Young man in Reading, Pennsylvania
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What it is:
Cabinet card measuring 4.25 x 6 inches.
What I know about it:
Photographer is Saylor’s New York Gallery in Reading, PA. Otherwise undated and unidentified.
Comments:
This is another one of the photos given to me by my friend Allen. I believe the photographer was Charles A. Saylor, who was a photographer as far back as the Civil War era, though I’m estimating this photo to be from around the 1890s. I’ve noticed several photographers in different parts of the country calling themselves some version of “New York Gallery”, including this one in a small town in Nevada, and this one in San Francisco, presumably banking on the stereotype of New York City being the pinnacle of cultural refinement and artistic achievement. It’s interesting to recognize how long that stereotype has been around. As for the young man here, while his hairstyle might appear a bit quirky to us today, I’m impressed by the way he’s managed to put together a few relatively simple elements into an outfit that makes his overall appearance look meticulous.
Pics of Then 
this is uncannily close to Groucho’s outfit in “The Cocoanuts”–down to the ribbony tie. https://youtu.be/nPTqrFas9Bo
Classic. 🙂