Major Littlefinger and Wife Cabinet by Eisenmann

Grand cabinet photo featuring midget circus performer Major Littlefinger and his wife by famed freak photographer, Charles Eisenmann. His real name was Robert H. Huzza. Littlefinger has also been identified as Charles Nestel. He began performing around age seven. At that time, midgets were billed in circus sideshows and commonly known as circus freaks. His circus and museum experiences eventually include Sheldenburger & Co. Circus, Great Eastern Circus, Van Armburgh & Co. Circus, Sells Bros. Circus, John Robinson Circus, Signor Sautelle's Circus, Huber's Museum, Sanger's Greater Combined European Shows and the Midget City at Coney Island's Dreamland Circus Sideshow. Around 1880, Huzza met Mollie McDougal, 'The Lilliputian Queen', of Osceola, Iowa. They were married in 1881. She died giving birth to their daughter in 1882. He married Ida Hosmer in 1883. Since she was born in 1855, we believe she is the wife in this picture. Identified in period hand mount verso as 'Major Littlefinger - Wife Age 30 & 28'.

Robert Huzza died in Jacksonville, Florida in 1929. This vintage cabinet photo measures approximately 4 1/4' x 6 1/2'. Printed in the margin below the image is: 'Eisenmann Photo New York'. This photo must have been stored in an album, it is in excellent condition.

Eisenmann, a German immigrant, opened his studio on the Bowery in 1879 and soon began to photograph the many entertainers and personalities who came to the neighborhood to perform at the theatres and dime museums that dominated the area. Famed for his portraits of sideshow freaks and even P.T. Barnum himself in 1885.(see 'Monsters Of The Gilded Age - The Photographs of Chas. Eisenmann by Michael Mitchell, Gage Publishing 1979)

In Eisenmann's block the New York Museum (210 Bowery) featured, in person, The Ford Brothers who shot down Jesse James - perhaps this couple appeared there as well.

$150  No. 3431  Questions?