I came across this wonderful postcard of “Little Miss Zenoleum’s Sister” in an antique store. A take on the Gibson girls, this painting was commissioned by the Zenner Disinfectant Company of Detroit, Michigan and used on their 1908 promotional calendar.

Born in Syracuse, New York in 1869, and educated in the New York public school system.  Albert Henry Zenner moved to Detroit in 1893 and started the Zenner Disinfectant Company. He married Laura Lehman in 1906 and resided at 757 Brush Avenue. *

The company held several patents for chemical mixtures used in the agricultural / farming industry, as well as household aliments such as lice.

Given that Albert married in 1906 and the painting was commissioned and used for promotional purposes in 1908, I wonder if the woman featured is none other than Laura Lehman Zenner? I have no information to substantiate my idea. It truly is just a theory.

The Journal, Volume 32 (1907) published by the American Veterinary Medical Association promoted the 1908 “Little Miss Zenoleum’s Sister” Calendar in its publication.

The following advertisement appeared in the same issue of the Journal.

So, who was “Little Miss Zenoleum’s Sister”?

*The Book of Detroiters, published 1908