Antique Cabinet Card of an Amateur Theater Cast, Bremen, Kentucky | Named Sitters on Back | Minstrel-Era Black History Photograph c. 1890-1905
$55.00
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Vintage Condition
Every piece here is pre-loved and often decades old, so expect gentle signs of age and use, like light scratches, softened plating or finish, small marks, or patina. That's part of each piece's history and charm, and nothing will look fresh off a showroom floor.
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Antique Cabinet Card of an Amateur Theater Cast, Bremen, Kentucky | Named Sitters on Back | Minstrel-Era Black History Photograph c. 1890-1905
$55.00
An antique cabinet card of a small-town theater cast from Bremen, Kentucky, posed in costume for what looks like a local play or entertainment. The cast wears a mix of formal dress, stage costumes and military-style uniforms, and a hand-lettered sign reading "To Please Me Squeeze Me" adds a playful touch.
Please note: one performer appears in blackface makeup. Blackface was a common and racist convention of minstrel-era American entertainment, and it turned up even in amateur community plays like this one. We offer this photograph as a historical record of that era, for collectors of African American history, theater history and Kentucky history, and not as decor.
Named sitters
The back carries handwritten notes naming several of the people pictured: Jesse Coffman, Peter Green Shaver, Flora Rust, Mary (Molly) Rust and Ira C. M. Ellenberger. Named photographs like this are rare and valuable to family historians, so if any of these names are in your family tree, this could be a real find.
- Type: mounted cabinet card photograph
- Era: about 1890 to 1905, based on the format and clothing
- Place: Bremen, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
- Size: about 4 1/4" x 6 1/2"
- Condition: age-appropriate toning, edge wear and surface marks. Please see all photos.
Any styling props shown in the photos are not included.
Do you have an old photo with names written on the back that helped you find a piece of your family's story?