Albumen Cabinet Card Photograph "Haverly's Original Mastodon Minstrels", San Francisco, 1881

1881. [Early Photography - Theatrical Entertainment] Albumen Cabinet Card Photograph with 48 oval cameo photographs of performers in "Haverly's Original Mastodon Minstrels" theatrical troupe, captioned with names and titles. 1881. Approx. 4.1" x 6.5". Inscribed on verso with large gold and red photography studio insignia "Houseworth's Souvenir Hotographs [sic]" and on recto "Houseworth, the Leading Photographer, 12 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, Cal.", signatures in ink on verso "Edward Edward Niles," "Grace Niles G Grace".

J.H. Haverly was an American theatre manager and promoter, known for his production of "minstrel shows," a racist form of theatrical entertainment wherein white performers donned blackface makeup and portrayed skits and characters which relied on offensive stereotypes. Haverly's troupe was noted for its impressive size and scope, involving forty to one hundred different performers, and lavish production value. The Mastodon Minstrels drew comparison to P.T. Barnum and other successful circuses of the day for their use of music, dance, acrobatics, and burlesque. One notable portrait at the center of the card shows the troupe's manager, Charles Frohman, who would go on to become a prolific producer of American theatre and is best remembered for producing J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. Both top corners worn and rounded. Small 1/4" tear to mount at bottom edge not affecting image. An interesting artifact advertising a problematic theatrical tradition.