Albumen cabinet card by the Columbus firm Urlin & Pfeifer, showing an African American baby posed in a long christening gown. The composition reveals the “hidden mother”—an adult figure concealed beneath a patterned textile used to steady the child during the exposure, a practice common in the 1870s–90s for infant portraiture.

Urlin & Pfeifer operated the Mammoth Art Palace on South High Street and were among the most decorated photographic studios in Ohio, as demonstrated by the medal-filled imprint on the verso. Their work is well-regarded for its technical consistency and clean studio presentation.

The mount retains sharp printing and the image shows mild handling wear and small scattered marks consistent with