NEWSBOY CABINETS

Written by Mike Reeve e-mail karto@lineone.net

 

Now before the uninitiated have visions of their paperboys hoarding away Chippendale or Sheraton sideboards, we are, in fact, talking about photographs.  To be precise photographs mounted on stiff board usually 6" x 4" and known as ‘cabinets’ supposedly because they were often displayed in cabinets.  Newsboy cabinets were given away as ‘premiums’, by tobacconists or drug stores, when making a purchase of plug tobacco produced by the National Tobacco Works of New York.  This firm was later acquired by the American Tobacco Company.  Although precise dates of issue are not known, it is likely they were produced and issued throughout the early 1890’s

 

Perhaps because of their size and method of distribution, they do not appear to be widely found or collected within the UK.  Details of this issue, is of course, to be found in the World Tobacco Issues Index, though, as this article will show, the information is somewhat limited.  Although the World Tobacco Issues Index (WTII) does give a broad indication of the various groupings, there is no checklist of subjects.  This is not surprising as although the majority of cards are numbered, there is both a duplication of numbers and subject varieties, making it very complex for the new collector or casual observer.

 

For the record Part 11 of the World Tobacco Issues Index reads as follows:-

 

NATIONAL TOBACCO WORKS, Broadway, New York, USA.               N238-200 

Became branch of American Tobacco Co about 1892.  Cards issued about 1890.  Premium issues, exchanged for tags or coupons.  Pictures mounted on thick board inscribed at base “Newsboy ….. New York”, without reference to tobacco.  “Newsboy” was a brand of plug tobacco.

 

CABINET PICTURES (A) Corners rounded.  Mostly actresses but including actors, celebrities and scenes.  There are many faded captions and numbers.  Ref USA/566-7.

 

  1. Pictures black and white or sepia photos.  Size about 165 x 105, Nd.

(1) Number only on photo, number and caption on mount.  Mostly Actors and Actresses, including some Celebrities, Athletes, Baseball.

 

1.                        Nos 1/136 Each number with one caption, many with two, three or four pictures of the same subject.  “Newsboy – New York” in red on white mounts.  About 20 are known unnumbered.

 

2.                        Nos 301/385  “Newsboy – New York” in green on grey mount.  Back (a) plain  (b) with wording in English and Spanish headed “Bliss Long Cut” (c) with wording “Red Indian Cut Plug Tobacco”.

 

3.                        Nos 502/604  “Newsboy – New York” in (a) red (b) brown on white mount

 

4.                        Nos 800/841 “Newsboy – New York” in red on white mount.

 

(2)   Number and caption on photo, not on mount.  Nos between 1/227 known, including Actresses, Actors, Views, Warships.  “Newsboy – New York” in red on white mount.  Same mounts as in (1) used captions covered by photo.  In some cases former captions or numbers are visible but should be disregarded.

 

  1. Coloured halftones. Size about 230 x 150  “Newsboy – New York” in brown (100).

 

I think you will agree the above details are quite complex and I hope by the conclusion of this article to identify and simplify the main groupings, hopefully to the benefit of other collectors or the interested observer.

 

Almost by accident I acquired a batch of these cards some years ago and was immediately impressed by the strong images, size and stoutness of board and the challenge of the series.  Before long I became a victim of ‘stealth collecting’ as I was blissfully unaware of the number of photos I was acquiring.  Eventually I had to decide whether to call a halt or to specialise in this series, which in effect became a long term research project.  I have now acquired or seen sufficient examples of “Newsboys” to be in a position to classify them into possibly more user- friendly groupings.  More importantly a workable checklist of subjects has evolved which, although far from complete, will enable other collectors to compare their cards and hopefully fill in the gaps as well as spotting the inevitable errors, which will have crept in.

 

Working on a volume basis, 3 main groupings and 4 minor groupings have emerged (setting aside the known set of 100 coloured half tones 230 x 150).

 

As a rule of thumb, there are four key things to look for when attempting to classify Newsboy cabinets viz

 

(1)               Is the subject title in upper or lower case

(2)               Position of subject title-on mount or photo

(3)               Colour and number of frame lines

(4)               Position of number on the mount

 

 

Now to business:  The first and arguably the most confusing group, has the subject title in upper case and always on the mount.  The photo will be numbered but this may be on the mount, or the photo itself, or both.  If on the mount, it will usually be on the left hand side.  The word Newsboy will be in red, also on the left hand side of the mount and the words NEW YORK also in red but on the right hand side of mount and in capitals.  The size and style of the word Newsboy can vary in the manner of the words ‘Guinea Gold’ but in the interests of my eyesight and sanity I have not attempted to classify the many variations, which probably exist.  The backs of the cards were intended to be blank but isolated examples will be found where enterprising retailers have put their own advertising on the back.

 

The highest number in the first grouping in the WTII is 136 (William McKinley for the record) and, unlike the other, groupings which follow, is the highest number I have come across. (Martin Murray has a variety of card 108 numbered 198, which may be some sort of printing anomaly). It should have been a relatively straightforward task to compile a subject checklist, however, as the WTII indicates, many numbers have different pictures of the same subject.   The WTII records up to 4 different pictures but so far I have found one number with 6 different pictures and two others, with 5. If this occurred for every number, the total for this grouping would be staggering, well 816 cabinets actually.  And, of course, we do not know if six is indeed the maximum.

 

It is open to conjecture whether the compiler of the series worked to an organised plan or responded to the popularity of the subject or output from the photographer involved.  I suspect the series evolved on a random basis, rather than a deliberate pre-planned marketing exercise.

 

These cabinet photos are sometimes described as ‘albumen photographs’, which refers to the photographic process prevalent at the time.

 

The abbreviations used when describing the ‘pose’ of the subject follow the Guinea Gold Reference Book ie F refers to ‘full length’, H/S-Head/Shoulders etc, etc.

.

 A number of identical subjects can be found in the various groups and I have endeavoured to provide a cross reference with the corresponding number in brackets after the subject’s name. (NB the letters UC & LC after the ref. Number, indicate Upper/Lower Case, ie, groups 1 & 3.Some UC examples may also have a further number after a ‘forward slash’ to indicate which ‘picture variety’ is involved.

 

 

 

 

No

SUBJECT

1st POSE

2ND

3RD

  1

ISABELLE URQUHART (U/N)

F, HALF LYING

F, R ARM RAISED

F, L HAND TO CHIN

 2

FANNY DAVENPORT

F, R ARM RAISED

H/S, FACING R (29LC) (Also variety ‘FANNIE’)

 

 3

FAY TEMPLETON

F, FACING R.HAT

 

 

 4

LILLIAN RUSSELL

½ L FACING FRT

H/S, WIDE BRIM HAT

H/S, LOOKING R HANDS AT NECK

4

-  do  -

¾ L SITTING, FACING CAMERA

 

 

 5

PATTI

½ L FACING L

 

 

 6

RHEA

F, HANDS TO CHIN

¾ L LOOKING TO R SEATED

 

 7

MARY ANDERSON

H/S, FEATHER HAT

¾ L R ARM RAISED

H/S, FACING FRT

  8

AGNES EVANS

F, SITTING ON STOOL   (502)

H/S, FACING L

F, LEANING ON TREE

  8

-  do -  (4/5/6 pose)

F, LH TO HEAD FEET CROSSED

F, LH TO HEAD LOOKING UP LACE UP BOOTS

¾ L HANDS ON HIPS

 9

ANNIE SUMERVILLE

F, RT ARM RAISED

F, HOLDING HORN   (531)

 

10

Isabelle Irving

¾ L SITTING (U/N)

 

 

11

JENNIE McNULTY

F, SITTING ON CHAIR ARM

 

 

12

SYLVIA GERRISH

F, STANDING R ARM RAISED   (803)

F, HEAD TO L, HAT

 

13

JENNIE JOYCE

F, HEAD BOWED   (514) (U/N)

F, PLUS FOURS, SMILING, HAT IN R HAND  ((552) (P63)

F, LEANING ON TREE R HAND ON HEAD

14

AMANDA FABRIS

AS ERMINE

F, HOLDING BOUQUET

 

 

15

MARION MANOLA

F, SITTING ON CHAIR

STG LH ON SWORD    (71LC)(U/N)

F, SITTING ON CHAIR HOLDING MANDOLIN

16

ALICE EVANS

F, HOLDING BASKET   (524)

 

¾ L, LARGE HAT HOLDING SPRAY

 

17

CAROLINE MISKELL

F, SITTING ON STOOL

F, CHAIR/FOWERS (544)

 

18 *

BEATRICE CAMERON 

F, BALLET POSE RH HOLDING OUT SKIRT

 

* BESSIE CLAYTON

also Number 18

19

BLANCH WALSH

F, STG THIGH BOOTS  ((143LC) (815)

F, RH RAISED

 

20

SADIE KIRBY

F, HANDS ON HIPS

 

 

21

ANNA BOYD

F, SEATED MORTAR BOARD

F, HAT.HOLDING CAPE (U/N)

F, HOLDING UP VEIL

 

 

21

- do -  (4/5 pose)

F, LOOKING L FERNS. HAT

F, BY WALL.STOOL BY FEET

FL, white hat, looking R,LH raised by chest.

22

IRENE VERONA

F, DRAWING SWORD

F, FEET CROSSED

 

23

IDA MULLE

F, SITTING.BIRD CAGE

F, BOW & ARROW

 

24

ANNIE PIXLEY

F, STG HAT IN LH  (519) (U/N)

F, STG BY TREE

¾ L RH TOUCHING HAT

25

MME DE GILLERT

 

F, SITTING IN BALLET COSTUME, LEGS CROSSED)   (539)

F, STANDING ON RLEG LOOKING R

 

26

JULIA CALHOUN

F, HOLDING LUTE

 

 

27

MINNIE PALMER

F, SITTING, CAP   (81LC)

 

 

 

28

EVA BARTHOLDI

HANDSTAND ON GLASS

 

 

 

29

LOUISE EISSING

F, STRIPED SHORTS

F, R ARM RAISED

 

30

MARGARETTA CUTTER

F, FOOT ON CHAIR

F, SITTING ON CHAIR

 

31

M’LLE NAYA

F, HAT & CAPE

 

 

32

FANNIE RICE

F, TUTU WITH SHAWL

FANNIE RICE AS GALATIA. STANDING ON PEDESTAL

 

33

BELLE ARCHER

F, STANDING ON BENCH   (5LC) (527)

F, SITTING SMOKING

 

34

MINNIE HAUK

F, FACING FRT.TREE    ((54LC)

 

 

35

HATTIE HARVEY

F, SITTING ON CHAIR