Figure 1.--We coninue to see cabinet cards in England during the 1930s. They were much less common in America. This one is undated, but the clothes date it to the 1930s. This one has a plain white mount with impressed framing.

We see a few of the new style mounts or some of the new style features in the late-1890s. For the most part, however, the turn-of-the 20th century is when we begin to see large numbers of these new mounts. The cabinet card was still a major photographic format in the 1900s. It had, however more competition with the explosive growth of the snapshot following the release of the Kodak Brownie. Many of the snapshots were done with postcard backs. Studios also offered postcard backs. The cabinet card was largely a studio format. We begin to see some cabinet cards that look like more like family snapshots than studio portraits. This is a little difficult to assess, in part because there were both street and itinerate photographers working outside studios, although they may be associated with studios. This seem to be more prounced in England than America because more Americans could afford cameras and familily snapshots. We see a range of different, colors, shapes, sizes, decorative, and framimg devices. Cabinet cards began a notable decline by the 1910s. One area where we continue to see a lot of cabinet cards is school photography. A much of the school photography was class unuits, not one could be mase out with small images. We scontinue to see the cards done in mostly muted colors. We do not yet see individual portraits. We continue to see cabinet card into the 1930s, but the cards were no longer a dominant fornat by that time. The heavily embosed 1933 cabinet card isn a good examole (figure 1). We also see plainer cards with draming devices. White seems to gave be a popular color in the 30s.

The 1890s

We see a few of the new style mounts or some of the new style features in the late-1890s.

The 1900s

For the most part, however, the turn-of-the 20th century is when we begin to see large numbers of these new mounts. The cabinet card was still a major photographic format in the 1900s. It had, however more competition with the explosive growth of the snapshot following the release of the Kodak Brownie. Many of the snapshots were done with postcard backs. Studios also offered postcard backs. The cabinet card was largely a studio format. We begin to see some cabinet cards that look like more like family snapshots than studio portraits. This is a little difficult to assess, in part because there were both street and itinerate photographers working outside studios, although they may be associated with studios. This seem to be more prounced in England than America because more Americans could afford cameras and familily snapshots. We see a range of different, colors, shapes, sizes, decorative, and framimg devices.

The 1910s

Cabinet cards began a notable decline by the 1910s. We see plain cards as well as cards with colored ruling and embossing.

The 1920s

We continue to see some English cabinet cards in the 1920s, but with one exception, nit very many. One area where we continue to see a lot of cabinet cards is school photography. A much of the school photography was idividual class groups, not one could be made out with small images. We continue to see the cards done in mostly muted colors. A good example is a tan colored card with dark ruling of the Holton Road Boys School, a primary in Hartlepool. The mount was 7.5x13.5 in, although the photograph is only a fraction of that size. It shows a Standard 1 class on 1924. We do not yet see individual portraits of the pupils, but mostly these class portraits.

The 1930s

We still see a few Engkish cabinet card into the 1930s, but not very many. Canonet cards were no longer a dominant format by that time. The heavily embosed 1933 cabinet card is a good examole (figure 1). We also see plainer cards with draming devices. White seems to gave be a popular color in the 30s.

Created: 6:46 PM 3/12/2019
Last updated: 6:46 PM 3/12/2019