Photograph: Charles S. Stratton and his Father, Sherwood Stratton
Eisenmann Photography (created by)
Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb)
Southworth, Mary (associated with)
Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb)
Southworth, Mary (associated with)
1870 – 1880 (Date manufactured/created)
6.5 in H
X
4.25 in W
Collectible cabinet card photograph of a young Charles S. Stratton, produced by Charles Eisenmann's studio in New York City. The boy is shown standing on a small table with his hand resting on the shoulder of a man seated beside the table. Stratton is better known by his stage name, "Gen. Tom Thumb"; he was a world-famous celebrity from the time he was five until his death at age 45 in 1883. The seated man is his father, Sherwood Stratton. Both are formally dressed as gentleman.
Young Charles is shown wearing a dark suit with a patterned silk vest and white shirt. The man is slightly slouched in a high-backed chair featuring a shield and crown. His jacket and trousers are dark, in contrast to a white or light color vest worn with with a black or dark color cravat. This photograph is of a drawn image, however the drawn image was almost certainly derived from an early daguerreotype or other likeness, taken in the mid-1840s, when Charles was seven or eight years of age, and was traveling through Europe with P. T. Barnum. Charles' parents also accompanied him on the three-year tour, during which both they and Barnum became very wealthy as result of Charles' character performances and levees (meet and greet events).
The hand-written note on the photo reads, "Copy of photograph of Tom Thumb & his [ . . . . ] taken in Paris, France." Barnum and the Strattons began their European tour in 1844, and in 1845 and 1846 they were traveling in France, thus suggesting either of those two dates for the original image. However, the artifact seen here is a paper-based photograph mounted on stiff board, created in the 1870s or 1880s. Looking closely one can see that the image is not actually a photographic likeness. Since daguerreotypes were one-of-a-kind images (unlike photographic prints made from negatives, which can be printed many times), it would not be uncommon to have an artist make a drawn copy of a daguerreotype. In the latter half of the 1800s, when paper-based photography was invented, it was a popular practice to have old daguerreotypes photographed; in that way several people could own a photographic copy of a unique daguerreotype. This example appears to involve both forms of duplication: a drawn copy of a daguerreotype, which was then photographed.
Eisenmann's studio was known for producing thousands of photographs of famous people that were sold to the public as collectibles, and this is probably one of them. It is possible this photograph was made around the time of Stratton's death in 1883, as a kind of memorial souvenir. The Eisenmann studio was located in the Bowery section of New York City. The bottom of the photo mount reads, "Eisenmann Instantaneous Portraits, 18 W. 14TH' Str, N.Y."
Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838 - July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport, Connecticut, native who got his start with P.T. Barnum in 1842. Stratton's parents signed him with Barnum when he was just five and less than two feet tall; exhibiting people with dwarfism was lucrative at the time. For years Barnum promoted the boy as being six years older than he actually was, to make his diminutive size more impressive. Stratton's size at birth was normal, slightly over 9 pounds, but he nearly stopped growing when just a few months old, and was less than two feet tall when Barnum was introduced to win. Over time, he grew taller, and was 36 inches when he married at age 25. Stratton was bright and engaging, and took quickly to performing. Through Barnum's enterprising adventures, he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren in 1863 and the two had a happy marriage, and continued performing together on national and world tours. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, perhaps one of the biggest at the time, and he and Warren became very wealthy. On July 15,1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. At the time of his death he was 42 inches tall. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him.
Young Charles is shown wearing a dark suit with a patterned silk vest and white shirt. The man is slightly slouched in a high-backed chair featuring a shield and crown. His jacket and trousers are dark, in contrast to a white or light color vest worn with with a black or dark color cravat. This photograph is of a drawn image, however the drawn image was almost certainly derived from an early daguerreotype or other likeness, taken in the mid-1840s, when Charles was seven or eight years of age, and was traveling through Europe with P. T. Barnum. Charles' parents also accompanied him on the three-year tour, during which both they and Barnum became very wealthy as result of Charles' character performances and levees (meet and greet events).
The hand-written note on the photo reads, "Copy of photograph of Tom Thumb & his [ . . . . ] taken in Paris, France." Barnum and the Strattons began their European tour in 1844, and in 1845 and 1846 they were traveling in France, thus suggesting either of those two dates for the original image. However, the artifact seen here is a paper-based photograph mounted on stiff board, created in the 1870s or 1880s. Looking closely one can see that the image is not actually a photographic likeness. Since daguerreotypes were one-of-a-kind images (unlike photographic prints made from negatives, which can be printed many times), it would not be uncommon to have an artist make a drawn copy of a daguerreotype. In the latter half of the 1800s, when paper-based photography was invented, it was a popular practice to have old daguerreotypes photographed; in that way several people could own a photographic copy of a unique daguerreotype. This example appears to involve both forms of duplication: a drawn copy of a daguerreotype, which was then photographed.
Eisenmann's studio was known for producing thousands of photographs of famous people that were sold to the public as collectibles, and this is probably one of them. It is possible this photograph was made around the time of Stratton's death in 1883, as a kind of memorial souvenir. The Eisenmann studio was located in the Bowery section of New York City. The bottom of the photo mount reads, "Eisenmann Instantaneous Portraits, 18 W. 14TH' Str, N.Y."
Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838 - July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport, Connecticut, native who got his start with P.T. Barnum in 1842. Stratton's parents signed him with Barnum when he was just five and less than two feet tall; exhibiting people with dwarfism was lucrative at the time. For years Barnum promoted the boy as being six years older than he actually was, to make his diminutive size more impressive. Stratton's size at birth was normal, slightly over 9 pounds, but he nearly stopped growing when just a few months old, and was less than two feet tall when Barnum was introduced to win. Over time, he grew taller, and was 36 inches when he married at age 25. Stratton was bright and engaging, and took quickly to performing. Through Barnum's enterprising adventures, he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren in 1863 and the two had a happy marriage, and continued performing together on national and world tours. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, perhaps one of the biggest at the time, and he and Warren became very wealthy. On July 15,1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. At the time of his death he was 42 inches tall. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him.
EL 1988.251.001