Jul 05 2008
Carte de Visite Dating Wizard
Dating – Carte de Visite Dating Wizard
When dating old photographs, there are three main sources of information to be taken into account. These include, although they are not always available:
- the attributes and characteristics of the photographic mount or case
- the image (fashion etc.)
- trade directory entries
This page is about estimating the date of cartes de visite and cabinet cards from the attributes and characteristics of the photographic card mounts.
Our automated DIY Wizard is based on the detailed and extensive analysis of nearly 7,000 dated carte de visite. Just follow the questions and your answers will date your carte de visite or cabinet card for you. Just what you have always wanted to know.
Why Does It Work?
The majority of card mounts were produced by a limited number of stationery printers who then customised them for a particular photographer by adding name, address, patrons, medals and various other individual requirements. Therefore, a particular design of card mount used in Manchester would be used at approximately the same time in York and Brighton as well – in fact countrywide.
Many characteristics were short lived as new mount designs and features were constantly introduced by the printers to encourage photographers to buy more mounts so as to remain up to date and in fashion. Whist a ‘not before’ date can be accurately established for any particular attribute, allowance has been made in the calculations for the fact that some photographers would take longer to use up their stock of card mounts than others.
Some card mounts were produce by local printers and may not conform to the styles of the national providers. However, the wizard will usually date your photograph to within a period of 9 years, and often more closely than that. However, if it does not do so because your photograph is one of the exceptions, contact us and we will date your photograph personally at no extra cost.
The wizard results can be supplemented with trade directory data which can help to confirm the calculated date that is provided. Trade directory data is offered separately but is not used in the wizard calculation because:
- it is not always available
- the fact that directories do not list a photographer in a particular location in a particular year does not mean that he or she was not there. Trade directories confirm when someone was operating – they do not confirm, by their absence, that they were not operating
Explore the world of Victorian carte de visite and cabinet cards, see some of the wonderful designs.
The Wizard is simple – you just have to peruse the multiple choices and click where appropriate. Easy.
The Wizard is coming!
