(1) An unknown female, photo taken in Topeka Kansas
Every photo has its own story to tell. Every image I've come across over the last thirty years, tells me something about the subjects or location that were captured by the photographer. Cart de Visite (CDV) photos can add a lot more information to their own content, because many CDVs frequently have printed and written information on them, in the way the photographers name and studio location as well as handwritten information, placed there by family members and/or the owners. The CDV was a wonderful transition from the days of ambrotypes and tintypes. Both of the photos in this article were taken in western states, they are photos of regular everyday salt of the earth people. Though both are unknown, though we know where and approximately when they photos were taken. Photo (1) was taken in Topeka Kansas by photographer, Jas. H. Leonard who was active in Topeka from 1877-1902, Photo (2) was taken in Kansas City by Photographers Willians & Thompson (also spelled Thomson), and according to the book Biographies of Western Photographers by Carl Mautz was active in 1875 in Kansas City Missouri, so that really narrows the time frame down.
