Carriage Repair and Painting and Horse Shoeing Businesses

Date1899-1900

Photographer John G. Ellinwood (ca. 1845 - 1924)

OriginAmerica, New Hampshire, Manchester

MediumPhotograph on cardboard mount

DimensionsMount, i.e., secondary support: 11 x 14in. (27.9 x 35.6cm) and Image: 7 5/8 x 9 1/2in. (19.4 x 24.1cm)

Object number2010.510.1

DescriptionA black and white photograph of a street scene showing two adjacent gable-ended frame buildings sharing a common wall (and possibly inter-connected). Both buildings incorporated extra tall double doors that open outwards, onto the street, to accommodate passage of the horses and carriages addresses by the businesses operated within. Each building bears lettered signage plus a large scenic sign; that on the (viewer's) left also bears the images of two horse shoes and, crowning the gable, an intricate sign/decoration that incorporates at least thirteen horse shoes. Various men, horses, and carriages are shown in the street in front of the shops. A 3-story, white-framed, mansard-roofed structure is close by on the right, and a 2 1/2-story white-framed building on the left. Three chimney stacks are partially visible at the juncture of the two shop rooflines; a smaller stack is on the side of the roof of the righthand building.
The photo is adhered to a cardboard mount.
Label TextThis turn-of-the-century street scene in Manchester, New Hampshire, captures the integration of art and commerce achieved by period advertising. Note the variously styled typefaces used for the lettering on the adjoining buildings and the detailed scenes painted on their fronts. Two types of oversized horse shoes also decorate the front of the shoeing establishment. Perhaps most intriguing of all, however, is the eye-catching sculpture atop the gable of the lefthand building, presumably a one-of-a-kind fabrication by H. H. Gerward or one of his employees. The thirteen horse shoes incorporated into the design would have alerted customers to the type of activity within the shop as readily as the scenic and lettered signage on the front of the building.

Little is known about the two tradesmen who advertised their services in this photo. Manchester's 1899 city directory is the only one that lists H. H. Gerward and W. H. Goodwin working at the same address: 21 Mast Road. By the time the 1900 directory was printed, Goodwin had moved further down the road, and by the time the 1901 edition was out, Gerward had moved, too. By 1908, Gerward and "removed to Los Angeles, California."

MarkingsThe photo mount is stamped in ink on the back: "J. G. ELLINWOOD./Photographer,/936 PATTEN BLK/Manchester, N.H."
Within the photographic composition, the horizontal sign painted above the door of the righthand building is lettered: "W. H. GOODWIN./CARRIAGE PAINTER." Lettering variously placed on the front of the adjoining, righthand building consists of: "H. H. GERWARD./HORSE SHOER." "CAR[R]IAGE/REP[AI]RING." "WOOD WORK/OF ALL KINDS."
ProvenanceOwnership prior to CWF's source (Walters) is undocumented.