Figure 1.--Thi is one of the many new styles of caninet cards that appeared at the turn-of-the 20th century. The greenish grey color was very common for these new style mounts in the 1900s, but often were used with a smaller size image. This card was slightly different than the classic cards. This one had exterior mount board dimensions of approximately: 4-1/2" X 6". Others were quite different, both smaller and larger and different shapes. The written enscription on the back reds, "With love and a Happy Christmas from Harry MacFarlane Xmas 1899." You cannot get closer to the turn-of-the-century than that.

Cabinet card mounts through the 1890s were almost entirely the classic size and style tht first appeared in the 1860s. Classic cabinet card mounts were like the card on the previous page. The standard size was 108 by 165 mm (4 1/4 by 6 1/2 inches). The cards were all very close in size because this was the size that the slots in prepared albums would accomodate. The standard mounts were mostly covered by the photographic image with about 3/4 inch at the bottom reserved for information about the studio, the name of the studio at the left and the city and tate at the right. Sometimes there was information about the print in the middle such as 'Ivory Finish'. The year as is the case here is unusual. At the turn of the century we suddenly see a greater variety of sizes and dimensions. The cabinet portrait of Harry McFarlane here is a good example (figure 1). We are not sure why, but the Kodak Brownie producing snapshots may have been a factor (1900). We also see the presentation of the studio information changing. Sometimes it was embossed and almost always smaller and less prominent. Usually it was just the studio name. Some times we do not see the name of the satudio at all. The vast majority of these new mount formats appeared after the turn-of-the-century, but we see a few examples in the late-1890s. As a result, this is a very useful chronological indicator. The 1890s is the last decade in which most of the photographic record is studio portraits.

Classic Mounts

Cabinet card mounts through the 1890s were almost entirely the classic size and style tht first appeared in the 1860s. Classic cabinet card mounts were like the card on the previous page. The standard size was 108 by 165 mm (4 1/4 by 6 1/2 inches). The cards were all very close in size becuse this was the size that the slots in prepared albums would accomodate. The standard mounts were mostly covered by the photographic image with about 3/4 inch at the bottom reserved for information about the studio, the name of the studio at the left and the city and tate at the right. Sometimes there was information about the print in the middle such as 'Ivory Finish'. The year as is the case on the previous page here is unusual. We notice a predominnce of white or white mount colors. We also motice mounts with pinking. Other indicators are natural-color hicker furniture in the studio sets. The vast majority of the mounts we find in the photographic record.

New Style Mounts

At the turn of the century we suddenly see a greater variety of sizes and dimensions. Many have cards with relativeky small images, some we do not often see with the classic style mounts where the photographic print covers most of the mount, except the very bottom. Most of these new styles appear after the turn-of-the century, but we find a few examples in the very-late 1890s. The number of these new-style mounts is very limited before the turn-of the century. Of course dated images in general are very few in genral, so it is possible that some of the undated images were taken before the turn-of-the century. We are, however, fairly confident that there were not many, because almost all of the dated images we have found are in the very-late 189s (1898-99). The cabinet portrait of Harry McFarlane here is a good example and is dated 1899 (figure 1). We are not sure why, but the Kodak Brownie producing snapshots may have been a factor (1900). We also see the presentation of the studio information changing. Sometimes it was embossed and almost always smaller and less prominent. Usually it was just the studio name. Some times we do not see the name of the satudio at all. The vast majority of these new mount formats appeared after the turn-of-the-century, but we see a few examples in the late-1890s. s a result this is a very useful chronological indicator.

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Created: 3:43 AM 3/17/2014
Last updated: 4:50 AM 7/23/2016