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Original 19th-century cabinet card photograph depicting a young girl in an elaborate white ceremonial dress, long veil, floral headpiece, gloves, and dark button boots. The attire may represent a First Communion or another formal religious occasion.
Photographed by noted early California photographer William Shew (1820–1903) at his photographic establishment located at 115 Kearny Street, San Francisco. Shew was a pioneering daguerreotypist and portrait photographer who established his San Francisco practice during the Gold Rush era. Examples of his work are preserved in institutional and museum collections.
Based on the studio address and cabinet-card format, this photograph likely dates to approximately 1874–1880.
Approximate size: 4 1/4 × 6 1/2 inches.
Condition: Antique condition with age-related fading, foxing, discoloration, surface marks, scratches, edge and corner wear, and general handling wear. An old handwritten question mark appears on the reverse. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
The sitter is unidentified. Any identification of the occasion as First Communion is interpretive and not confirmed.
A compelling original piece of early San Francisco photographic and social history.
