“Young Woman With Two, Long, Sausage Curls”

Lewis Dowe’s Portrait Photograph of a “Young Woman With Two, Long, Sausage curls”

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THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:

LEWIS DOWE was born in 1838 in Hanover, New Hampshire and died in 1919 in Portland, Oregon. He arrived in Petaluma in September of 1875 and set up his photography studio in the rooms formerly occupied by photographer Hugh Anderson. Dowe worked in Petaluma as both a “view” and portrait photographer until he departed the town in March of 1882. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)

THE SITTER:

Name: Unidentified

Description: This young woman has an unusual coiffure. The hair atop her head is center-parted and has a wavy, frizzy, texture, but down her left side fall two, long, thick, glossy, perfectly arranged sausage curls. This leads the viewer to speculate that the sausage curls may be a switch hairpiece. Additionally, a single curl of hair drapes in front of her left ear. Around her neck she wears a dark lace scarf which appears to be held at her neck with a bar pin.

Biographical Note:

Family Affiliation: Carter Family, see similar portrait by Dowe of a Carter Family member which may be the sitter’s relative.

Bibliography:

THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Format / Size:  cabinet card

Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock

Description, front: On the bottom edge of this cabinet card is Lewis Dow’s imprint.

Description, back: The back of this cabinet card is blank or contains only an accession number,

Date: September 1875 - March 1882

Condition: This cabinet card is soiled and has two spots on its right side.

Owner:  Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1978-80-45-p26-p21, Farquar Family Album

Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced.  These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.