In the early twentieth century, Reading was a busy and prosperous city in Pennsylvania.

The Reading Railroad carried raw materials to the city and transported goods manufactured in the city to all parts of the nation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Pennsylvania

Like other towns and cities, Reading boasted photography studios.

One of the studios providing individuals with photographic portraits was the Fritz Studio.

https://cabinetcardphotographers.blogspot.com/2021/11/john-s-fritz.html

This is the fourth photograph from the Fritz studio that I have found.

At the time this photographic portrait was made, the studio was at 852 Penn Street in Reading.

I have no illusions about seeing a representative sample of the citizens of Reading in the early 20th century; the Fritz Studio had many competitors in Reading and each studio produced thousands of photographic portraits (we know this by the numbering on the backs of many surviving examples).

Sometime before the US entered WWI, this young man, with a high starched collar and carefully buttoned suit, sat for his portrait.

Although glad that the photograph was preserved, I am disappointed that no thoughtful person inscribed the name of the sitter.

The postcard photograph appears to have been pasted into an album – very little of the reverse can be viewed.