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Showing posts with label CDV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CDV. Show all posts

CDV photograph of a Grinding Wheel circa 1870 Antique Machinery Salesman Sample


It is pretty remarkable to think that only 150 years ago, a grinding wheel to sharpen tools was so important, it was placed on a pedestal and photographed.  We have come a long way from sharpening knives in that period of time.  The CDV (carte de visite) photograph was an improvement on the tintype. They were most popular from 1859 to 1866.  Often, photographs of inventions and hard goods were promoted with photographs, and it is possible this photograph played the role of a salesman sample.

Circa 1870 CDV of a Grinding Wheel Courtesy CURLEY'S ANTIQUES.

Well Rendered Drawing from the Photograph CDV Art History





Practice makes perfect.


Anonymous primitive drawing based on a CDV Photograph 1884. Photograph Curtiss & Smith, Syracuse New York with Pencil sketchbook. Collection Jim Linderman

Missing Mother? CDV Photographs Tinted by Hand


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Three original Cartes de Visite photographs from San Francisco around 1880, maybe a bit earlier, maybe a bit later. They were found together, but I do not know if they are actually related. It does look like red and green were popular.

Group of CDV photographs, tinted by hand, circa 1880 Collection Jim Linderman

Canada Carte de Visite Stephen Allen Spencer Finds Gold Taking Pictures













It occurs to me I have never posted a carte de visite photograph, so here is a bunch! CDV photos were an albumen print on small cards, about the size of a small tintype (2.5" x 3.5")

They became the predominant form of photography following the "hard" images of dags, ambros and tintypes and were popular from 1860 to 1900 or so...a few were produced earlier and a few later.

They were common, and they were cute. Many were tinted by hand, and many were popular figures of the day...show folk, authors, politicians...and in this case, Canadians!

S.A. Spencer was born in Connecticut but headed west to find gold. How he happened upon photography is unknown to me, but he was a bit better than most...and being on the West Coast of Canada early means his work is valuable for genealogy and Canadian history. The sitters might not look it, but they were pioneers. They dressed for the camera...but trust British Columbia was frontier when he produced these images.

One is dated on the reverse 1874, I suppose from his peak. Stephen Allen Spencer passed away in 1911.

Group of CDV photographs by S.A. Spencer, circa 1870-1880 Collection Jim Linderman

Dull Tool Dim Bulb Books HERE

Pair of ORIGINAL 19th Century Painted Photographer Studio Backdrops (For Sale)






I put together a book on Painted Backdrops and their use in the transitional period from painting to photography last year, it is a modest attempt at describing the relationship between the two art forms at the turn of the century. Having collected examples of tintype photographs with unusual backdrops (and photos of studios with them on display or being painted) I know how scarce original 19th century studio backdrops are.

A gentleman with two extraordinary ORIGINAL examples contacted me last week and asked if I was interested in obtaining these two remarkable survivors. I have moved on to other projects after finishing The Painted Backdrop...and since I have not the room to display these quite striking historical pieces, asked the owner if I could share them here (with his contact information for a purchaser.) I am very grateful, and hope this post helps these find a good home! ANY museum of photography or a serious collector knows how scarce these are.

Condition looks remarkable, and the owner even has an example of a photo taken here to show you one of the drapes "in use."
If you are interested in purchasing or asking questions about these early photographic backdrops, contact the owner at email nypopa@aol.com or I would be happy to forward your request for information to the owner.

I can tell you the price is QUITE modest, and these really should be in an institution or a very serious collection.
Thanks to the current owner for sharing, and to any photography collector who wants a wonderful addition to their collection, these are quite nice.

I hope they find a good home.


(For those of you interested in my book The Painted Backdrop: Behind the Sitter in American Tintype Photography 1860-1920 see it HERE)
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Carte de Visite Salesman Sample for Hot French Vintage Dames! (In which "vintage" is defined)





Everyone thinks the word "vintage" means old. Well, not quite. What it means is "of it's time" or a period of origin. So something "vintage" could be from last week, as long as it is indicated "Vintage 2010" like a cheap wine. So when searching the term on Ebay, you should consider it to mean the same thing "natural" does on food labels...nothing. There isn't any reason to put "natural" on the label unless it ISN'T really natural. When is the last time you ate "unnatural" food? My guess is the last time you ate.


Anyway, here is a vintage Carte de Visite size Salesman Sample which is EXTRA vintage! CDV is French for "visiting card" more or less, and came to replace the tintype, more or less, though both photographic mediums flourished at the same time. You'll also find both hidden in baskets at the flea market...the tintypes are the ones with rust, the CDVs are the ones on little cards, and no one wants either unless they show an early baseball player, or an unfortunate slave.


So anyway here is an example of a composite salesman sample CDV by an enterprising fellow selling OTHER CDVs of what passed for sexy dames around 1890. "Allow me to present my card...of ZAFTIG HOT BABES!" Some 19th century Larry Flynt would hand these out, take down orders, and deliver the spicy goods a few days later. One could take out a loupe and get a rise, I guess, but probably better to spring a quarter for 6 of your choosing full-sized. Then each would be like 2" x 3" and they would be as big as women on your smart phone, easy to shuffle (and hide from the wife.) You can "click to engorge" but "French postcards" didn't get good until about 30 years later, I am afraid. Funny, but they are all built the way woman are today. So when did "sexy" come to mean "skinny?" Topic for another post.


CDV Salesman Sample for early risque photographs, circa 1890. "Six for 25 Cents" Collection Jim Linderman


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