Who Collects Carte de Visite Photographs?
J.F. Borno
Carte de visites are paper photographs that were wildly popular in the mid-19th century, but were still made into the 1900s. They are black and white prints but the older CDVs have a distinct cream-sepia color to them. The cabinet card and later photographic processes made them obsolete, so the question remains, who still collects carte de visite photos?
CDVs are collected by historians of early photography or of history in general. Photographers love to learn as much as they can about their craft and learning its history hands-on is very helpful. History buffs collect carte de visites because they love being immersed in the times. Civil War historians love to collect photos of soldiers and CDVs are generally a cheaper alternative than say tintypes or daguerreotypes. It is exciting for someone interested in history to know that they own something that was at the time a brand new technology that was cherished by friends and relatives alike. Historians study every detail of carte de visites including captions, backmarks, tax stamps, signatures, intricate designs, and of course the images themselves.
Even those not particularly interested in the history itself collect CDVs. Those fascinated with early Victorian dress styles and fashions enjoy collecting them, as do those interested in early interior design or antique studio props. Women in 1800s wedding dresses are interesting to modern brides and celebrity albumen prints are popular as well. Some people just collect carte de visites for different hat styles, hair styles, or wild suits. Some love CDV photographs with animals, early bicycles, or interesting architecture.
There's really no limit to who collects carte de visite photographs. I never imagined I would be interested in them until I began to learn more about their history and the history of the people in them. CDVs, like other forms of early photography, truly are unique and cherishable keepsakes.
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