Figure 1.-- Regular snapshots largely, but not entirely replsced postcard-back prints during the 1920s. Almost all of these prints had white borders. This 1924 snapshot print is a typical example. The size of the print was 2 3/4 in X 4 1/2 in. |
|
As regular prints became more common, we begin to see white borders. Prints were usually done with white borders. This was not the case for the post-card-back snap shots and portraits that appeared in the early-1900s. We are not sure why the podt-card back prints and plain snapshot prints were done differently. Except for pot-card back snapshots, virtuaslly all blsck-andwhite snapshotrs were done with white borders. The borders wee so common, that people creating digital prograns with old images will add the borders to give the images an old time look. We even see some commercisl postcards done with hite bordrs. Hooefully readers will have some insights on these bordsers. We are not entirely sure why white borders were introduced. We see it both in the United States nd in Europe. The borders reduced the size of the image printed on the paper. We do not think it was done for aesthetics. It probably had to do with the way snapshots were printed. The paper had to be kept flat when it was exposed in the darkroom. This was done by holding down the edges while the image was exposed. The part of the paper had to be held down and thus was not exposed. The borders varied in size. We are still working on the chronology of these white borders. We see the borders in the 1910s through the 70s. During this period virtually all black-and-white prints were done with white borders. As aresuklt, the white boirdersare not very useful as a dating tool. We also see prints without borders, but this was primarily when color photography became more common in the 1970s. There were also rounded corners.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to:Main snapshot characteristics page]
[Return to:Main snapshot types and characteristics page]
[Return to:Main snapshot format page]
[Return to:Main snapshot page]
[Return to:Main photo/publishing page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[Essays]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[T-shirts]
[Jeans]
[Sneakers]