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 597

Real Photo Postcard, Women in Early Beauty Parlor Interior

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

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 seated young woman receives hair styling from a standing attendant in a well-appointed early twentieth century beauty parlor, captured in a real photo postcard format. The AZO stamp box visible on the reverse dates the card to the 1904 to 1918 period. No photographer's imprint appears on either side of the card.

The attendant wears a boldly striped skirt with a white shirtwaist and works a large mass of loose hair at the seated client's crown, suggesting a hairpiece or false piece is being set. The client, dressed in a light blouse, sits in a wood chair on a patterned area rug over a tiled floor. A white painted vanity chest and tall mirror reflect the pair from behind, and a wall-mounted shelf stocked with small bottles is visible at upper right alongside a pedestal sink and a second dark wood chair.

The real photo postcard format made interior documentation of commercial spaces like this relatively uncommon, and the level of furnishing detail visible here, including the overhead pendant light, framed print, and professional sink setup, suggests a purpose-built salon rather than a domestic arrangement.

The reverse bears a penciled notation reading "-100" in the upper right corner and is otherwise unused, with no address or correspondence.

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