Binocular viewer is brown plastic, with black metal slide at the bottom for reel advancement. The eye pieces are fitted with transparent lenses for viewing images against translucent plastic backs--these allow ambient light to illuminate the images from behind. Molded into the body of the viewer is "TRU-VUE, ROCK ISLAND ILL, MADE IN U.S.A., U.S. PAT. 90564", and "INSERT FILM THIS END" (left side). The two-piece cardboard box has a silver top printed with the Tru-Vue logo in black, and a black bottom printed with "Tru-Vue Inc., Pictures With Depth, Rock Island, Illinois, printed and made in U.S.A." in silver.
Item is a white cabinet card with embossed edging and embossed text at bottom, "Brown" and "STERLING, ILL./ 10 EAST THIRD ST." The name Brown is placed within a decorative artist's palette and brushes design. Photograph is a of an older man with long moustache and simply wool suitcoat and striped tie. On verso, handwritten in blue ink, "Herman Sterling uncle of/ Mazie(?) Shepard".
Item is a white cabinet card with gold letterpress at bottom. At the left the text "Brown" is surrounded by a design of artist's palette and brushes. On the right, "STERLING, ILL./ 10 EAST THIRD ST." Photograph is a portrait of a young man in high starched collar pressed back into 'wings' with a striped bowtie. He wears an open jacket and waistcoat. On verso, handwritten in blue ink, "Albert Johnson".
Item consists of a cream coloured cabinet card with gold letterpress at bottom. At the left the text "Brown" is surrounded by a design of artist's palette and brushes. On the right, "STERLING, ILL./ 10 EAST THIRD ST." Photograph is a portrait of a young man in high starched collar with a vertical stripe and a floral embroidered ascot. He wears an open jacket and waistcoat. On verso, handwritten in blue ink, "Roy Hoak".
Item consists of a white cabinet card with embossed gold text at bottom "Carlsou/ SYCAMORE, / ILLS." A design with the letters "F" "M" and "C" intertwined is at the bottom centre. Photograph is a portrait taken from the side of a man with beard and moustache, white starched collar pressed into "wings" and a white tie. On verso, design printed in blue of croxx and flowers with scroll at centre. Design features the text "Carlsou/ PHOTOGRAPHER/ SYCAMORE,/ Ills./ Duplicates/ can be had/ at any/ Time./ COPYING AND ENLARGING/ A SPECIALTY./ 1893." Handwritten in pencil at the top edge, "Everett Gould" and in brown ink at the right side, "Property of/ Dorothy E. Higby."
Blue and green cardboard mailer has a die-cut opening revealing souvenir photographs of Mount Vernon, Va. The mailer is addressed to Miss Lenore Parkinson, c/o Auditor of Disbursements Office, Bell Telephone Co., Elgin Bldg., Toronto, Ont., Canada, Room 902. The mailer is U.S. stamped, and cancelled.
Item consists of a grey card with embossed text at bottom right, "F. C. Barnum/ MORRISON/ ILL." Photograph is a portrait of a young man with high starched collar and patterend bowtie. On verso, handwritten in blue ink, "Glenn Kelsey".
Item is a photograph of the actress Marie Heath, known as "The Little Sunbeam." Credited in the production of "For Mother's Sake" (1904) produced by Rusco and Holland, minstrel company, Cincinnati & New York.
Item is a cream coloured card with gold border and photograph of a man, bearded. Inscription in ink at bottom, "Wm H Warner/ Odell, Ill". On verso, inside a decorative peach-coloured drawn frame, in black letterpress, "D.P. GROVES,/ PHOTOGRAPHER,/ ANN ARBOR, MICH." On verso, a "D" appears handwritten on card.
Item consists of a gold edged card with a light pink base, and text in gold letterpress at the bottom edge, "A.I. Witter, Pecatonica, Ill." A long, narrow photograph gives a full length portrait of a man in a 3 piece suit all done in the same white flecked wool fabric. The coat is a little overlarge, probably a late 1860s style, and is buttoned at the top button only. He wears a striped ascot, and leans against a chair in front of a painted studio backdrop depicting a window and mantel. On the verso, a long text handwritten in pencil that indicates the sender (probably the man pictured in the card) could not come for New Year's as he had other obligations with a family called the Bowlys(?). He signs his initials "A.H." At the top left, in a different hand, "805/ 12.-".
Item consists of a cabinet card of a women with a while dress with a front. Bottom of the card is stamped with the studio logo for Hartley Studio, 309 W. Madison St., Chicago.
Item is a green cabinet card with white embossed design of wreath and ribbon at bottom, with text "BROWN/ STERLING, ILL." and a design at centre with the letters "E" "B" and "C" intertwined. Photograph is a portrait of a man with wide silk tie and a high collar pressed back into "wings". On verso, handwritten in blue ink, "John Helms".
Item is a cream carte de visite with portrait of a man, (who appears cross-eyed). On verso, in black letterpress (printed sideways), "Hall's/ Photographic Studio,/ 217 WEST MADISON ST,/ CHICAGO."
Item consists of an album with a black cover held by a string. It contains black-and-white photographic prints of a family in Peoria, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan. Album includes images of people on a farm, park and a boat as well as of people posing outside.
Item is a cream cabinet card with scalloped edges and red letterpress at bottom edge, "E. R. Owen, RED BUD, ILL." At the centre, printed inside a design of artist's palette and brushes, the text "EXTRA FINISH". Photograph of a drawing of a young man in suit jacket and tartan tie, vignetted so the image is quite small. The photograph has a pink tone.
Item is a cream card with think brown border and foliate motifs, and the text in brown letterpress at the bottom edge, "Palace Railway Art Car." Inset is an oval portrait of a woman in a polka dot blouse and white tie. On verso, handwritten in pencil upside down, Thomas Name/ 2-24/ max".
Item is a cream carte de visite with a green border and a photograph of a man. On verso, photographer's stamp in blue with the image of two cherubs holding a camera and portrait of a woman. A floral border contains the text "R.W. Fidge,/ Opp. 1st National Bank,/ PRINETON,/ ILL./ Neg. Preserved."