Included on this special set of pages are Cabinet Card examples from just one state, Kansas. A sort of index. They are presented here in alphabetical order according to location.
Why Kansas?
In 1865, when the Cabinet Card size for photo mounts began its popularity, Kansas had only been a state for 4 years. Even today there are more than 400 towns with a population less than 400. Back then, even more. Where a Cabinet Card carries the name of the photographer and the town where he was working, the dates of city incorporation will be one clue to the date of the cabinet card.
Cabinet Cards were so popular and well known that in some photographer’s newspaper ads of the era, they were referred to merely as “Cabs”.
Cabinet Cards were so popular and well known that in some photographer’s newspaper ads of the era, they were referred to merely as “Cabs”.
Most say they eventually surpassed the popularity of the Carte de Viste format. See a brief history of the Carte de Viste.
Photographers often lived and based in a larger town and “worked” the neighboring smaller towns monthly or weekly. The passenger trains were very handy back then.
Where further information on a photographer is known, a link will be provided.
The central purpose in these pages is to help place a date on cabinet cards done by various photographers in various places. Here’s hoping you spot a card design or imprint that will help you date and identify that card in your collection.
These pages are for educational and informational purposes only. Any helpful suggestions are welcomed.
Kansas Cities, Towns, Burgs and Whistlestops in the late 19th century.
Promoting the care, understanding and collection of this unique format of 19th century photography. They are more than 100 years old. Handle with care.
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.
See also:
Owlcation is an excellent site which examines the Kansas photographers of the 19th century. Follow the link
Abilene, KS
photographer: Churchill Elite Studio
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Forney
Corner Third and Broadway, Abilene, KS
example from IACma org
photographer: Hansborogh
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
Note the wide variety of imprinted cards for Hansborough
photographer: Hansborogh
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Hansborogh
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Hansborogh
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Hansbrorugh
Broadway North of 3rd Street, Abilene KS
example from pinterest
photographer: Hansborough and Sexton
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Hansborough
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
photographer: J T Keithly
Abilene, KS
example from picclick
photographer: Taylor and George
Cor 3rd and Broadway, Abilene, KS
example from
Kansas Memory Org
photographer: Truly
Abilene, KS
example from auction site
Alma, KS >
photographer: Alma Art Gallery
Alma, KS
example from
Kansas Memory
photographer: Alma Art Gallery
Alma, KS
example from contributor
Following are several examples from the studio of George H Meier of Alma, Kansas. Meyer clearly had a flair and sense of humor missing in many of his comtemporaries. Thanks to
Kansas Memory for preserving these great examples.
photographer: G H Meier
Alma, KS
example from auction site
photographer: G H Meier
Alma, KS
example from Flint Hills
photographer: G H Meier
Alma, KS
example from Pinterest
photographer: G H Meier
Alma, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Palenske
Alma, KS
example from Kansas Memory
According to a few newspaper items it appears that Louis Palenske had a photo gallery from about December of 1878 to January of 1890. His building was destroyed by fire. He was into banking and other interests in 1890.
Gus Meier opened his gallery at about that same time.
Almena, KS
Almena was a shipping point located at the junction of two railroads. The first post office in Almena was established in June 1872.
As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 363.
photographer: L P Henthorn
Almena, KS
example from contributor
photographer: L P Henthorn
Almena, KS
example from contributor
(Highly restored)
Isaac Penalton Henthorn operated photograph galleries in and around Almena, KS, from about 1889 through about 1903. The earliest newspaper mention found of his operation in Almena, KS, was 1890. He died in 1933.
photogrpher: E E Walace
Almena, KS
Newspsper item from the time show that Elmer E Wallace moved around the smaller towns in a railroad car studio. He was in Almena April to June in 1893.
example from auction site
Alton, KS
Alton was founded in 1870 as Bull City, and was named in honor of Hiram C. Bull.
It was renamed Alton in 1885, after the city of Alton, Illinois because female residents didn't like the former name.
photographer: Garnet and Alsop
Alton, KS
example from auction site
photographer:
Phegley
Alton, KS
example from auction site
photographer:
Phegley
Alton, KS
example from pinterest
photographer:
Phegley
Alton, KS
example from auction site
Andale, KS
Andale was founded in the early 1880s.
The city's name is an amalgamation of the surnames of two families of pioneer settlers, the Andersons and Dales.
Andale was a station and shipping point on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
photographer: Sellon and Pennett, Traveling Photographers
Haven and Andale, KS
example from auction site
Anthony, KS
Photographer: M I Armantrout
Anthony Kansas
example from auction site
Photographer: M I Armantrout
Anthony Kansas
example from auction site
photographer: M I Armantrout
Anthony, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Baldwin
Wichita and Anthony, KS
example from pinterest
photographer: J B Lee
Anthony, KS
example from auction site
photographer: J B Lee
Anthony, KS
example from auction site
photographer: J B Lee
Anthony, KS
example from auction site
(Note the same chair in all three of these cards.)
Arcadia, KS
Arcadia is a city in northeast Crawford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 254.
Arcadia was founded in 1862. It was named for the ancient region of Arcadia, in Greece.
The first post office in Arcadia was established in June, 1867.
Arcadia was a station on the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway. --WIKI
photographer: D H Gill
Arcadia, KS
example from pinterest
The imprint is very faint but it looks like
D H Gill of Arcadia, KS. No information on this photographer has been found.
Arkansas City, KS
photographer: Cusick
Arkansas City, KS
example from JenSue on Flickr
(has been deleted from Flickr stream)
photographer: Cusick
101 Central av, Arkansas City, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Hodge
Fifth Avenue, Arkansas City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: P A Miller
Commercial Block, Arkansas City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Miller
Arkansas City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: W S Prettyman
Arkansas City, KS
example from pinterest
photographer: W S Prettyman
Arkansas City, KS
example from pinterest
photographer: W S Prettyman
Arkansas City, KS
example from Historical.Com
photographer: W S Prettyman
Arkansas City, KS
example from Digital Library Collection
W S Prettyman moved from Arkansas City, KS, to Blackwell, OK, in March, 1896. He operated a gallery there until about 1901. He was elected mayor that year and the gallery was taken over by C B Edenfield.
The Ark City )KS) Gate City Journal -
06 Mar 1896
photographer: W S Prettyman
Arkansas City, KS
example from contributor
photographer: W S Prettyman
Arkansas City, KS
example from contributor
(poor scan)
photographer: M and S Thomas
Arkansas City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: M and S Thomas
Arkansas City, KS
example from auction site
(slightly enhanced)
Arlington, KS
photographer: Mrs J S Faulks
Arlington, KS
example from picclick
No information has been found for this photographer. Suggestions are welcome.
Mrs S J Foulks (or Faulks) in Arlington, KS, just about 15 miles southeast of Hutchinson.
Armourdale, KS
Armourdale was platted in 1880, and incorporated as a city in 1882. Its name came from the Armour meatpacking plant in the area. In March 1886, "new" Kansas City, Kansas was formed through the consolidation of five municipalities: "old" Kansas City, Armstrong, Armourdale, Riverview, Wyandotte.
photographer: F W Allen
Armourdale, KS
example from the Flickr collection of mj aux
There was a Francis Allen, photographer, listed in the 1880 Atchison, KS, city directory.
Not in the 1878 or 1884.
Atchison is just 60 miles by direct rail line from Armourdale.
Ashland, KS
photographer Charles G Boone
Ashland, KS
example from auction site
photographer: D A Frederick
Ashland, KS
example from auction site
Photographer:
Samuel Howard
Ashland, Kansas
example from contributor
Note same back drop in photo at right
Photographer:
Samuel Howard
Ashland, Kansas
example from LOST GALLERY
(According to newspaper items, Howard was only in Ashland, KS, for two years, 1888 amd 1889.)
photographer: Babberger
317 Com'l Street, Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Babberger
Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Babberger
Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Clark
317 Commercial, Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: C F Clark
317 Commercial St, Atchison, KS
(According to newspaper items, Clark was only in Atchison, KS for about two years, 1886-1888. Also called the "Bee Hive Gallery")
example from the Flickr collection of mj aux
potographer: Conklin
Atchiwon, KS
example from auction site
potographer: Conklin
509 Con. St, Atchiwon, KS
example from contributor
photographer: G W Cross
409 Commercial Street, Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: J C Hill
409 Commercial, Atchison, KS
example from contributor
Newspaper items indicate that J C Hill gallery was at 409 Commercial, in Atchison, KS, from late in 1895 through all of 1903.
This card was probably done before 1900 as the cabinet card format was falling out of favor after that.
It is difficult to tell in the three scans at the left, but it appears that the name was misprinted "KLEEKNER" instead of Kleckner, then corrected later.
Note the same props were used in both examples at the left
The example at the right appears to be a photograph of a painting. Or perhaps it is a fake altogether.
photographer:
O D Kuhns
509 Commercial St, Atchison, KS
example from contributor
photographer: McLeod
509 Commeercial, Atchison, KS
example from anonymous donor
photographer: McLeod
509 Commercial, Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: McLeod
509 Commercial, Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: McLeod
509 Commercial, Atchison, KS
example from auction site
photographer: McLeod
Atchison, KS
example from auction site
Same card design as the card above without the border line.
photographer: McLeod
Atchison, KS
example from contributor
photographer: McLeod
509 Commercial, Atchison, KS
example from contributor
photographer: R Stevenson
317 Commercial St, Atchison, KS
example from the Flickr collection of mj aux
(Richard Stevenson was photographer in Atchison, KS, from about Feb 1873 to Oct 1885. His gallery was at 317 Commercial from Mar 1881 to about Oct 1885.)
Attica, KS
photographer: D B Doty
Attica, KS
(See also: Grenola, KS)
example from auction site
photographer: E N Rogers
Atwood and St Francis, KS
example from contributor
Atwood (KS) Patriot - 16 Now 1894
From newspaper stories and ads, E N Rogers was in Atwood and St Francis, KS, from late 1893 to about November of 1894. He moved to Nebraska.
photographer: E E Van Epps
Atwood, KS
example from pinterest
photographer: E E VanEpps
Atwood, Colby, Hoxie and Sharon Springs, KS
example from Google
Augusta, KS
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Balding
Augusta, KS
example from contributor
photographer: Mrs Cora Polk
Augusta, KS
example from contributor
It appears from newspaper mentions that Mrs T P Polk (Cora) ran a photograph gallery in Augusta from April until December in 1898.
Augusta (KS) Weekly Gazette - 04 Mar 1898
Augusta (KS) Journal - 22 Apr 1898
Augusta (KS) Weekly Gazette - 09 Dec 1898
Axtel, KS
Axtell is a city in Marshall County, Kansas, United States
The first settlements were made at Axtell in the 1860s.
The first post office in Axtell was established in December 1871. Axtell was laid out in 1872 when the railroad was extended to that point, and a railroad depot was built that year. It was named for Jesse Axtell, a railroad official.
--WIKI
photographer: Ostlund
Axtel, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Van Cleve
Axtel, KS
example from contributor
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.
Cabinet cards typically have the photographer’s name and address printed on the bottom edge or the reverse of the card. 19th century photographers moved around a lot. The basic idea here is to find WHEN a photographer was WHERE, which will help date an unidentified CABINET CARD from your family album.
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.
