Figure 1.--This Canadian cabinent card shows the new style common after the turn of the 20th century. It is identical to American cards. It was taken during the summer of 1906 by O. Brien in Oshawa, Ontario.

Canada emerged in the 20th century as first a Dominion and then an independent country within the British Commonwealth. The economy gradually shifted from trade with Britain to an economy very closely toed to the Americzn rconomy. You can see that reflected in both clothing styles and in photographic mounts and frames. As in the second half of the 19th century, Canadian photographs in the 20th century are virtualky indestunguishable from American portraits and phitographs. As in America the style of cabinent cards and the mounts change dramatically after the turn-of-the 20th century. We still see cabinent cards in the 1900s, but the mounts are different. We also see pprtraits with paper frames rather than cabinent cards. As far as we know, photographic trends during the entire 20th century were essentialky the same in Canada as in the United States. We see amnateur snap shots becoming popular and at first commonly printed with opost card backs. By the 1910s, studio portraits were generally done with paper frames rather than as cabinebt cards. Studio portraitswere also oprinted with post card backs.

Created: 2:29 AM 8/5/2008
Last updated: 2:29 AM 8/5/2008