Here’s the photographer’s stamp dated 1908 from the prior post.
“E. Bambocci. Premiato Con. 21 Medalie D’Oro. 27 North Market St., San Jose, Cal.”
As stated previously, “Premiato Con. 21 Medalie D’Oro” translates from Italian as “With Award-Winning 21 Gold Medals.”
A long-running studio
Enrico Bambocci was born in Parma, Italy, to Italian-born parents, about 1857. From as early as 1908 he ran his photography studio at 27 N. Market St. in San Jose, CA. He continued at this address until sometime between 1925 and 1927 when he and his wife Carla (Hauser) Bambocci moved to Redwood City: the 1927 Redwood City directory lists them at 241 Hamilton St.
A discrepancy in records
Oddly enough, the 1910 Federal Census taken in San Jose, shows Enrico and Carla: his second marriage, her first, married about eight years. Odd because the Santa Clara County, CA marriage database lists their marriage as July 21, 1914.
Carla – Italian or Austrian born?
Though the difference in the marriage date is not explainable (without heavier research) what is readily explainable is why Carla is normally listed as being born in Italy, while one census gives Austria, and her naturalization application states Trieste, Austria. Trieste, an Italian port city, was part of the Austrian empire until it was annexed to Italy after WWI.
Moved to Redwood City
By 1929 Enrico and Carla had moved the business to 113 Middlefield Road in Redwood City. (Sometime around 1932 or ’33 this street address changed to 1113 Middlefield Road.) Enrico died February 2, 1932, after which Carla ran the photography business. The 1940 Federal Census for Redwood City shows Carla, occupation Photographer, industry “Photograph Co.” The last city directory found for Carla Bambocci is for year 1946, showing her as widow of Enrico, and residence 530 Warren, Redwood City. So, sometime between 1940 and 1946 Carla would have retired.
Enrico in Italy
Enrico Bambocci is mentioned in the book Acquaviva delle Fonti nelle Collezioni fotografiche tra ‘800 e ‘900 regarding the Italian city of Acquaviva dell Fonti, in the province of Bari, a photographic collection from 1800 to 1900. This book, by author Cesare Colafemmina, is written in Italian with an English translation. The intriguing first paragraph explains: “Ever since the late 1800s, the city of Acquaviva delle Fonti, in the province of Bari, has been the theater for many photographic campaigns, some of which unknown up to the present day.” Mention of Enrico appears on page 33, as having been from Parma, but coming to Bari in 1880 and who worked there alongside other photographers for some number of years (till perhaps 1885? it seems according to the text.)
Sources: Polk-Husted Directory Co.’s San Jose City and Santa Clara County, 1908 – 1909. p. 1088. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Classified Buyer’s Guide of Redwood City, California, 1927 – 1928. p. 49. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Classified Buyer’s Guide of Redwood City, California, 1929 – 1930. p. 36. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Redwood City Directory, 1946. p. 26. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989).
Year: 1910; Census Place: San Jose Ward 1, Santa Clara, California; Roll: T624_106; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0092; FHL microfilm: 1374119. (Ancestry.com).
Year: 1940; Census Place: Redwood City, San Mateo, California; Roll: T627_331; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 41-60A. (Ancestry.com).
“California, County Marriages, 1850-1952,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4MN-XHC : accessed 1 November 2015), Enrico Bambocci and Carla Hauser, 21 Jul 1914; citing Santa Clara, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,468,523.
Ancestry.com. California, State Court Naturalization Records, 1850-1986. (Carla Bambocci)
“California Death Index, 1905-1939,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKSM-PWQ2 : accessed 1 November 2015), Enrico Bambocci, 02 Feb 1932; citing 12316, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento.
Trieste. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trieste. (accessed November 1, 2015).
Colafemmina, Cesare. (2003) Acquaviva delle Fonti nelle Collezioni fotografiche tra ‘800 e ‘900. Fratelli Alinari spa. (Google book search.)