Figure 1.--This is one of the new style cabinetcard mounts that appeared just before the turn of the 20th century. The American boy here was named Kintz and wears a peaked cap. The portrait was taken November 11, 1899. The sizes of these cards were more varied. This photo was only 1 3/8 x 2 inches. Note the tectured matte and frame box effect.

About the turn-of-the 20th century we begin to see a new type of cabinet card. they were more varied in size and style and done on stiffer boards. They tended to be slightly larger, usually the card, not the image. We see cards 5-1/8 x 7-1/4 inches. Some were smaller, like the one here (figure 1). Note the tectured moubnting. And the relative dimensions were more varied. The most common type has relative dimensions similar to the classic style, but were often a little larger than the classic cabinet card. The mounts were often grey or greenish grey. Some were done as ivory mounts (figure 1), but these were less common. And the photographer did not have a bold logo at the bottom. Often there was no logo or it was impressed and not nearly as prominant. We believe almost all of these cards date to the 1900s, but we do not yet have a complete chronology. We see the old style after the turn of the century and the new style just before the turn of the century. After the turn-of- the century we fewer of the classic style cabinet cards and more of the new styles. They seem to be primarily an American mount style. They very quickly replace the old mount types. They were not as common as the old style. Not only were some portraits still made with the old style mount, but portraits with post card backs appeared in 1904. We alsao see prints in paper frames, but mostly not until the 1910s. We are not sure what prompted the change in style. Nor do we know of the company that developed these new mounts.

Size

About the turn-of-the 20th century we begin to see a new type of cabinet card. they were more varied in size and style and done on stiffer boards. They tended to be slightly larger, usually the card, not the image. We see cards 5-1/8 x 7-1/4 inches. Some were smaller, like the one here (figure 1). Note the tectured moubnting. And the relative dimensions were more varied. The most common type has relative dimensions similar to the classic style, but were often a little larger than the classic cabinet card.

Frames

Some of the new mounts has an inovative feature, simulated embossed frame boxes. The old cabinet cards did not have these. The old style simply had the photographer's information at the bottom with the actual photograph pasted above it. Many of the cards with the frame boxes did not have any information to identify the photographer. Some had the photographer's information pressed into the mount. I don't think there was information on the back either, in most cases, but this needs to be confirmed. We also note a range of different sizes, both smaller and larger than the classic style. We see the new mounts both with and without these simulaed frames. The simulated frames were done in different styles, various kinds of decorative scrolling or rope designs. Others had the frame effect created by frame lines molded on the mount. They seem to be pressed into the card stock and not printed on it. The designs was configured so as to give a three-dimensionasl frame affect. We note different shapes. Wthere were rectangles including squares. We also notice ovals. Circles were less common. We are not sure about the chronology of these framed cabinet cards. They seem to be most common in the late-1890s and early 1900s. We have only a few dated examples to date, so the chronology needs to be developed as we expand our archive.

Colors

We have found the new cabinet cards after the turn-of-the 20th century were done in a fairly limited number of colors. The ones we see mostly commonly are variousshades of cream/ivory, brown, and grey. Some of the grey shades have a greenish look to them, so we might add geeen to the list. The cabinet card done in 1899 here is a good example (figure 1). We see a few late-1890s mounts, but the vast number of these mounts were done after the turn-of the century. This is a relatively narrow range of colors and is thus these new mount styles and colors are helful helful dating tools. We note a much greater range of colors on 19th century cabinet card mounts.

Logos

The classic American cabinet card had a space at the bottom with the studio name at the left and the city and state at the right. Sometimes included was the address. Around the turn-of-the 20th century we begin to see a variety of other cabinet card mount styles. One style was a minor revision which had the studio nane and location mixed together and printed at the center of the space at the bottom. We also see cards which made a greater departure from the classic cabinet card mount style. We see the standard band below the photograph disappearing all together. We see cabinet cards without the photographer's bold logo at the bottom. Often there was no logo or it was impressed and not nearly as prominant. We also note impressed instead of printed logos.

Margins

The margins on both CDVs and caninet cards were very narrow during the 1860s-90s. The conventions here were amazingly similar despite the large number of photographic studios which were mostly small, individual businesses. We are not entirely sure why this was. We think that studios may have purchased the photographic paper already cut, but we need to find information on this. At any rate we notice that margins began to become nore varied at the turn of the century. (At the same time the size of the cards also become more varied.) Thus cabinet cards become more varied in the 1900s. This is the same time that postcard back prnts appear. We are not sure why margins stayed so similar for so long and began to change so suddenly.

Minor Changes

Many of the new style cabinet cards were strikingly different. Some had more modest changes. We note some cards that look largely like the old style cards with limited changes. These continued to have the photographic image covering most of the card without a franme and only the bottom of the mount not covered. We note some of the most important modest changes. First we note simoler logos at the bottom. The studio nmemight be moved to the center. Sometimes the city was not added. Second the color changed. We note cards done with greyish shades. A greenish grey ws very coimmon. These same colors were also seen in the new-style cabint cards with more substantial changes. We see these card with modet changes mostly in the 1900s.

Chronology

We believe almost all of these cards date to the 1900s, but we do not yet have a complete chronology. So far we have found these new mounts from 1899-1909, but we believe some were made into the 1910s. The vast majority were msade iin the 1900s. We see the old style after the turn of the century and the new style just before the turn of the century. After the turn-of- the century we fewer of the classic style cabinet cards and more of the new styles. By the end of the decades we see far fewer cabinet cards than was common in the 1890s, primarily of the new portrait types.

Countries

The new abd caried cabinet card mounts seem to be primarily an American mount style. We have not yet found very many in Europe, but this may reflect or larger American archive.

Prevalence

The new mount types very quickly replace the old mount types. They were not as common as the old style. Not only were some portraits still made with the old style mount, but portraits with post card backs appeared in 1904. We alsao see prints in paper frames, but mostly not until the 1910s. We are not sure what prompted the change in style. Nor do we know of the company that developed these new mounts.

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Created: 10:05 PM 4/27/2009
Last updated: 8:54 AM 2/3/2012