Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-06-24 11:00:00 2026-06-24 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/june-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-23574
Our June 2026 auction presents a focused and exceptional selection of historical photographs spanning the 1840s through the early twentieth century, with unusual depth in named subjects, rare formats, and documented provenance anchored by strong vernacular material that rewards close looking.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 291

Cabinet Card, J.L. Kennedy House & Sign Painting Staff, Boston

Estimate: $200 - $300
Current Bid
$100

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $5,000
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
Six workers pose before the two-story brick facade of J.L. Kennedy & Co., House and Sign Painting, in this albumen cabinet card produced by Alden's studio at 63 Court Street, Boston. A seventh figure sits casually in an open second-floor window directly above the painted business sign, looking down at the scene below. The straightforward, unstaged quality of the grouping and the working dress of the subjects suggest this was made as a business or occupational record rather than a formal portrait commission.

Five of the six street-level figures wear work aprons, several in shirtsleeves with suspenders, while the central figure stands apart in a dark suit and bow tie, likely the proprietor or foreman. The building's ground floor features four arched display windows with ornate iron or wood mullions flanking a central entrance. A wooden box or crate sits on the sidewalk near the entrance, and a narrow bench is visible at far left. A partial sign for an adjacent dyehouse is visible at the right edge of the frame.

Alden's studio operated at 63 Court Street in Boston during the 1880s, producing cabinet cards for commercial and portrait clients throughout the city. The reverse bears the studio imprint in script and print lettering with the notation "Duplicates furnished if desired."

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