Figure 1.--This portrait of the Lorne Street School in Leith is an example of a 1918 Scottish cabinet card. Notice the wide margins and ruling. Also notice the different size: the photograph measures 5 7/8 by 3 3/4 inches on a backing card of 7 3/4 by 7 inches. Unlike the classic cabinet cards, yhe new style mounts came in many different sizes as well as different ways of indicating the studio. Many did not even indicate the studio, but this one did.

We see new cabinet card mount styles around the turn of the 20th century. This is not a precuse cut-off date. We see some of the new style mounts in the late-1890s and some of the classic mounts in the early-1900s. But the turn-of the century is a basic turning point. We do not yet have the precise dates or many Scottish examples. This is the general pattern we see in other countries and as far as we can tell it is the same as we see in Scotland. We see cabinet cards in different styles and colors and different styles. Unlike the classic mounts, there is a huge variety of sizes and styles as well as new colors. In America we see cards smaller and larger than the classic mounts. We assume this is the same pattern we see in other countries. Our Scottish archive, however, is too small to confirm this. We have found larger new style cabinet cards. We are not sure if there are smaller cards. We have not yet found examples. We have also found different mount styles. We note mounts with and without decorative ruling. And with and without the studio identified and different ways of indicating the studio. While some cards do indicate the studio, the studio is not indicated on the new style mounts. And advertising on the back is rare.

The 1900s

We see new cabinet card mount styles around the turn of the 20th century. This is not a precuse cut-off date. We see some of the new style mounts in the late-1890s and some of the classic mounts in the early-1900s. But the turn-of the century is a basic turning point. We do not yet have the precise dates or many Scottish examples. This is the general pattern we see in other countries and as far as we can tell it is the same as we see in Scotland. We see cabinet cards in different styles and colors and different styles. Unlike the classic mounts, there is a huge variety of sizes and styles as well as new colors. In America we see cards smaller and larger than the classic mounts. We assume this is the same pattern we see in other countries. Our Scottish archive, however, is too small to confirm this. We have found larger new style cabinet cards. We are not sure if there are smaller cards. We have not yet found examples. We have also found different mount styles. We note mounts with and without decorative ruling. And with and without the studio identified and different ways of indicating the studio. Some of the new-style mounts at first had some features of the old style mounts. hile some cards do indicate the studio, the studio is not indicated on the new style mounts. And advertising on the back is rare.

The 1910s

The new style mounts begin to take on a new look by the 1910s. We see many white mounts, only with ruling/ They could be totally diiferent than the old style 19th centyry mounts. This portrait of the Lorne Street School in Leith is an example of a 1918 Scottish cabinet card (figure 1). Notice the wide margins and ruling. Also notice the different size: the photograph measures 5 7/8 by 3 3/4 inches on a backing card of 7 3/4 by 7 inches. Unlike the classic cabinet cards, yhe new style mounts came in many different sizes as well as different ways of indicating the studio. Many did not even indicate the studio, but this one did albeit with small print.

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Created: 8:14 AM 9/27/2018
Last updated: 8:14 AM 9/27/2018