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 604

RPPC, Young Woman with Photo Album, Studio Portrait

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 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A young woman stands at the center of this real photo postcard, posed in three-quarter length before a painted studio backdrop depicting a draped curtain and leaded window. The format and fashion details, particularly the bloused bodice with a cinched waistband and long fitted sleeves, place the image squarely in the 1910s. No photographer's imprint appears on the reverse, leaving the studio unidentified.

She wears a light-colored dress with a wide flat collar, a brooch pinned at the neckline, and at least two large buttons descending the front placket. A thin hair accessory sits across her dark, short-cropped hair, and her expression is openly smiling, which is relatively uncommon for formal studio portraiture of the period. Both hands rest on an open photograph album placed flat on a small round table beside her.

The album she holds is a particularly compelling prop, its pages visibly filled with mounted portrait photographs, suggesting this sitting may have been intended as a companion or commemorative image alongside a personal collection.

The reverse bears standard divided-back postcard printing with "POST CARD," "CORRESPONDENCE HERE," and "NAME AND ADDRESS HERE" in printed text, with a penciled notation along the right edge reading "J-7-4-2" or similar. No correspondence or address was added.

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