John S Fritz

photographer: J S Fritz
418 N 6th, Reading, PA
exapmle from Lost Gallery

reverse of card at left

John S Fritz
(1861-1920)

1880, 1881, 1882, 1883
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer NOT listed
1884
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer at 604 Penn; res 933 Elm; NOT listed in the business pages (This location was probably very brief)
1885, 1886
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer NOT listed
1887
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer at 418 N 6th;
1888
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer at 816 Penn and 418 N 6th;
1889
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer with Gaenzle & Fritz at 418 N 6th;
1890
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer at 816 Penn and 418 N 6th;

1891 to 1896
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer at 418 N 6th
1897 to 1919
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz as photographer at 852 Penn; res 346 N 6th
1920
Reading, PA, city directory, John S Fritz NOT listed
1920 Apr 01
Reading, PA, state records, John S Fritz dies at age 58

The wording imprinted on your cabinet card should tell you about when it was made.
Tracing the business history of John Fritz was petty straight forward. He had only seven studio locations, all in one town, in his whole career. While most were brief, less than a year, one location remained in business in one shape or another for nine years and another studio remained in one location for 22 years.

Also, apparently he briefly had one partner, John Gaenzle, in 1889. They are listed together in the residence pages but separately on the business pages.

----As a Recap:
604 Penn – 1884 briefly
418 N 6th – 1887
418 N 6th and 816 Penn – 1888
418 N 6th (as Gaenzle and Fritz) – 1889
418 N 6th and 816 Penn – 1890
418 N 6th – 1891 to 1896
852 Penn – 1897 to 1919

The wording imprinted on your cabinet card should tell you about when it was made.


Note that the obituary at the right does not precisely agree with the city directory's version of the studio locations, but it is similar.

Reading (PA) Times - Obituary - 02 Apr 1920

photographer: Fritz
418 North Sixth Street, Reading, PA
Example from auction site

photographer: Fritz
418 North Sixth Street, Reading, PA
Example from pinterest

photographer: Fritz
418 North Sixth Street, Reading, PA
Example from pinterest

photographer: J S Fritz
418 North Sixth Street, Reading, PA
Example from auction site

photographer: J S Fritz
852 Penn Street, Reading, PA
Example from auction site

photographer: Fritz
418 North Sixth Street, Reading, PA
Example from auction site

photographer: Fritz
418 North Sixth Street, Reading, PA
Example from auction site

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. Listed here are all the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY. This is a work in progress. For a look at the original postings go to LOST GALLERY.

New examples and additional information 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.

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.