1899 Fred Tenney Imperial Cabinet Card (Elmer Chickering Studios)

Sold For:

$3,360

Year:

1899

Auction:

2025 Spring

Lot #:

117

Category:

Pre-1900 Baseball Cards (1830-1899)

Extraordinary imperial cabinet photo of first baseman Fred Tenney produced in 1899 by prominent Boston studio photographer Elmer Chickering, who was responsible for virtually all quality images of the Boston Nationals in the 1890s. This is one of the most impressive baseball player portrait cabinets of the era we have ever offered. The formal studio photo (7.5 x 8.75 inches) features a bust-length image of Tenney as he poses in his home uniform and is lettered “Fred Tenney” at the base of his image. The photographer’s copyright notice (“Copyright by E. Chickering - '99") appears in the lower right. The photographer’s name and address also appear in gold lettering on the base of the mount. Traditional studio baseball cabinet cards dating from the very late 1890s are particularly rare and unusual. Nineteenth-century studio cabinet cards almost always date from the 1880s and were largely phased out by the mid-1890s. In addition, between the years 1895 and 1900 very few photographic images of Major League teams and players of any type were produced, an output that stands in stark contrast to the large number of such photos created during the previous decade. The offered cabinet photo is even more extraordinary given its size, which is twice as large as standard cabinet photos, and its incredible high quality. Imperial cabinet photos of this nature were almost always created for special presentation or display and at great expense. The photo has flawless contrast and is in Excellent condition. The mount (8 x 9-7/8 inches), which retains its original gold accent on its bevel edges, has light-to-moderate corner and edge wear and staining along the edges of the reverse. In Very Good condition overall.