Two musicians in dark suits and bow ties sit before a painted studio backdrop. The man at left holds drumsticks above a drum angled toward the camera; a larger drum and a cymbal stand beside him. His companion sits cross-legged with a button accordion across his lap. The backdrop’s ornamental panels and painted column frame the pair, while studio fittings remain visible at the edges.
A caption panel at lower right identifies the musicians as “SOBOLIK BROS.,” with “Abie, Nebr” beneath; the state abbreviation reaches the cropped right edge. The script credit “Kubista” appears along the lower margin. Abie is the locality associated with the brothers by the caption, but the studio itself is not identified, nor are the men’s individual forenames.
The divided postcard reverse carries a message dated “Abie Neb 3/24/14,” announcing “Will come home / apr the 20th,” with a signature read as “Louie.” It is addressed to Mr. Jos. Kubista in Weston, Nebraska, and bears an origin cancellation dated 26 March 1914. Weston thus supplies the card’s postal destination, while Abie appears in both the portrait caption and the message dateline. The shared surname of photographer and recipient is worth noting, though the card alone does not establish that they were the same person.
- Title on card
- SOBOLIK BROS., Abie, Nebr
- Medium
- RPPC
- Subject
- Music, Nebraska, Occupational
- Dimensions
- 5.44 × 3.4 in (138.2 × 86.3 mm)
- Condition
- Postage stamp missing, leaving residue and localized surface disturbance at the upper right of the reverse. The photograph is otherwise clean and the card sound.
- Provenance
- Verso addressed to Mr. Jos. Kubista, Weston, Nebraska, and postmarked 26 March 1914.
- Catalogue no.
- MRPPC3434
Catalogue details
Location
Abie, Nebraska · Abie, Nebraska, United States
Photographed subject · Locality (town) · 85% confidence
The supplied recto caption, “SOBOLIK BROS., / Abie, Nebr,” explicitly associates the pictured subjects with Abie. The 1890–91 Nebraska State Gazetteer independently identifies that town in northeastern Butler County. This supports town-level identification, not a studio or street address. ([usgenwebsites.org](https://www.usgenwebsites.org/NEButler/1890Gazetteer/businessdir.html)) Nebraska State Historical Society records also document Abie as a historical community before this postcard was mailed. ([history.nebraska.gov](https://history.nebraska.gov/collection_section/abie-milling-company-abie-neb-rg4200-am/?utm_source=openai)) Searches of directories, photograph and library catalogues, and historical-map resources did not locate an independently catalogued duplicate or establish where the portrait was taken. A University of Nebraska–Lincoln music-history collection mentions musician Bill Sobolik, but does not establish that he is one of these sitters. ([czechheritage.unl.edu](https://
Source: Nebraska State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1890–91 — Butler County transcription, Abie entry
