Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 347

Cabinet Card, African American Family Portrait, Sunbeam Art Gallery, LA

Estimate: $200 - $300
Starting Bid
$100

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A compelling family portrait made at the Sunbeam Art Gallery, 236-238 South Main Street, Los Angeles, produced as a cabinet card on gelatin paper. The Sunbeam Art Studio first appeared in the 1894 Los Angeles city directory, operated by C. Coules and F. C. Dando. By 1897 the partners had added a second location, and by 1899 Coules and Dando were no longer partners, placing this portrait in the mid-to-late 1890s.

Four subjects are arranged in a tiered studio composition before a painted backdrop of draped fabric and a suggested architectural column. The man stands at center rear in a dark three-piece suit with a patterned cravat and a pocket square, his right hand resting on his hip. Seated at left, a woman wears a full dark dress with pronounced leg-of-mutton sleeves and ruffled lace cuffs; at right, a young woman sits in a matching dark gown with a ruffled collar and white gloves folded in her lap. A young boy stands between the seated figures in a double-breasted tweed jacket and a large plaid bow tie at the throat.

The photograph dates to circa 1900, and the studio imprint printed along the bottom of the card mount reads "Sunbeam Art Gallery, Finest Enamel Finish, 236-238 South Main, Los Angeles," in decorative script. The reverse is blank with no inscription.

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