Figure 1.--This cabinent card was taken in Bavaria during 1906. Until the turn-of-the 20th century, CDVs were much more common than cabinet cards. Note the grey or grayish-green color of the card and silver printing. We also note similar cabinet cards in the United States at about the same time. We continue to see CDVs in the early-20th century, but by this time the cabinet card had become the most important format.

The albumen process was the first important photographic process in Germany. Unlike America, there are very few German Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes. This changed with rhe introduction of the albumen process. This of course meant first CDVs and then cabinet cards. We note CDVs in Germany beginning in the 1860s. The CDVs basically made dags and ambrotypes obsolete. German 1860s CDVs were not at first as common as in America, but we begin to see substantial numbers of photographic images in Germany for the first time. Most families of any affluence would have a CDV album, sometimes several, in the parlour. CDVs seem to gave been the principal format form most of the late-19th century. Cabinet cards do not seem to have been as popular in Germany as they were in America. This is a major difference in the photographic record. In America, cabinet cards largely replaced the CDV format in the 1870s. This did not occur in German and many other European countries. We are not sure why this dichotomy developed. Most studio portraits were CDVs until the very late-1890s. We see large numbers of cabinet cards in the 1900s, but only in that single decade. By the 1910s we see silver-nitrate portraits in other formats such as post cards and portraits with paper frames.

Albumen Process

The albumen process was the first important photographic process in Germany. Unlike America, there are very few German Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes. This changed with the introduction of the albumen process. We have no historical information about the introduction of the albumen process in Germany. This of course meant first CDVs and then cabinet cards. Unlike Americxa, the appearance of cabinet cards did not result in the decline of the CDV. We continue to see the CDV nto the early-20th century. We do not know why conventions for CDVs and cabinenbt cards varied between Europe and ameruca.

CDVs

The first format for albumen prints was the Carte de Visite (CDV). The CDV was developed in France during the 1850s. We note CDVs in Germany beginning in the 1860s. There may have been some German 1850s CDVs, but we suspect they were very rare. The CDVs basically made dags and ambrotypes obsolete. German 1860s CDVs were not at first as common as in America, but we begin to see substantial numbers of photographic images in Germany for the first time. and by the 1870s we begin to see substantial numbers. CDVs seem to gave been the principal phototographic format form most of the late-19th century in Germany and much of Europe. America went primsrily to cabinet cards in the 1870s, but this did not happen in Europe. CDVs were common throughout the rest of the century. Cabinet cards were also taken and by the 90s were common, but did not replace CDVs. We still see CDVs in the early 20th century. CDV and cabinet card mounts were at first destinctive. Gradually CDV mounts began to look just like cabinet card mounts, only smaller. Most families of any affluence would have a CDV album, sometimes several, in the parlour to show to visitors.

Cabinet Cards

Cabinent cards do not seem to have been as popular in Germany as they were in America. This is a major difference in the photographic record. In America, caninent cards largely replaced the CDV format in the 1870s. This did not occur in German and many other European countries. We are not sure why this dichotomy developed. Most studio portraits were CDVs until the very late-1890s. Cabinet cards, however, did increase in popularity. It was less common to have cabinet card albumens. The cabinet cards as the name suggests were propped up on cabinets and other pieces of furniture. Some were inckuded in scrapbooks. As in America, the cabinet cards generally had the name of the studio and location on the front and or the back of the card. This provides useful information on where the portraits were taken and the style of the card stock can help date the portrait as well. Interestingly we see a few cabinet cards with no studio identified, but rather "Cabinet Portrait" using the English spelling. Only a small minority of German cabinet cards used this style of card stock. We are not sure, however, if the influence was America or British. We see this in other European countries as well, generally smaller, less well developed countries. English was probably chosen to add a kind of international cachet. We suspect this was used by less well established studios. We see large numbers of cabinet cards in the 1900s, but only in that single decade. The cabinet card format declined sharply in popularity during the 1910s when we begin to see silver-nitrate portraits in other formats such as post cards and portraits with paper frames.

Created: 1:25 AM 10/8/2008
Last updated: 3:19 AM 2/10/2012