Figure 1.--This 1896 English cabinet card looks precisely like an American 1890s cabinet card. The only way we could have detected a difference is that only 'photographers' is listed on the front. Presumably this was to allow the same mount to be used at multiple locations. The location of the studio, however is printed on a fancy back-Wilson & Sons, Paddington, London. The back notation is signed J.M. Last so his may be the last name of the children, Julian and Ivy. Note the yellowish color. This is probably aging. The card may have been closer to white when new.

Mounts can be very helpful in dating cabinet cards. The mounts we see in Britain including the studio information at the bottom of the card were very similar to American cabinet cards. We are not sure why this was. We wonder if some of the same companes may have been involved. We note considerable similarities with American portraits as the mount styles and studio posing and background settings are virtually identical. We think the chronological patterns were similar. Cabinet card mounts were very similar in the 19th century (1860s-90s). Without the studio information at the bottom, it would be difficult to differentiate American and English cabinet cards. Even the lettering is similar. This was often not the case for CDVs which went out of favor in America. Because of our limited English archive, however, we are still working out the details. While there were many similarities, there were also differences. We see mount style changing at the turn-of-the 20th century. This also occurred in America and at the same time. At this time we begin to see differences between English and American cabinet cards. We notice differences in sizes and decoration. As some of the new styles do not have the studio information, identifying the countries of origin can be difficult. These mounts were mostly used for studio portraits, but at the end if the century we note that itinerant photographers were taking outdoor portraits so we also see these images on studio cabinet card mounts.

Classic Cabinet Cards (1860s-1900s)

Mounts and other indicators sich as backgrounds, furniture, setting, nd clothing can all be very helpful in dating cabinet cards. By assessing dated images, we can gain insights that will help us date undated cabinet cards. The mounts we see in Britain including the studio information at the bottom of the card were very similar to American cabinet cards. We are not sure why this was. We wonder if some of the same companes may have been involved. We note considerable similarities with American portraits as the mount styles and studio posing and background settings are virtually identical. We think the chronological patterns were similar. Cabinet card mounts were very similar in the 19th century (1860s-90s). Without the studio information at the bottom, it would be difficult to differentiate American and English cabinet cards. Even the lettering is similar. This was often not the case for CDVs which went out of favor in America. Because of our limited English archive, however, we are still working out the details.

New Style Cabinet Cards (1900s-30s)

While there were many similarities with the cabinet cards made in England and other countries, there were also differences. We see mount style changing at the turn-of-the 20th century. This also occurred in America and at the same time. At this time we begin to see differences between English and American cabinet cards. We notice differences in sizes and decoration. Some of the mounts for the new style English cabinet cards are highly decorative, more so than what we have noted in other countruies. We do not yet have a good idea of the chronology of these cards. Theu began to appear about the turn-of the 20th cerntury. Some may have been made in the very late-1890s, but most appeared beginning about 1900. As imn America, we are not sure why the mounts suddenly began to change. There appear to have been some cabinet cards made into the 1930s. We note one oval format cabinet card with impressed floral desisns made in 1933. This would be later than the dates we have seen in other countries. As some of the new styles do not have the studio information, identifying the countries of origin can be difficult.

Itinerent Photographers

These mounts were mostly used for studio portraits, but at the end if the century we note that itinerant photographers were taking outdoor portraits so we also see these images on studio cabinet card mounts.

Created: 1:44 AM 7/29/2012
Last updated: 1:44 AM 7/29/2012