Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-08
THE TRAFFIC In FACES.


From the New York Mail.
Let us step into shop for the sale Of
photographs in this city, and learn by what
means the pictures of prominent people are
taken, how they sell, etc. There is a great
demand for picture Of A. T. Stewart, the
merchant prince, but not picture of him
can be had-there are none In the market,
and never have been. Mr.. Stewart declines
to have his face photographed, mounted on
a card, and sold to the public. Rumor says
that John Bright once sent him polite re-
quest for his photograph, but he declined.
THERE'S no merchant In the Unitsd States
whose picture would sell 80 well. People
have an intense desire to see him. Why Mr..
Stewart declines to be popularized is not
known, but he probably does SO for pur-
poses of selfprotection, that he may be able
to 60 to Saratoga and about the country
without being annoyed Dy people who seek
employment or ask for money.
Mr.. Stewart is not alone in this peculiar
ity. His great rival, n. B. Clafin, Is In de-
mand, but no picture of him can be had.
After much urging, Quincy was allowed to
to take life-size portrait of him, which
was added to the gallery of famous New
York merchants and bankers. Some small
copies Of this picture were taken, and of
fsred to the public. As soon as Mr.. Claf-
| lin heard of the fact he made representa-
tons to Mr.. Quincy which caused that art
| ist to withdraw them. So there are none
Of this famous merchant to be bad. The
same facts are true of Jay Cooke, the well
known banker. A few of his pictures came
before the public much in the same way as
| Mr.. Cla6in's, and he at once stopped the
sale of them. 5-Hi.. e5~s .rsaF
| For long time 1t was impossible to get
| a single picture of Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe. She always insisted upon being
taken on the same card with her brother,
| Henry Ward Beecher. Many people want
| ed Mrs. Stowe by herself. After working
| for months, and by the use of little STRAIT
egg, a prominent dealer in New York sue
ceeded in getting her picture. He offered q
certain editor five dollars if he would in
ducs Mrs. Stowe to sit for her picture,
which she finally did. The portrait thus
procured was very good one. Mrs. Stowe
looks more and more like her famous
brother as she grows older. The publica-
ton Of her "True Story of Lord Byron"
damaged her popularity immensely, and
there was great falling off in the demsnd
for her pictures, which has never fully re-
covered. Her picture sells very well now I.
1t is not difficult to get pictures of all
prominent actors and singers. These are
public characters, and the more they are
advertised the better. There is constant
demand for the pictures Of actors and sing
/ ers who have national reputation, such as
Booth, 10 Jefferson, Seeoach, RistOri, Pa
Iepa-Rosa, Nilsson, etc. The sale Of the
pictures Of actors always increases while
they arc playing, and then drops off, The
cali for pictures of local actors stops as
soon as they leave the stage.
Among actors, the sale Of Edwin Booths
pictures takes the lead. More are sold of
him than of all the other actors in the Uni
ted States. He is a particular fsVorite with
the ladies. His face is perfectly pure in its
expression, without the least trace of SEN
suality, and is also highly intelligent. II
has pensive, half sad expression, which
bewitches the ladies, none of whom object
to having his picture in their album.
Among women, Mrs. Scott-Sddons bias
the same expression of face, which is tasci-
mating for ali pure-minded men; and they
purchase largely o her picture. Photo.
grapbers say no woman ever appeared or
the American stage who made picture Of
such absolute perfection. Very few people
ever care for the picture of Mrs. Scott-Sid-
dons' husband, and the only way she could
| float his face into the market was by having
it put on the same card With herself. 1t is
a curious fact, too, that there is no call for
Mrs Edwin Booths picture, I'D -
Other husbands who have noted wives
are just as unfortunate as Mr., Scott-Sid
dons. Nobody ever calls for Prof. Stoves
picture, the husband of Harriet Beechel
Stowe; nobody asks for MIR. Stanton's pic
ture, the husband of Elizabeth Csdy Stan
ton, and there was no sale for Ristoris hus-
band until his picture was displayed in the
shop windows as 'RistoIis husband" wher
few took pity on him and purchased.
There are more pictures sold of Henry
War Beecher than all the rest of the cler.
gymen in the United States put together.
OF the editors, Horace Greeley sells more
than all the rest of the editors in the coun.
try. Whether we laugh, or cry, the fact i:
that he is very popular with the farmer:
throughout the nation. Since his nomina-
ton for President, he has been fairly worn
down by photographers, anxious to get him
to sit for them. Hundreds of different pic
lures have been taken, most of which are
, good, while some are excellent. The one
ne likes best is card picture, representing
his face In profile, as if it had been STRUCK
as a medallion. In less than week after
the Cincinnati Convention, he was so pur.
sued by the man with the camera that hG
had TO go into hiding in the house of .
friend, Mr. Storrs, 10 Brooklyn. The tele.
graph had hardly announced the nomina
) ton Of B. Gratz Brown before New Y orb
: photographer started for st. Louis. The
same was true of Hon. Henry Wilson.
Authors are now photographed as readily
as actors or Presidents. A certain publish
ing house up town displays pictures Of it!
boOk-makers in the window, about which
crowds of curious persons can be seer
studying the shaggy face of Josh Billings
the handsome, clean-cut features of JohI
Hay; the pleasant, rougish eyes of Bre
Harte, or the sober counSenance of Mari
Twain. It is difficult to get good pic
tura of George William Curtis, as he neve
visits photographers. Whittier is another
difficult man to catch, although there art
good photographs Of him to be had. o
Lester Wsllack's brother there ara no pho
tographs to be had.