, Erler
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

#1-18
reverse of card at left
(note that although the name is still "Sunbeam Gallery" on the front, the reverse says only
"Erler Artistic Gallery")

#1-19
photographer: Sunbeam Gallery, Erler
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#1-20
reverse of card at left

#1-21
(same chair in #1-05, #1-06, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09, #2-05)
(same backdrop in #1-04, #1-06, #1-14, #1-21)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#1-22
(same post in #1-15, #1-16 and #1-22)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from FivePrime

#1-23
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from BCU Arts, California Museum of Photography

#1-24
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-25
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-26
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-27
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-28
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-29
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-30
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-31
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#1-32

#1-33
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#1-34
reverse of card at left

#1-33
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

Design #2

#2-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#2-02
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#2-03
(Same chairs in #1-14, #2-03)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#2-04
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#2-05
(same chair in #1-05, #1-07, #1-08, #1-09, #2-05)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#2-06
(same gate as in #1-01, #1-02, #2-06)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#2-07
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-08
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-09
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-10
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-11
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-12
reverse of card at left

#2-13
photographer: Sunbeam Gallery, Erler
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-14
reverse of card at left

#2-15
photographer: Sunbeam Gallery, Erler
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#2-16
reverse of card at left

Design #3

#3-01
(same backdrop in #3-01, #3-02, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
(same chair in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
(same table in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216-1218 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#3-02

(same backdrop in #3-01, #3-02, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#3-03

#3-04

Design #4

#04-01
(same chair in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
(same table in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02)
(same backdrop in #3-01, #3-02, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#4-02
(same chair in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01))
(same table in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02)
(same backdrop in #3-01, #3-02, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#4-03

#4-04

Design #5

#5-01
photographer: Erler Sunbeam Gallery
1216 Adams st, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

#5-02
(Same chair in #5-02, #5-03, #9-03)
photographer: Erler Sunbeam Gallery
1216 Adams st, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

#5-03
(Same chair in #5-02, #5-03, #9-03)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#5-04

Design #6

#6-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#6-02

#6-03

#6-04

Design #7

#7-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216-1218 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Remembered on Flickr

#7-02
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216-1218 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from the Peoria Historical Society

#7-03

#7-04

Design #8

#8-01
(same backdrop in #3-01, #3-02, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
(same chair in #3-01, #4-01, #4-02, #8-01)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#8-02
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#8-03
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#8-04
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#8-05
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#8-06
Reverse of card at left

Design #9

#9-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#9-02
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from FivePrime

#9-03
(Same chair in #5-02, #5-03, #9-03)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from FaceBook

#9-04
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Robocker.com

#9-05
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#9-06
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from auction site

Design #10

photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr #10-01

#10-02
(same bench in #10-02, #10-04)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#10-03
(same set and backdrop in #10-03, #10-05)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Robocker.com

#10-04
(same bench in #10-02, #10-04)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Robocker.com

#10-05
(same set and backdrop in #10-03, #10-05)
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Robocker.com

#10-06
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from the Peoria Historical Society

#10-07
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#10-08
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ

Design 11

#11-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

#11-02
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr #11-03

#11-04

Design #12

#12-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#12-02
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#12-03
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 s Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#12-04

Design #13

#13-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
1216 S Adams Street, Peoria, IL
example from Peoria Historical Society

Design #14

#14-01
photographer: Erler, Sunbeam Gallery
Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

reverse of card at left

Design #15

#15-01
photographer: Erler
(Monogram "M E" in center)
Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on FLickr

reverse of the card at left
(same reverse design as 12-02)

Design #16

#16-01
photographer: Erler Sunbeam Gallery
Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#16-02
photographer: Erler Sunbeam Gallery
Peoria, IL
example from CurtJ on Flickr

#16-01 and 2
reverse design of both card at left

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.

Aditional 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.