Imperial "calling card"

[Military Trader]

This was on E-bay. They called it a "calling card' or something like that. Does this one look Ok to you and is it really a "calling card?"

[Military Trader]

2

[PaulChep]

I don't think it is a calling card. It is a colorized photo with the studios name and address on the back.

[Military Trader]

Thanks Paul -- This one looks awfully clean -- except that the crazing shows up in the photo. If anyone thinks this one is bad let me know

Thanks again

[GWA]

Paul, I believe that your thinking this might be a "calling card" stems from the name given such cards in the 1860's which was Carte de Visit or visiting card. They were about 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches and were given to the host when visiting, thus a calling card. Later in the 1880's or 90's they started making them a bit larger and they were called cabinet photos.

[Steve Campbell]

Nice picture. I have always just called these photos mounted on heavy cardboard Cabinet photos. They were supposedly displayed in the front of the house for visitors. They often have very stylish designs of the studio on the rear and sometimes fancy designs on the front also. These were dying out in popularity prior to WW1, although I have a number of examples in my collection that show German soldiers headed off to war in full field gear and pickelhaubes, so circa 1914-1916 I would say. The format appears to be completly gone after the war, replaced by the portrait postcard, which was becoming popular just before the war. Civilian versions are also found quite plentifully from this era. Many will have the studio name, the city it's in, often the street address, which I have heard some collectors seek out. I have some with actual telephone numbers, with 5 digits!

[Steve Campbell]

I just looked closer at the rear of the posted example and it shows a 3 digit phone number. This is why old stuff is so fun to collect!

[torstenbel]

Paul, I believe that your thinking this might be a "calling card" stems from the name given such cards in the 1860's which was Carte de Visit or visiting card. They were about 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches and were given to the host when visiting, thus a calling card. Later in the 1880's or 90's they started making them a bit larger and they were called cabinet photos.

most people simply refer to them as CDV photos. the crazing is on the colour parts because it is hand coloured and different from the rest of the photo. The photo is perfectly ok. Cheers, Torsten.

[Gerdan]

I found an other photo - same style - and from the same Ulm photo studio.

Gerdan

http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/CDV-KAB-Sold...QQcmdZViewItem

[Gerdan]

I found a very nice interesting report in the Ulm newspaper of April 2009. The daughter of the photographer Albert Pfeiffer from Ulm gave the photographic estate of her father to the local Ulm townarchive including 3500 negatives.

Gerdfan


http://www.suedwest-aktiv.de/landund...66/artikel.php

[Military Trader]

Thanks Gerdan. I went ahead and bought the one you posted as it has the exact same backdrop and props. Should make a nice display.

[Military Trader]

I just looked closer at the rear of the posted example and it shows a 3 digit phone number. This is why old stuff is so fun to collect!

I know what you mean -- I picked up a local hometown car dealership ad dated1932 from an antique mall recently for my classroom (high school). It was only $7 and I liked the 3 digit phone # 123

By the way Steve I saw your VERY cool photo display that you posted. I was drooling -- You have been very busy to find those photos in a year. What you ought to do is trade the whole collection to me

Dennis

[Steve Campbell]

I know what you mean -- I picked up a local hometown car dealership ad dated1932 from an antique mall recently for my classroom (high school). It was only $7 and I liked the 3 digit phone # 123

By the way Steve I saw your VERY cool photo display that you posted. I was drooling -- You have been very busy to find those photos in a year. What you ought to do is trade the whole collection to me

Dennis

Thanks! You must be talking about the Imperial postcards I posted. The photos have been where I've been concentrating my collecting efforts. I still have more to post. I've got close on 600 WW2 postcard portraits also. I love collecting these. Next, due to this post I will post my CDV potraits. I don't have a huge pile, but I have enough for a thread.

[Military Trader]

Here is the other photo Gerdan told me about which I bought. Note the same chair as prop. Might be an earlier one as he has no phone yet.

[Military Trader]

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