Friday, February 2, 2024

Kansas Cabinet Cards - Cities: B

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 less than 400 towns with a population over 200. Back then, even fewer. 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”.

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

Baldwin City, KS
Baldwin City began as a trail stop on the Santa Fe Trail named Palmyra. The small community consisted of a harness shop, blacksmith, hotel, lawyer, drug store, two doctors and a tavern. A main benefactor of the community was John Baldwin and the town was named in his honor. Baldwin City was incorporated on September 22, 1870.
photographer: L E Wehe
Baldwin, KS
example from auction site

Lewis E Wehe operated in Carbondale, Scranton and Baldwin, and other smaller towns in Kansas, from about 1885 to 1894. He then apparently established a gallery in Topeka, KS, but moved at least twice, He also continued to operate in small nearby towns. In 1930 he was living and working in Newton, KS, but by 1931 he was back in Topeka. He died in 1938.

photographer: E D Zellner
Baldwin City, KS
example from auction site
Bellville, KS

photographer Mrs R M Brown
Belleville, KS
example from the LOST GALLERY collection
photographer: Johnson
Belleville, KS
example from auction site
Beloit, KS
photographer: P Braun
Beloit, KS
from the Flickr Collection of mj aux
photographer: Dobler
Beloit, KS
example from pinterest
photographer: L F Dobler
Beloit, KS
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: L F Dobler
Beloit, KS
example from auction site
photographer: L F Dobler
Beloit, KS
example from auction pin
photographer: L F Dobler
Beloit, KS
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: L F Dobler
Beloit, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Greenwood
Beloit, KS
example from the Flickr collection of mj aux
(According to newspaper items, W H Greenwood opened a studio in Beloit, KS, Jan 1882 and closed Jan 1888.)
Bird City, KS
Bird City was founded in 1885. It was named for Benjamin Bird, a cattleman. The surrounding area was originally used predominately for livestock grazing.
Bird City was a station and shipping point on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
photographer: G C Sackett
Bird City, KS
example from Bob Young on Flickr
photographer: Brewer
Blue Mound, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Brewer
BLue Mound, KS
example from Freeman Family
photographer: A B Charles
Blue Mound, KS
example from Kansas Memory

photographer: Chaudet Art Company
Blue Rapids, KS
example from Photographer's Net
(established 1890)
photographer: Cottage Studio
Blue Rapids, KS
example from Parasols Pistols and Photographs

photographer: Miller

Miller's Cottage Studio
Blue Rapids, KS
example from ForgottenFacesForgottenPlaces
photographer: Wilson
Blue Rapics, KS
example from Photographer's Net
photographer: Snyder Studio
Burlingame, KS
example from Kansas Memory
Probably C J Snyder out of Topeka, KS, just 40 miles north. Many towns were often connected with a direct rail line in those times.
Burlington, KS
photographer: Will Coker
Burlington, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Gregg
Burlington, KS
example form pinterest

photographer: O F Waegan
Burlington, KS
example from Ancestry
Burrton, KS
photographer C W Bundy
Burrton, KS
example from picclick

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.

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