John A Pfeifer

photographer: Pfeifer
288-232 High Street, Columbus, OH
example from auction site

John Adam Pfeifer
(1859 – 1932)

1859 Dec 11
Ohio, state records, John A Pfeifer is born to Casper Pfeifer and Margaretta Pfeifer
1877, 1878
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer NOT listed
1879
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer for G C Urlin;
1880, 1881
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 235 S H igh;
1880 Jun 09
Columbus, OH, US census, J A Pfeifer as photographer;
1882
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 235 S High;
1883, 1884
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 228 S High;
1885
Columbus, OH, city directory, (incomplete)

1886, 1887
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 228 and 232 S High;
1887
From 1900 US census, John A Pfeifer and Etta C Pfeifer are married
1888
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer 268 ½ to 267 ½ High;
1889
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Urlin and Pfeifer and “Columbus Door Bell Co”; 266 ½ S High;
1890
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer, as photographer with Urlin and Pfeifer;
1890
Cleveland, OH, city directory, Urlin and Becker at 95 – 100 Wilshire bldg, 209 Superior (first mention of Urlin in Cleveland)
1891
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Pfeifer and CO ( Louis F Smith, Patrick J and Terrance A Mulligan) at 262 S High;
Mulligan Bros: Bernard, Patrick J, Terrance A.

1893
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Pfeifer and Mulligan Bros (Mulligan Bros: Bernard A , Patrick J, Terry A)
Columbus, OH, city directory, Henry Pfeifer as photographer;
1894
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Pfeifer and Mulligan, 262 S High, AND Urlin and Pfeifer, 20 N High;
Columbus, OH
Mulligan Bros: Patrick J and Terry A
See examples below
1894, 1895, 1896
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Urlin and Pfeifer, 20 N High;
1897
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Urlin and Pfeifer, 20-22 N High:
1898
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer with Pfeifer and Ross (James Ross) bicycles and supplies;
1899, 1900
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 276 ½ S High;

1901, 1902
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 245 S High;
1903
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as proprietor of Pfeifer’s Art Gallery 245 S High;
1904, 1905, 1906
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 245 S High ;
1907, 1908, 1909
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at Pfeifer Art Gallery, 245 S High;
1910, 1911, 1912
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as proprietor of Pfeifer Art Gallery, 245 S High;
1913, 1914
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer at 245 S High;
1915, 1916, 1917, 1918
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer, no studio address shown ;
1919
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer NOT listed 1920 Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as Coml Photog at 245 S Wall (sic);


(This page is under construction)

1922, 1923, 1924
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as photographer 245 S High;
1925
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as Pres The Olentangh Club in res section; bus section shows photographer J A Pfeifer, rear 245 S High
1926
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer as Photo Baker (sic) Art Gallery, Pres The Olentangy Club; res 24 ½ E Main; Bus section: J A Pfeifer NOT listed
1927, 1929
Columbus, OH, city directory, Jno A Pfeifer, res 24 ½ E Main; no occupation shown
1929 Oct 16
Columbus, OH, state records, John A Pfeifer and Sophia Gigax are married
1930
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer NOT listed
1931
Columbus, OH, city directory, John A Pfeifer, res 24 ½ E Main, no occupation listed
1932 Jan 21
Columbus, OH, FindaGrave, John A Pfeifer dies at age 72

photographer: Pfeifer
Columbus, OH
example from auction site

photographer: Pfeifer
222,228 & 232 High Street, Columbus, OH
example from auction site

photographer: Pfeifer
228-232 High Street, Columbus, OH
example from picklick

photographer: Pfeifer
228-232 High Street, Columbus, OH
See this one and other great examples
at Cabinet Card Gallery

photographer: Pfeifer New Gallery
228 and 232 South High St, Columbus, OH
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J A Peifer and CO
Mammouth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example from contributor

photographer: Pfeifer
228 - 233 S High St, Columbus, OH
example from contributor

photographer: Pfeifer
228 - 233 S High St, Columbus, OH
example from contributor

Urlin and Pfeifer Examples

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Mammouth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example from auction site
(finished about 1889-1890)

photogrpaher: Urlin and Pheifer
Mammoth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example from auction site
(Note: In small print on the left just above the imprint, it says "Pfeifer and Mulligan Bros" then somethin illegible)

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Mammouth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example from auction site
(finished about 1889-1890)

reverse of card at left

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Art Palace, 20 and 22 North High, Columbus, OH
example from dispatch.com

reverse of card at left

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Columbus, OH
example from auction site

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Mammoth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example from Cabinet Card Gallery

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Mammoth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example from Tiffers.com

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Columbus, OH
example from Nick Heckathorn on Flickr

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Columbus, OH
example from auction site

Pifer and Becker Examples

photographer: Pifer and Becker
Wilshire Bldg, Cleveland, OH
Example from auction site

photographer: Pifer and Becker
Cleveland, OH
Example from auction site

November 22, 2024:
A very informative comment from John Dale

"Just to help out, the Pifer in Cleveland is most definitely not the same Pfeifer in Columbus. The spelling is not the same and the records do not show him as practicing in Cleveland. Additionally, there are two John Pfeifers working in Columbus at this time. One, John A Pfeifer, is the son of Casper Pfeifer and is working as a photographer. The other is the son of Mathias Pfeifer and is working in the printing and publishing business. Casper and Mathias are both sons of Peter Pfeifer, and the two John's would be cousins."


Thanks for the help John!

(Columbus OH)Raven Democratic Press -
29 Jun 1892

Ravenna Democratic Press -
22 Mar 1893

Elyria Republican -
15 Dec 1892

Mulligan Bros Examples

photographer: Mulligan Bros
172, 175, 177 North High Street
example from auction site

photographer: Mulligan Bros
172, 175, 177 North High Street
example from auction site

photographer: Mulligan Bros
172, 175, 177 North High Street
example from Flickr member Heckathorn

typical reverse design for Mulligan Bros cards

Pfeifer and Mulligan Bros

photographer: Pfeifer and Mulligan Bros
Columbus, OH
example from Digital Commons of Otterbein Unv

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.

Henry A Wenzel

Photographer: Wenzel
Plain City Ohio
example from LOST GALLERY finished between 1895 and 1916

There is a splendid accounting of Wenzel, the photographer, at The Plain City Historical Society.

Henry A. Wenzel
(11 Jan 1863 - 4 Dec 1925)

Data from US census and Ohio city directories and narrative from Shirley Ann Gher from Plain City Historical Society;(Note: sources do not agree on all facts and/or dates)

1863 Jan 11
Columbus, OH, Henry Wenzel is born to Henry W and Frederica Wenzel
1879
Columbus, OH, city directory Henry Wenzel at age 16 works as apprentice for the G C Urlin studio
1880-1887
Columbus, OH, city directory, Henry Wenzel works as photographer or apprentice for the studio of G C Urlin; Urlin partners with John Pheifer briefly during that period; also, Henry Wenzel works with Lorenzo N Baker for a brief period in 1886 (sources do not agree on when Baker worked with Wenzel, but it was sometime between 1886 and 1895)
1887
Columbus, OH, state records, Henry Wenzel and Nellie C Wilson are married
1889-1894
Columbus, OH, city directory, Henry Wenzel as photographer with Goble and Wenzel; studio at 262 ½ S High St

1895
Columbus, OH, city directory, Henry Wenzel has brief partnership with Baker Gallery, High & State; making two day trips to Plain City, OH
1895
Plain City, OH, Historical Society, Henry Wenzel opens permanent studio
1900
Plain City, OH, US census, Henry Wenzel as photographer
1906
Plain City, OH, Historical Society, finished new house on West Main St.
1910
Plain City, OH, US census Henry Wenzel as photographer
1912
Plain City, OH, Henry Wenzel photographs tornado damage
1913-1916
Plain City, OH, city directory, Henry Wenzel as photographer
1917-1924
Springfield, OH, US census & city directories Henry Wenzel works for Robbins & Myers (Electric Motors)
1925 Dec 24
Columbus, OH, state records, Henry Wenzel dies age 62

An example of a card from Baker's Studio while it was operated by ALfred C Thurston and H Thurston. Note the photographers names are added with a rubber stamp.

Baker's Art Gallery
Columbus, OH
from History in Photos Blog

photographer: Wenzel
Plain City, OH
from Plain City Historical Society
Wenzel was in Plain City from 1895 to 1916

photographer: Wenzel
Plain City, Ohio
example from auction site
Wenzel was in Plain City from 1895 to 1916

Wenzel worked as apprentice for Urlin and Pfeifer for about 8 years, 1879-1887

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Mammoth Art Palace, Columbus, OH
example source unknown

photographer: Urlin and Pfeifer
Mamouth Art Gallery, Columbus, OH
example from auction site

Examples at the right are from the Pfeifer Studio. John A Pfeifer studio was located at 228 and/or 232 S High Street between 1883 and 1887. The only time the city directory listed BOTH addresses was 1886 and 1887.

photographer Pfeifer
Columbus, OH
example from auction site

photographer Pfeifer
Columbus, OH
example from auction site

photographer: Gobel and Wenzel
Columbus, OH
example from auction site
(1889-1894)

photographer Goebel and Wenzel
Columbus, OH
from about 1889 to 1894

photographer: Goebel and Wenzel
114 1/2 So High Street, Columbus, OH
example from auction site

more examples from the Urlin Galleries

photographer: Urlin and Becker
Cleveland, OH
example from auction site purchase

photographer: Urlin and Becker
Cleveland, OH
example from auction site purchase

photographer: Urlin and Becker
Cleveland, OH
example from auction site

reverse of all three cards at left

photographer: G C Urlin
Mammoth Art Gallery, Columbus, OH
example from auction site

The connection here is not know yet. Obviously, Becker and the Wilshire Building are the same. But was "Pifer" the same as "Pfiefer"?

Well, NO. It wasn't. The Pifer in this partnership was George N Pifer. The partnership lasted 1892 through 1897. The studio was apparently closed as no other photographer is listed at that address.

A small review is HERE

photographer: Pifer and Becker
Wilshire Building, Cleveland, OH
example from auction site

Reverse of card at left

photographer: Pifer and Becker
Wilshire Building, Cleveland, OH
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.