I recieved this photo the other day, I have another like it and just picked up what I think is a 3rd. I have heard one described as a Cabinett (spelling?) photo. What exactly is a cabinett photo. This photo here is mounted on a stiff piece of cardboard glued on by the looks of it. The other one I have appears to be almost printed off on a similar thicknes cardboard. They both have what appears to be photograper studio information on them. All 3 are Imperial era photos. Are these Cabinett photos and what's the story behind them?
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Here's the back. Even appears to be a telephone number there. What year would this have been? -
I would assume somewhere 1910-1914.
A cabinet photo was a formal photo potrait to be placed in the cabinet (=desk room) of the owners. Alternatively it stood in the "front room" where guests were received. It's hard to explain since American houses are totally differently constucted. Basically most European houses until 1945 had a formal area (where people like the pastor, the doctor, the in law family and such were received) which was decorated very extensively and a more personal area.Comment
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Thanks. I think alot of the older homes around here are designed the same way. Are all these photos mounted on a stiff cardboard? Were they ever framed? What distinguishes a Cabinet photo from a regular photo?Comment
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Yes the stiff cardboard is typical for cabinet photos. They indeed would be framed most of the time. A regular photo would be a snapshot taken at any time or place, but at the time here (pre-WWI) that hardly happened since hardly anybody had cameras and they wouldn't "waste" photos. A cabinet photo is always taken a professional photographers' studio (as you can tell by the backside) and the people pictured always did their best to look their best. As you can see the soldier had a visit shortly before to the Friseur and that uniform was brushed and brushed again.
Signed,
somebody who had to have his cabinet photo taken during his communionComment
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Interesting. How long did this continue with the stiff cardboard. I haven't seen any from WW2. The ones I have from that era all appear to be postcard photos.Comment
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Yes, the stiff cardboard dissapeared somewhere in the late twenties when photographing became more common and accesible for everyone. At the time this photo was taken, it was still something very special so it served to "decorate" the photo itself. As you can see the photopaper also lasted very long, those pre-WWI portraits are still as sharp as they were taken.
By the way the Augustenstr. in München is actually very known. With all the photos of my home city appearing on this forum lately I'm begging to feel at home
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Thanks for that. Yes this photo is in great shape for 100 years old. Really nice. I now have 3. I'm going to look for more of these. Thanks for the help.Comment
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Also, remember the size tends to determine if it is a Cabinet photo or a CDV (carte de visite). CDV's were appx 2 3/8" x 4 1/4' while Cabinet photos were appx 6 1/2" x 4 1/4". They were both mounted on cardboard due to the extremely thin paper photos were produced on during this time. The Cabinet Card evolved from the smaller CDV, the CDV declining in popularity as the Cabinet photo was increasing in popularity (the size and quality improving as well). They both began diminishing really well before the 20's - Cabinet photos by the tuen of the century and CDV's about 1880. After having sold throusands of these over the years, it is interesting to note that many collectors (particularly Europeans) collect not the image but the photographer/city/town the photo was taken by/in.
Rick
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Thanks.The one posted is the size of the CDV mentioned. I think I have a larger Cabinet photo on the way. What were the different uses?Comment
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Hi Steve,Carte d'visite translates as visiting card.I think they were proably handed out to friends and family as we do with wallet size pictures today.I have dozens of them.Pictures of well known people could also bepurchased from the photographers.Here is one that i have of General Mclellan,in carte d'visite size.
Martin.Comment
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