Figure 1.--This CDV was taken by a German photographer in G�ns, Hungary during 1886. Hungary at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The CDV was done in the basic style of indication the studio and city in basic scrip at the bottom. The colored mount was less common. Many European cabinent cards looked similar because many of the photographers in the great empires (Austria-Hungary abd Russia) and of course Germany itself were Germans.

Most of the cards in our collection are American CDVs. American CDVs, however, can be misleading. The CDV in the United States had a relatively short life. They were largely, but not entirely replaced by cabinent xards in the 1870s. The CDV had a longer life-span in many European countries. Thus we want to assess any significant country differences in CDV mounts. We hope to eventually assess CDVs styles un different countries, but for this we will have to expabd our archive of European CDVs. As far as we can tell, the mounts used in Europe were very similar. Here a factor is that oten the photographers in smaller countries were eith French or German. Another factor of course is that most of Europe was dominated by three huge empires (Austria-Hungaria, Germany, and Russia). A fourth empire was the Ottomans, but they were less important in terms of photography.

America

Most of the cards in our collection are American CDVs. American CDVs, however, can be misleading. The CDV in the United States had a relatively short life. They appeared in the ear;y 1860snd were the dominanyt format in the 1860s. The cabinet card was not intro\duced untill 1866. Thus most photographic portraits in the 1869serre CDVs. There were some Dags and Ambros in the early 60s and some cabinet cards in the late 60s, but the great bulk of portraits taken in the 1860s were CDVs. The portraits taken in the 1860s are very destinctive. The subject is usually posed standing up in what seems like aarge empty room. He are she fills up only a small part of the frame and the impression one gets is that he or she is some distance from the photographer. Early CDVs were basically blank except the portrait. Gradually printing identifying the studio appeared in at the bottom and/or back of the card. The inirial printing was v\basic but by the end of the decade was ikncreasingly elsborate. CDVs in America were largely, but not entirely replaced by cabinet cards in the 1870s. Most 1870s cards had printing at the bottom and back, but we still see some without printing at the bottom. We see more artful, intimate images with elaborate backdrops in the 1870s. We still see American CDVs into the 1880s, but by the 1890s they are increasingly rare.

Europe

The CDV had a longer life-span in many European countries. Thus we want to assess any significant country differences in CDV mounts. We hope to eventually assess CDVs styles un different countries, but for this we will have to expabd our archive of European CDVs. As far as we can tell, the mounts used in Europe were very similar. Here a factor is that often the photographers in smaller countries were either French or German residents. Another factor of course is that most of Europe was dominated by three huge empires (Austria-Hungaria, Germany, and Russia). A fourth empire was the Ottomans, but they were less important in terms of photography having fallen far behind the West technologically by the time that photography was developed. The CDV continued to be an important format into the erarly 20th century.

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Created: 5:00 AM 3/14/2009
Last updated: 5:00 AM 3/14/2009