Figure 1.-- This American cabinent card was taken in 1888. It had adark brown mtte with decorative gold script. Brown was one of several dark colors used. The boy was Clifford Kellog Colton.

We note gold lettering on cabinent card mounts, often with with dark colored mattes. The dark colors were popular because they helped to show off the guilding which added a touch of elegance to the card. This was a very popular style of mount and we see them in large numbers. Some times the guilding was also done on the edges of the mount. The colors included dark shades of black, blue, brown, and green. We are not yet sure about the chronology, but believe this began in the 1880s, perhaps the late-70s. This we have not yet determined. As far as we can tell, these mounts were ppilar throughout the 1880s. We note a green mount from Washington, D.C. in 1881. The boy was Esther Jsckmsn. Here we see a brown American card with gold lettrs in 1888 (figure 1). The boy was Clifford Kellog Colton. Another brown example is an American card in 1891. We hope to develop a more precise chronology as we find more dated examples. But these cards basically set the parameters. These gold letter cards with dark colors were most popular in the 1880s. We see light-colored mounts becoming popular in the 1890s. This of course helps date undated cabinet cards.

Colored Mounts

We note gold lettering on cabinent card mounts, often with with dark colored mattes. The dark colors were popular because they helped to show off the guilding which added a touch of elegance to the card. This was a very popular style of mount and we see them in large numbers. The colors included dark shades of black, blue, brown, and green. We are not yet sure about the relative popularity.

Edging

Some times the guilding was also done on the edges of the mount.

Chronology

We are not yet sure about the chronology of these gold lettered cards, but believe this began in the 1880s, perhaps the late-70s. This we will be able to eventually determine as our archive expands. This we have not yet determined. As far as we can tell, these mounts were ppilar throiughout the 1880s. We note a green mount from Washington, D.C. in 1881. The boy was Esther Jsckmsn. Here we see a brown American card with gold lettrs in 1888 (figure 1). The boy was Clifford Kellog Colton. Another brown example is an American card in 1891. We hope to develop a more precise chronology as we find more dated examples. But these cards basically set the parameters. These gold letter cards with dark colors were most popular in the 1880s. We see light-colored mounts becoming popular in the 1890s. This of course helps date undated cabinet cards.

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Created: 5:54 AM 4/4/2009
Last updated: 5:54 AM 4/4/2009