Figure 1.--This 1904 abinet card is an example of the new style cards. Notice the popular cream color. Whitish cards had become popular in the 1890s. Er no longer see white cards with the new style mounts, but the cream colors became common. We also see large numbers of new shapes and sized after th turn of the-20th century. This mount size was 6 ¼ in x 5 ¼ in which we might call a squarish shape. .

The standard cabinet card for three decades was 4¼ by 6½ inches (108 by 165 mm). The standard inches were common because at the time the metric sytem was not commonly used outside of science boratories. This was the case both in Europe and America, There was verry little variation here. The actual photograph filled most of the mount, excet for the bottom inch or so which identified the name of the studio and location. Here with the size of the photograph there was somewhat more variation than the size of the mount. The studio could easily change the print size, but not the mount size, but the mount was designed for a certain size photographic image. We only see variations on a small proportion of the mounts. Suddenly at the turn of the 20th century, however, we see a great deal of vatrition, quite a variety of different sizes. We suddenly see both smaller and larger cards in the 20th century. Not only do we suddently see new sizes, but we also see varied shapes. Rather than just rectangular cards, we begin to see square mounts and squarish shapes meaning rectangles that were close to squares. And some of the rectangular mont were very narrow. We see a number of more narrow cards. We do no kmow why, but narrow sizes with small photographic images suddenly became fashionsble. Some were very narrow rectangles with very small photographs, rather like a book mark. They were much more narrows than CDVs, but higher. Others were only slightly more narrow. While there were for the first time a huge variety of shapes, they were all rectangles (squares are a type of rectangle) with 90° right angles at the corners. There were mount colors strongly associated with these new sizes and shapes. We also see larger cards with large prints with the new colors. We see small cream-colored mounts with a variety patterned paper, often associated with making a frame. Many of the smaller mounts had cream colored mounts. We no longer see many pure dark colors like black blue, burgandy, and green. We see lighter colors often greyish sades of green and to a lesser extent blue. We see a lot of olive green mounts. Brown was another popular color. The standard and larger size mounts were usually these new colors, except for the cream-colored mounts. One exception was the very narroe mounts with small images. We see many plain mounts in these new colors. Umlike the cream colors there was less paterned and fraom work in the first two decades.

Sizes

The standard cabinet card for three decades was 4¼ by 6½ inches (108 by 165 mm). The standard inches were common because at the time the metric sytem was not commonly used outside of science boratories. This was the case both in Europe and America, There was verry little variation here. The actual photograph filled most of the mount, excet for the bottom inch or so which identified the name of the studio and location. Here with the size of the photograph there was somewhat more variation than the size of the mount. The studio could easily change the print size, but not the mount size, but the mount was designed for a certain size photographic image. We only see variations on a small proportion of the mounts. Suddenly at the turn of the 20th century, however, we see a great deal of vatrition, quite a variety of different sizes. We suddenly see both smaller and larger cards in the 20th century. We note some square cards, usually smaller sizes than the 19th century cards. We note some about 2 in square. We also see larger cards in the same general shape as the old style cards. Some were only slightly larger. The largest we have noted are about 7 in x 9 inches. There may have been some larger ones, but we do not believe that they were very common. not only werethere different size mouts, but the sizes of the photographic print pasted on the card wwere even more varied. We have nt gone into the sizes in great detail, but will do so as we expand our investigation of this topic.

Shapes

Not only do we suddently see new sizes, but we also see varied shapes. Rather than just rectangular cards, we begin to see square mounts and squarish shapes meaning rectangles that were close to squares. The n1904 squarish card here is a good examole (figure 1). And some of the rectangular mont were very narrow. We see a number of more narrow cards. We do no kmow why, but narrow sizes with small photographic images suddenly became fashionsble. Some were very narrow rectangles with very small photographs, rather like a book mark. They were much more narrow than CDVs, but higher. Others were only slightly more narrow. While there were for the first time a huge variety of shapes, they were all rectangles (squares are a type of rectangle) with 90° right angles at the corners. There were no circles, ovals and other shapes. This was an econoic matter. Do the mounts as rectangles enabled the fullest use of the available materials. Circles and ovals woyld have been more expensive to produce.

Colors

There were mount colors strongly associated with these new sizes and shapes. We also see larger cards with large prints with the new colors. We see small cream-colored mounts with a variety patterned paper, often associated with making a frame. The cream-colored card here is a good example. Also notice all the patterened and framing work (figure 1). any of the smaller mounts had cream colored mounts. We no longer see many pure dark colors like black blue, burgandy, and green. We see lighter colors often greyish sades of green and to a lesser extent blue. We see a lot of olive green mounts. Brown was another popular color. The standard and larger size mounts were usually these new colors, except for the cream-colored mounts. One exception was the very narroe mounts with small images. We see many plain mounts in these new colors. Umlike the cream colors there was less paterned and fraom work in the first two decades.

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Created: 6:05 PM 7/19/2019
Last updated: 6:05 PM 7/19/2019