Cartes De Visite
The carte de visite, or visiting card as it is loosely translated, truly opened up photography to the masses. It should be noted that carte de visite is frequently abbreviated in catalogs as "CDV". This photographic version of the visiting card followed the popular trend in fashionable society to leave a calling card after a visit. This new format consisted of small paper albumen prints mounted on card.The albumen process involved the production of a glass negative; this in turn was used to print the photograph. Frenchman Louis Desire Blanquart Everard had come up with a photographic albumen paper, which proved to be invaluable in the mass production of the carte de visite. The paper was coated in a mixture of egg whites and ammonium chloride, it was then allowed to dry and could be kept for later use. When the paper was used it was sensitized in a bath of silver nitrate and then developed using pyrogallic acid. The paper allowed for the production of very sharp images with great tonal quality. The cards used to mount the images measured 2.5 inches by 4 inches with images slightly smaller depending on maker but the average image measured 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches.
The carte de visite process was patented in 1854 by Frenchman Andre Adolphe Eugene Disderi (1819 to 1889). His patent covered the process of using a camera to take several images, usually eight at the same time on one glass plate. This allowed for a vast reduction in production costs and eventually would lead to the popularity of the carte de visite format. Although the patent date is 1854 the process did not catch on until 1859. There are differing accounts as to why the format's popularity took off at that time; one popular version has it that Emperor Napoleon III visited Disderi's studio in Paris and had his picture taken in military uniform. This of course was terrific publicity for the studio.
In no time Disderi, using his staff of approximately 100 people, was producing images in the thousands on a daily basis. The trend soon caught on with many of the major studios in Europe and America mass-producing images. Smaller studios also benefited, as they too could print large numbers of images at relatively low cost.
The introduction of cartes de visite into the U.S. is thought by many to have been by Charles D. Fredericks of New York when he started to produce the images in 1859. Other photographers followed his lead in the production of the new images and they were soon photographing virtually any subject either in a studio or outside. One of the chief reasons for the rapid rise in the formats popularity was the Civil War. Photographs were taken before loved ones went off to fight and quite often this was the only image ever taken, as many did not return. The format was so inexpensive that all but the very poor could now afford to have a picture taken, and this accessibility is reflected in the vast number of cartes de visite available to collectors today.
A whole new industry grew-up to fill an increasing demand for images of public figures; for the first time people were able to see images of people they had heard of but had never actually seen. In the U.S. photographers such as Fredricks, Brady, and Sarony took up this trend. Major carte de visite producers in England included photographers such as Mayall, W& D Downey, The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, Elliott & Fry and Camille Silvy. In France the studios of Nadar, Disderi and Reutlinger also produced cartes de visite of celebrities.
The overwhelming majority of cartes de visite produced were general portraiture, these may have an interest to some collectors but in the main are not highly sought after and prices reflect this, in many cases images can be found for little more than a dollar. Occupational images turn up frequently and depending on the subject can attract higher prices, as do outdoor images, again depending on subject matter. Animals are another popular category for collectors, with prices from ten dollars to several hundred dollars. As previously mentioned cartes de visite of celebrities were popular when first produced and can be even more so now depending upon the sitter. Prices for these can range from ten dollars for a now obscure public figure to in excess of a thousand dollars for major figures by highly sought after photographers.
As with all images the market value is based on subject matter, photographer and general appeal. The condition will also influence prices collectors are willing to pay. In certain cases a rare image in poor condition will still command a higher price, but condition is a key factor in pricing. Collectors have their own views on what they want in an image and this too can influence the price they are willing to pay.
Reference note by p4A.com Contributing Editor Robert M. Ginns.