Hansen, Else M.(1882-1982)
/Robert Peterson Dammand’s Portrait Photograph of Else M. Hansen
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
ROBERT PETERSON DAMMAND (Dammond) was born on September 6, 1855, in Horsens, Denmark, and died on January 27, 1936, in Glendale, California. He worked as a photographer in Iowa and Southern California before arriving in Petaluma in November 1901. He resided on Petaluma’s D Street and located his photographic studio opposite the American Hotel over the Steiger Building on Main Street. In late July 1905, Dammand departed Petaluma to set up a studio in Richmond, California. (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: Else M. Hansen
Description: In this full-length portrait, Else M. Hansen stands holding an unidentified object in her right hand while resting the knuckles of her left hand on a metal side table. She is attired in a full-length white dress cinched at the waist. It has four bands of ribbon at the hem, a row of knee-high ruffles, and elaborate lace cuffs. She wears her hair in the Gibson Girl style, which was fashionable at the turn of the century. With a calm demeanor, she looks expressionless into the distance.
Biographical Note: Else was born in Oalsted, Jylland, Denmark, in 1882 and arrived in Petaluma in 1902 at age twenty. She was a member of Petaluma Dania and the Danish Sisterhood of Petaluma. She lived in Petaluma on Stoney Point Road and in Sebastopol on Robles Road. Else died March 22, 1982, in Sebastopol and was buried with her husband in Petaluma’s Cypress Hill Memorial Park.
Family Affiliation: Else married Carl C. Hansen (1878-1941) in 1910. Together they had four children: Helga Marion Hansen Young, Hertha Hansen Rupp, Fleming Hansen, and Carl Hansen.
Bibliography: Petaluma Argus-Courier, November 8, 1962, p.2. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127046402/else-m-hansen; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127046166/carl-c-hansen.
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card
Medium: matte collodion print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: This portrait contains a canvas backdrop that depicts a misty garden scene. On the bottom right of the card is the photographer’s embossed imprint. It reads, “R. P. Dammand, Petaluma Photo Parlor, CAL”.
Description, back: At the top of the card is written in cursive in ink, “Tante Else Hansen”, “Tante - Great-Grandpa Little Sister”, and “Taken about 1906”. Along the bottom is written “Anna Christensen”. “Tante” means aunt in Danish, and the name at the bottom edge may identify the writer of the inscription.
Date: This portrait was taken between November 1901 and July 1905.
Condition: The front of this cabinet card is in good condition; however, the back contains four rectangles of tape remnant.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 2022-X-11
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