19th-Century Sulphur Springs Studio Photos

[Texas]: [Women]: [Photography]: Rainwater, Terrell:

[Pair of Studio Photographs of Texas Women Produced by Terrell Rainwater, a Kentucky-Born Photographer Who Operated His Studio in Late-19th-Century Sulphur Springs].

Sulphur Springs, Tx: T. Rainwater, [ca. 1890s]. Two cabinet card photographs, both around 6 x 4 inches, each on a slightly different printed studio mount. Minor wear and soiling. Very good. Item #12760

A delightful pair of Texas studio photographs produced by Kentucky-born shutterfly Terrell Rainwater after he moved himself and his family just outside Dallas, Texas in the latter part of the 19th century. The slightly smaller photograph features a young woman in a lacy shawl staring to the right and over the camera. The other photograph captures three young women in long dresses seated in a studio environment. Both are mounted on studio cards, the smaller reading simply, "T. Rainwater, Sulphur Springs, Tex." and the other reading, "T. Rainwater Extra Finish Sulphur Springs, Tex. South Side Square."

According to H. Bascom Thomas's 1895 book A Souvenir of the Sulphur Springs Gazette, Terrell Rainwater "is the leading photographer of Sulphur Springs. He is located on the south side of the square. He is a native of Kentucky, in which state he became schooled in his art, and for many years he has followed the photography as his choice profession. His parlor is situated over the Weaver grocery store. The finest apparatus is used, and, in the quality of his work, we recognize no superior. He makes a specialty of life-size, crayon and pastel portraits." Rainwater moved away from Sulphur Springs around the turn of the century, helping us to date the present photographs to likely the last decade of the 19th century. We could find no other examples of Rainwater's photographs outside his descendants, who have a genealogical presence online.

Price: $250