James Howie Junior -
Carte de Visite
Dating of Photographs
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Here is an attractive carte de visite from
the studio of James Howie Junior.
Cartes de visite were small photographs, 3.5 ins x 2.25 ins mounted on
trade cards 4.125 ins x 2.5 ins, produced from the 1850s until
around 1900.
They were usually
studio portraits, often of a single figure, though the one below is of a
larger group.
Photographers often wrote the negative number in pencil
on the back, to be used if further copies were required. They
numbered their negatives sequentially, so even if a photo does not have
a date on the back, a date can sometimes be estimated from details on
the backs of other photos from the same studio. |
Carte de Visite
©
Reproduced with acknowledgement to Alistair Crawford, Hastings, New Zealand
Back of Carte de Visite
©
Reproduced with acknowledgement to Alistair Crawford, Hastings, New Zealand
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Question |
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When was
this photograph taken? |
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Answer |
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The image of the
carte de visite above was provided by Alistair Crawford, Hastings, New
Zealand, who enquired about its date.
Thank you to the
owner of the
Victorian
Image Collection web site for supplying
the following answer:
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James Howie Junior
"I
have the following dated cartes de visite from the studio of James
Howie Junior, 60 Princes Street, Edinburgh:
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No. 30767 1875
No. 31802 1876
No. 32269 1876, July
24
No. 36581 1878,
August
No. 38486 1879
No. 42288 1888
Those shown in red
above have backs similar in style to the back above, but
printed in red.
Those shown in grey
have the fancy style of back, with a camera above a large
monogram. |
I
think that the number on the carte de visite above is 36350.
If so, it was probably taken in early 1878." |
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