National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-25
rnE TRAFFIC IN rBoPLps FACES.
Some Carlous Facts About the Sale Of
Phstoarnphs Of Noted Men and Women.

THE TRAFFIC IN PEOPLES FACES
Some Curious Facts About the sale Of
PhetoaruPhs Of Noted Men and Women.
boz. tFrom the New York MAIL
II In any part Of the world an individual
becomes famous as preacher, Rgeneral, an
editor, an author, singer or actor bis or her
The market. In this way an immense trade
In human faces has sprung up, and here In
New York we find whole shops devoted 10
their sale. Even these are subdivided Into
shops for card photographs Of famous people;
shops for stereoscoplc viows for natural
scenery, &C. Many books are now Illustrated
piled 10 advertising. We are Of the opinion
the day will come when there will be photo
graphic museums, when men of wealth and
leisure will make large collections Of photo
graphs Of eminent men and women, In va
rious parts Of this country men arc constantly
at work taking views Of natural scenery. A
photographer In Burlington, VI, spends all
his time taking pictures Of the Green noun
talns and other wild and romantic scenery
In that State. At the present moment a book
L In course Of preparation upon THE White
Mountains In Winter" for which q large
number Of wonderful photographs Of the
snow and frost beauties Of that famous To-
callty wore taken last winter. Artists are
constantly At work plcturing the beauties Of
the famed Yosemite valley Of California and
the big trees; others have taken the awe-in-
spring Falls Of Niagara ln'Rll their various
moods-winter, summer, night sunshine,
storm aud moonlight.
Let US step Into shop for the sale Of pho
tographs In this city, and learn by what
means the pictures Of prominent men are
taken, how they sell, etc. There IL great
demand for picture Of A. T. Stewart, the
\ merchant prince, but not picture Of him can
b had-thero are none In the market, and
| nRVRF haWG NJ ~ HNrilUaa IN
have his face photographed, mounted on .
card and sold to the public. Rumor says that
TJOhn Bright once sent him polite request
for his photograph, but he declined. Thero
Il no merchant In the United States whose
picture would sell so we'll. People have an
Intense doslre TO sec him. Why Mr.. Stewart
declines TO be pOpulariEsd is not known, but
he probably does so for the purpose Of self
protection, that he may be able to go 10 Sara
toga and about tho country without being
annoyed by people who sock employment or
| ask for money.
Mr.. Stewart IL not alone In his peculiarly.
His great rival, II. B. Claiin, lie In demand,
but no picture Of him can DO had. After
/ much urging Quincy was allowed TO take a
life-slEe portrait Of him, which was added to
the gallery Of famous New York merchants
and bankers. Some small copies Of this pic
ture were taken and offered to the public.
| As soon as Mr.. Clahln heard Of the fact he
made representations to Mr.. Quincy which
caused that artist to withdraw them. So
there arc none Of this famous merchant TO be
had. The same facts are true Of Jay Cooke,
the well-known banker. A few Of his pic
lures came before the public much In the
| same way as Mr.. Clatlln's and he at once
stopped the sale Of them.
For long time II 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
Becchor. Many people wanted Mrs. Stowe
by herself. After working for months, and
BY the use Of little strategy, prominent
dealer In New York succeeded In getting her
picture. lie offered certain editor six dol
lars II he would induce Mrs. Stowe to sit for
her picture, which she finally did. The por.
trait thus procured was q very good one.
Mrs. Stowe looks more and more like her
famous brother as she grows older. The pub.
licatlon of her "True Story of Lord Byron
damaged her popularity immensely, and there
was a great falling off In the sale Of her pic
lures, which has never fully recovered. Hcl
picture sells very well now.
1t Is not difficult TO get pictures Of all prom
lnent actors and singers. These arc public
characters, and the more they are advertised
the better. There Is a constant demand fol
the pictures Of actors and singers who have a
national reputation, such as Booth, Joe JEFF
erson, seebach, Rlstori, Parepa-ROsa, Nilsson
etc. The sale Of the pictures Of actors Away
Increases while they are playing, and theT
drops off, The call for pictures Of local actor
stops as soon as they leave the stage.
Among actors tho sale Of Edwin BOOTH
pictures takes the lead. More are sold Of hin
than oil the other actors In the United States
He il a particular favorito with the ladies
His face Is perfectly pure In Its expression
without the least trace OF sensuallty, and !
, also highly intelligent. 1t has pensiye, half
sad expression, which bewitches the ladies
I hn.4t Lott Il
their album.
Among women, Mrs. Scott-SiddOns has tn
same expression of face, which Is fascinating
for all pure-mindcd men, and they purchas
1 largely Of her picture. Photographers say II,
woman ever appeared on the American stag
who made picture Of such absolute perfec
ton. Very few people ever care for the pic
turo Of Mrs. Scott-Siddons' husband, and tn
e only way she could float his face into tn
I market was by having II put on the same car
with herself. II Ia 0 curious fact, too, tina
y there Is no call for Mrs. Edwin Booths pic
4 tuTo.
! Other husbands who have noted wives ar
i Just as unfortunate as Mr. ScOtt-SiddOnI
! Nobody ever calls for Prof. Stoves picture
e the husband Of Harriet Beechor Stowe; nc
y body asks for Mr.. Stanton's picture, the hui
: band Of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and ther
i was no sale for RlstOrls husband until hi
: picture was displayed in the shop windows O
! . HubDhuuY NHtu u l1N bbOh pity y
J him and purchased.
, There Is more pictures sold Of Henry War
\ Beecher than all the rest Of the clergymen
4 the United States put together.
: OF the editors, Horace Greeley sells NOR
than all the rest Of the editors In the country
/" Hundreds Of different pictures have bee
s taken, most Of which are good, while som
= are excellent. The one he liked best Is car
7 picture, representing his face In profile, as
a Ii had been struck as q medallion. In le,
Q than a week after the Cincinnati conyentio
Q he was so pursued by the man with III
camera that he had to go into hiding In Ill
q house Of a friend, Mr.. StOTrs, In Brooklyn
: The telegraph had hardly announced III
j. nomination Of b. Graft Brown before a Ne
o York photographer started for st. Loui
o The same WINS true Of Hon. Henry Wilson.
d Authors are now photographed as readily
= actors or presidents. 4 certain publlshln
\ house up town displays pictures Of Its bool
4 makers In the window, about which GROVE
' Of curious persons can be seen studying III
Z shaggy face Of Josh Billings, the handsome
q clean-cut features Of John Hay, the pleasal
d roguish eyes Of Bret HArte, or the sob,
2 cOuntenance Of Mark Twain. 1t Is difiicu
7 to get q good picture Of George Villa
q Curtis, a. he never visits photographs. VIII
0 tier Is another dlfficult man 10 catch, q
. though there are good photograph of him
c be had.
"a Postal Cards In England - Tho Use an
s Abuse Of the System.
When the Postmaster General Informed ,