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 224

CDV, Meditation, Boston 99 Cent Store Advertising Card

Estimate: $50 - $100
Starting Bid
$25

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
A painting of a seated woman titled "Meditation" appears in an albumen photograph mounted on a CDV-format advertising card issued by Geo. H. Ireland and Co., proprietors of the Boston 99 Cent Store on High Street in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The image appears to be a reproduction of a painted or engraved composition rather than a studio portrait, printed directly onto the card face as a commercial promotional device likely dating to the 1870s or 1880s.

The woman is shown in profile facing left, her dark hair pinned up and ornamented, wearing a full-skirted light gown with gathered fabric at the back. She is seated in a carved open-arm chair and holds fabric in her lap, with a sculpted female bust visible behind her to the left, suggesting an artistic or allegorical interior setting.

The Boston 99 Cent Store was a variety retail concept operating in several Massachusetts locations during the post-Civil War era, using novelty CDV advertising cards as a promotional tool to attract customers with illustrated imagery alongside merchandise listings.

The reverse carries a densely printed advertisement listing fancy goods, silverplate, china ware, stereoscopes, musical instruments, books, and mantle clocks all priced at 99 cents, with a penciled notation reading "5/31/08" and "20BC2" at the bottom.

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