Attenbury, Etta (b. & d. dates to be determined)(1 of 2)

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Unidentified Photographer, Portrait Photograph of

Nancy Jane Whitney, Etta Attenbury & “Millie”

THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:

Photographer: unidentified

THE SITTERS:

Names: Nancy Jane Whitney (seated on viewer’s left, see Nancy Jane Whitney Morrow), Etta Attenbury (presumably the girl seated on the viewer’s right) & Millie (presumably the girl standing)

Description: This is a portrait of three girls, two seated and one standing between them. All three girls are wearing dresses with ruffled hems, characteristic of the late 1860s and the early 1870s.

Biographical Note: Little is known of Etta Attenbury. It appears she was a close friend of Nancy Jane (Jennie) Whitney (see Nancy Jane Whitney Morrow) who is seated in the portrait on the viewer’s left. See the double portrait in this archive of the two girls dressed and groomed identically.

Family Affiliation: The family affiliation of Etta Attenbury has not been identified.

Bibliography:

THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Format / Size:  carte de visite

Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock

Description, front: This carte de visit group portrait was taken in front of a painted backdrop depicting a lush landscape. The sitters are posed on a carpet with large, circular, floral, designs.

Description, back: Handwritten in pencil in cursive along the top of the card is, “For Rae” (underlined), and “1870”. Handwritten on a diagonal in pencil in cursive is, “Millie”, “+ friends” (crossed out), “Etta Attenbury” and “Jennie”.

Date: 1870

Condition: There is a crease at top left edge and slight foxing throughout. The card has been trimmed and the two top edges clipped.

Owner:  Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1981-835-20

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. 

Attenbury, Etta (b. & d. dates to be determined) (2 of 2)

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John Quincy Reed’s Portrait Photograph of Nancy Jane (Jennie) Whitney & Etta Attenbury

THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:

JOHN QUINCY REED was born in 1841 in Abington, Massachusetts and died in 1902 in Petaluma. He worked as a photographer in Petaluma for over 25 years, moving his studio within the community to several different locations. Many of his portraits of Petaluma’s citizens are of exceptionally fine quality. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)

THE SITTERS:

Names: Nancy Jane (Jennie) Whitney Morrow & Etta Attenbury (At the time this portrait was taken, Nancy Jane would have been known by her maiden name, Whitney.)

Description: This cabinet card is a double portrait of Nancy Jane “Jennie” Whitney (on the viewer’s left), and Etta Attenbury (on the viewer’s right). This is an intimate portrait of friends; the girls tilt their heads to touch each other. They are dressed and groomed similarly. Short, straight bangs frame their faces, and large, flat, bows adorn the top of their heads. Both girls also wear plaid blouses, high white collars with metal pins at the throat and large lacy jabots. A large dark bead hangs prominently from the left ear of Nancy Jane Whitney.

Biographical Note: Little is known of Etta Attenbury. It appears she was a close friend of Nancy Jane (Jennie) Whitney. See the portrait in this archive of Attenbury with Whitney and an additional young woman identified as “Millie”.

Family Affiliation: The family affiliation of Etta Attenbury has not been identified.

Bibliography:

THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Format / Size: cabinet card

Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock

Description, front: This cabinet card is a double, head-and-shoulders, portrait of two girls with their heads touching. The photographer’s imprint appears at the bottom in printed cursive, and the names of the sitters are handwritten in cursive above the imprint.

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

Date: 1872-1874

Condition: This card is soiled and there is a black spot on the center left of the front side.

Owner:  Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1981-835-35

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.