Two men with cards and cigars at a studio table, location unidentified

Two men sit facing the camera with fans of cards raised in their hands and short cigars held at their mouths. Between them stands a small table covered with a fringed cloth, its top holding a bottle and drinking glass. The painted backdrop places this card-playing tableau in a studio setting rather than an identifiable tavern or club.

Both wear bowler hats, jackets and waistcoats. The man at left has a watch chain, a small round lapel pin and a patterned pocket handkerchief; his companion wears a moustache and striped trousers. Their cards are presented with the plain backs toward the camera, leaving the particular game unidentified.

The photograph is an unmounted tintype, with no photographer's credit or period caption visible on either side. Two later white dealer labels on the reverse read “42” and “2T1-d.a. / £2. K”. These are inventory and price notes, not identifications of the sitters or setting. The men, photographer, location and date remain unidentified.