Figure 1.--This Canadian CDV portrait was taken in 1876 at the J. Bruce & Co. studio in Toronto. The boy wears a double-breasted suit with large lapels and long pants. Note that there is no studio identification on the front andcthis is nearly two decades fter the CDV appeared in Canada. AIt was on the back. We are not yet sure how common this was, but American and British CDVs commonly had front studio information.

We notice the same types of photographic potraits in Canada as we do in other countries, especially America and Britain. At first the photographic industry primarily followed British trends. As a result, we have found very few of the early portrait types (Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes). We assume this is because British copyright law prevented the expolsive growth of the industry like what occurred in the United States. We do begin to see large number of CDVs in the 1860s. Cabinet cards also appeared, but do not seem to have been as common as in America. Like Britain, the CDV remained popular in Canada longer than in the United States. This may reflect the fact that Canada hs a much smaller population and thus a smaller pgotographic record. This is, however, just a preliminary assessment. Our archive of Canadian 19th century portraits is still very limited. By the turn of the 20th century, Canadian photographic trends seem very similar to American trends with mattes and paper frames as well as post cards similar or identical to those in America.

Daguerrotypes

At first the photographic industry primarily followed British trends. As a result, we have found very few of the early portrait types (Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes). We assume this is because British copyright law prevented the expolsive growth of the industry in both Britain and the Dominions in contrat to what occurred in the United States. Wec have found very few Canadian Dags. One example is John Coll with his little brother or sister in 1860. The gutta perca cover looks more American than British.

Ambrotypes

We know Canadian ambrotypes existed, but we have not yet found examples that we can archive on HBC. We suspect that this is an indication as to prevalence.

Tintypes

It is virtually impossible for us to assess Canzdian tintypes. Few tintypes are identified or dated because there was no place to write on them. Thus we cannot tell if they are American or Canadian. Unlike many European countries there are no destinctive Canadian garments as Canada and America were so similar.

Albumen Process

The advent of the albumen process and negative-based photography revolutionized the photographic industry. The Albumen process appeated in Europe (1850s), but did nor become important or reach Nort America until 1860-61). Not only did albumen-based photography sharply bring down the cost of studio portraits, massively increasing the number of portraits, but the mounts used commonly identified the studio and location. This we now have a fail-proof way of identifying Cannadian photographs. And even better, we now have a writing surfacr where people can be identified and the portraits dated. While many people did not acail themselves of this possibility, some did. And even when they did not, the style of the mounts can often help us date the images. Unfortunately we do not yet enough dated Canadian images to work with, but we think that American trends wgich we have developed in great detail can help us here.

CDVs

We do begin to see large number of CDVs in the 1860s. And they were still common in the 1880s. Like Britain, the CDV remained popular in Canada longer than in the United States. We note CDVs as alate as the 1870s without the photographer's name and location on the front. The CDV here ia agood example (figure 1). We still see quite a number of CDVs in the 1880s when they were going out of styke in the United States. Some of the CDVs were done like cabinet cards with colored mounts. Our assessment of Canadian CDVs is, however, just a preliminary assessment. Our archive of Canadian 19th century portraits is still very limited.

Cabinet Cards

Cabinet cards also appeared in Canada soon after the CDV. We are not sure yet just when. Cabinet cards appeared in America in the mid-1860s (1866). We suspect that they appeared in Canada at the same time or soon after. They do not, however, seem to have been as common as in America. We note the same trend in Britain. We are not yet sure about this. It may simply reflect our smaller Canadian archive and smaller Canadian population and thus smaller photographic industry. While we do not yet have early Canadian cabinet cards (1860s-70s), we have found later 19th century cabinet cards (1880s-90s) and they look very similar to American cards. This is important because if that is in effect the case, then the information we have collected on American cabinet cards can be used to date Canadian cards.

Silver Nitrate Photography

Canadian photographic trends especially by the 20th century seem very similar to American trends with mattes and paper frames as well as postcards similar or identical to those in America. This is important because the chronological trends we have developed for American trends are similar for Canadian photography. It is more difficult to develop a similar chronology for Canada because we have far fewer images. We see quite a range of photographs in the 20th century. We still bote some albumen prints, including both cabinet cards and CDVs in the 1900s, but they are rapidly being replaced with silver nitrate printing. Amateur photography existed in the late-19th century, but was limited because it was complicated and expensive. The American company Eastman Kodak changed this when it introduced the Brownie. Suddenly anyone with only the most minimal knowledge of photography could take inexpensive family snapshots. Many were inintially printed with postcard backs. These prints can be dated wased on the stamp boxes and other features. Family snap shots were printed in huhe numbers. The prints were done in many sizes, shapes, mrgins and esges. Studio photography continued, producing at first cabinet cards and CDVs, but then postcard back portraits or portraits in paper frames. The style of the frames can help date the studio photography.

Family Snapshots

The family snapshot was born at the turn of the 20th century. There were anateur photography in the late-19th century, but not much. Photography was too expesive and complicated for many families to participate. This all changed with the Kodak Brownie (1900). This led to an exolosion of photograohy outside the studio. And middle-class familiess could afford it. A simple box camera could not be easier to operate and because it was so compact could be taken everywhere. Canada's lovation meant that it was virtually availavke instrabtly. It was somewhat less commion in Canada than America, largely for economic reasons. Percapita incime was lower in Canada, but not massively so. Almost all early photographers were men. There were somw women phtoraphers, but not very many. Women for the most part were not interested in getting involved with the mechncs and chemstry involved. For most of the 20th century, dad was the one who took the family phitigraohs. Cameras like the Brounie, however, meant that moms as wll as children could easily get involve if they wanted to do so. This graduly chabnged iver time, but slowly. Abd by the late 20h century this was happening.

Color Photography

Color printing begn in the early-20th century, bt it was very expensive. It dies not become common the post-Wold War II era (1970s). Finally by the end of the century we begin to see digital photography.

Created: 5:17 PM 4/5/2009
Last updated: 8:54 AM 3/15/2023