Cabinet Card Photos
Mystery Photo: Little Rufus Milne in 1894
This cabinet card photo is marked “Rec’d May 5, 1894.” It’s not entirely clear what received might specifically refer to here, but with some confidence we can say this photo is at least 130 years old and someone received it precisely 130 years ago. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Nye’s Studio Couple
One thing that gets weird about photos shot with costumes, props and a fake background is that eventually the photo will become old, and then it’s more difficult to tell whether the people in the photo are dressed in their normal clothing, were being photographed to promote a play, or just having a novelty photo taken. So the image above might seem like an 1890s version of what a photo of someone in 2024 wearing disco clothes might convey in the year 2156. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Westberg
The identity of the woman in this photo is likely lost to history, but the photographer’s last name is right there in print — Westberg. The Minnesota Historical Society’s Directory of Minnesota Photographers lists two Westbergs who operated in Duluth more than 100 years ago. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Thiel’s Art Gallery in Duluth
Who is the handsome gentleman in this cabinet card photo? That information might be lost to history, but we know from the printing on the card that the image was shot at Carl Thiel’s Art Gallery in Duluth. Handwritten on the back of the card is the date: “Jan. 1896.” (more…)
Mystery Photo: McDowell Sisters
This old cabinet card photo, for sale on eBay, was shot in Duluth. Several details are provided, but some mysteries persist. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Fire Department Captain
This mystery photo is another from the studio of the fiery ol’ Swede Lars Liden. Penned on the photo is something along the lines of “f. d. Capt. Axel Strom.”
It seems somewhat clear that the photo is of the captain of some fire department, and since the photo was shot in Duluth it is likely this captain represents Duluth or some municipality near Duluth. So, Axel Strom? Is that the name?
Mystery Photo: Daughter of Duluth
There are times when Perfect Duluth Day’s Mystery Photo isn’t very mysterious. And this is one of those times. We know who is in the photo and much of her biography, but the photography studio is one we haven’t seen another image from. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Carl Thiel Cabinet Card
The identity of the woman in this photo is almost certainly lost to history, but on Perfect Duluth Day it’s always worth trying. What we know about this photo is the photography studio it came from and roughly when it was shot. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Ekstrom Wedding
Here they are, Berger and Hilda Ekstrom, in their wedding duds. We know their names thanks to the scribbling on the back of the photo. And we know from the cardboard frame that the photographer is Lars Linden, the fiery Swede who had a studio at 1619 W. Superior St. in Duluth. What’s the mystery? Well, everything else. What became of ol’ Berger and Hilda? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Mr. & Mrs. Burchell
From the back of this cabinet card photo we know the subjects are Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Burchell or Burehell, married Aug. 26, 1891. They were also presumably residents of West Duluth. The photo is from the Downtown Duluth studio of John R. Zweifel. (more…)
Mystery Photos: Mr. and Mrs. Peter Anderson
Someone was kind enough to write the names of these love birds on their photos and keep them together. But who are Mr. and Mrs. Peter Anderson? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Another from Cook Ely
This image from the Ely Studio of Duluth comes to Perfect Duluth Day via Neal Eisenberg, a native Duluthian. (more…)
Mystery Photos #118 and #119: Gals at H. Mathieson Studio
Many early studio photographers around Duluth printed their photographs on flowery pre-printed cabinet cards, often with their names prominently displayed. Often the name of the person photographed is lost to history, but we can easily locate the photographer in the records more than 100 years later. (more…)
Mystery Photos #106-112: Ely Studio
It’s a nearly impossible challenge to put names on people in century-old cabinet card photos, but we occasionally try nonetheless. At least in most cases we know the photographer’s name, which can lead in all sorts of directions. (more…)
Mystery Photo #104: Mustached Dude with Fat Tie
Who is this handsome Duluthian? Was he actually a Duluthian at all or just passing through and feeling photogenic? (more…)
Mystery Photo #103: Girl with Curls
What’s the deal with this curly haired lass? Was she a Duluthian? (more…)
Mystery Photos: Howorth Photography
These two cabinet cards presumably feature two different women, although they look a touch similar. The mystery isn’t just who they are, but also what the deal was with Howorth. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Stokes or Dalgarno Family?
This mystery photo is another cabinet card from Duluth’s Zweifel Studio. Ann Ramage posted the image on Facebook, tagging Perfect Duluth Day with this message:
‘Turnip’ Found! Oh, I mean to say a family mystery photo. Perhaps Stokes family from Petrolia, Ontario, Canada — Gordon and/or Dalgarno family from Tenney, Minn? Not dated. Any feedback most appreciated!
Mystery Photo #81: Markus Family, Christmas 1893
Some mystery photos are less mysterious than others. Often cabinet card photos have nothing written on the back, but this particular card comes with info suggesting the subjects are William Frederick Markus and his family. The photo was likely shot 125 years ago, around Christmas of 1893. (more…)
Mystery Photo #79: Piper & Johnson
This cabinet card photo is from the Piper & Johnson studio at 227 E. Superior St., Duluth. Today that location is where Greysolon Plaza, the former Hotel Duluth, sits. Since cabinet cards were popular at the end of the 19th Century, the Piper & Johnson studio must have been in a building that predates the Hotel Duluth, which opened in 1925. (more…)
Mystery Photo #75: Young Woman on a Liden Cabinet Card
This cabinet card photo is from the L.N. Liden studio at 1619 W. Superior St. in Duluth. Identifying people in this type of photo is obviously a difficult task that depends more on luck than research skills, but nonetheless we give it the ol’ Perfect Duluth Day try. (more…)
Duluth Mystery Photo #11: 1891 Couple
This photo is dated 1891 and is from the studio of Lars N. Liden, 1619 W. Superior St. in Duluth’s West End, a location that is presently a parking lot. That’s all we’ve got to go on. It’s a long shot, but can anyone name these two 19th Century Duluthians? Or at least write some good fan fiction about them?
Duluth Mystery Photo #4: Mr. Dillner?
I saved this photo graphic at some point in the past and titled the file “Dillner.” Call it sloppy archiving on my part, but I’m guessing that might be his last name and on the front of the photo is the photographer’s name, which looks like it’s maybe S. F. Dahlquist. The address is 19 E. Superior St., Duluth. So that’s what we’ve got to go on. (more…)