Rare Cabinet Card collection forms the core for new book
- Nov 10, 2025
- 2 min read
“Live, on stage in Hannibal: 1879: H.M.S. Pinafore’ features reproductions of historic Cabinet Card photos taken in Hannibal in 1879. The rare photo collection was shared by Joseph Haslwanter of Saulsbury, Tenn. Book available via Amazon.com
The Cabinet Card, according to Wikipedia, “was a style of photograph that was widely used for photographic portraiture after 1870. It consisted of a thin photograph mounted on a card typically measuring 4 1/4 by 6 1/2 inches.”
A scrapbook containing 20-plus such studio images taken in Hannibal during 1879 was in the possession of the Walter J. Hilton family for more than 145 years, when a descendant, Joseph Haslwanter of Saulsbury, Tenn., decided to make the album accessible to the citizens of Hannibal.
Over the course of a year, Mary Lou Montgomery researched the individuals featured in these portraits, and wrote stories about how they fit into Hannibal’s history.
In honor of Montgomery’s 50th anniversary as a writer for the Hannibal Courier-Post (Nov. 17, 1975-current) she compiled these stories and photos into a keepsake book: “Live, on stage in Hannibal, 1879: ‘H.M.S. Pinafore.’”
Those featured in the portraits, which were taken by Hannibal photographers of the era, the Deane Bros., were primarily members of the Hannibal Congregational Church. Church members, in order to raise money for the church organ/mortgage fund, performed the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ in Hannibal and in small towns in Northeast Missouri. They traveled from town to town courtesy of the Hannibal and Joseph Railroad, of which Walter J. Hilton was treasurer.
The same year of the opera performances, the news of a scandal within the church broke. By the end of the year, the church had disbanded.
This book is printed on white glossy paper, the photos in color in keeping with the true character of the historic cabinet cards. Books are available via Amazon.com.
The scrapbook, at the request of Mr. Haslwanter, has been donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri.
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This sounds like a fascinating project because rare cabinet card collections can offer valuable insights into history, culture, and everyday life from the past. I would recommend books like this to anyone who enjoys discovering stories behind historical photographs and artifacts. They often reveal details that might otherwise be forgotten. As a student, I find that exploring unique topics broadens my perspective, and sometimes while managing coursework, I need to Write my Higher Java Assignment before spending more time on interesting historical reads like this.