Figure 1.---This 1888 CDV portrait shows an unidentified English child. We though the child might be a boy, but think the perl necklace rather suggests a girl. Note the jackt look and fancy vest front area. The studio was T.Illingworth, 41 Crown Street, Halifax. Halifax is a town in West Yorkshire near Bradford. Notice the studio information at the bottom is beginning to look like a cabinet card..

The characteristics of CDV mounts varied over time. These characteristics if the chronology is understood can help date undated CDVs. The changes in England seem similar to those that we noted in the United States. Many early CDVs had square corners and did not have the studio information on the front. We begin to see rounded corners in the 1870s. We notice that some English mounts during the 1870s were still very basic with just the studio and city printed in block letters. The studio at the left and the city at the right. This was very common in England during the 1870s. Later the CDVs began to look like small cabinet cards. We see this in the 1880s by which time cabinet cards were becoming increasingly popular. We also see very elaborate backs. We have only a small number of dated English CDVs. Thus we are only beginning to work outg theif the chronology is understood chronology of these basic characteristics. Both the fronts and the backs can brovide stylistic details that can be dated. We have archived realtively few dated CDVs atvthis time, but hope to gradually expand this section. We think the styles and chrinokogical trends were imilar to th United sttes at leat in the 1860s-70s, by the 80s we begin to see fewer Ameican CDVs. Te CDV continued popular in England during the 80s-90s.

Corners

Many early CDVs had square corners and did not have the studio information on the front. We begin to see rounded corners in the 1870s.

Fronts

CDV mounts were done in many different ways. These differnt styles follow chronological pattrns. can be dated, thus making them useful in dating the CDVs. Some of the first CDVs we have found have mounts with no printing. Sometimes the front or blank, but the studio information is stamped on the back. Very quickly we see printing being used. Some mounts with out printing can ve found latr. This usually meansess-established studios. We see many early CDVs with ruling done in various ways. Ruling was very common in early CDVs. We notice that some English mounts during the 1870s-80s were still very basic with just the studio and city printed in block letters. It was always block letters. We do not see fancy script in this type of CDV front. The studio at the left and the city at the right. This was very common in England during the 1870s. This was a very common formt for CDVs. We see some CDVs with an unuslly large photographic prit. This means there is vry little siude margins and little room at the botton for studio informtion. We have found one example from 1873-74. Later the CDVs began to look like small cabinet cards. We see this in the 1880s by which time cabinet cards were becoming increasingly popular. The 1888 CDV seen here is a good example of a CDV done as a minature cabinent card (figure 1). Notice the fancy script used. This was very common with cabinet cards. We have only a small number of dated English CDVs. Thus we are only beginning to work outg theif the chronology is understood chronology of these basic characteristics.

Backs

We also see very elaborate backs. the styling here can also be datd.

Created: 4:16 AM 7/14/2012
Last updated: 7:45 AM 6/21/2015