Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Cartes-de-visite photographs, 1855-1905
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Cartes-de-visite photographs
- Dates
- 1855-1905 (inclusive)18551905
- Quantity
- 1.24 cubic feet, (10 card boxes (5.5 x 12 x 3.25 in.)) : 2,161 cartes-de-visite photographs
- Collection Number
- Org. Lot 500
- Summary
- This artificial collection consists of cartes-de-visite photographs donated to the Oregon Historical Society prior to 2010. It includes portraits taken from about 1855 through the early 1900s. The collection also includes images of locomotives, ships, buildings, and landscapes in the Pacific Northwest.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Cartes-de-visite are a form of card photograph popular from around 1860 to the early 1900s, typically used for portraiture. The common construction of these cards consists of a thin albumen print mounted on a thicker card backing measuring 2.5 x 4 inches. André Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri patented the process of creating these photo cards in Paris in 1854, streamlining the process of commercial portraiture. Cartes-de-visite were traded among friends and visitors and they were popularly displayed in albums. In the United States, cartes-de-visite were a staple of commercial photographers during the Civil War as a means of selling inexpensive portraits of soldiers and their loved ones. Photographs of celebrities, military, and political figures were also popular for collecting and trading. Cartes-de-visite were superseded by Cabinet cards, a similar, larger format of roughly 4.5 x 6.5 inches, in the 1870s, but they remained popular into the 20th century.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This artificial collection was accumulated from accessions containing cartes-de-visite photographs acquired prior to 2010 by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. The cartes-de-visite were originally part of a topical photograph collection and were separated into their own collection to address preservation concerns. The numbering scheme for the collection reflects their original placement within the topical photograph collection. As a result, numbering in this collection is not sequential. The collection includes portraits taken from about 1855 through the early 1900s. Many of the portraits have attached biographical information. Portraits by many well-known Oregon photography studios are represented in this collection, including Joseph Buchtel, Andrew B. Paxton, Isaac G. Davidson, Peter Britt, and F. A. Smith. The collection also contains images of locomotives, ships, buildings, and landscapes in the Pacific Northwest.
Also included is the Photographer Study Collection, which contains sample work from several studios in Oregon, California, and Washington. The portraits in this series are unidentified with the exception of a small selection of portraits that were identified after the collection was assembled.
In addition to Oregon-related materials, the collection includes cartes-de-visite of notable military, political, and celebrity figures from the late 19th century. The most common subjects are American Civil War portraits, a series of illustrations of George and Martha Washington, European notables cards, and advertisements. Also included in the collection is a blue leather photograph album containing 20 unidentified portraits possibly related to the families of Daniel Howell or Bessie Gault.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The materials in this collection are in the public domain.
Preferred Citation
Cartes-de-Visite photographs, Org. Lot 500, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Alternative Forms Available
Digitized versions of the cartes-de-visite are available at OHS Digital Collections.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged into 6 series: Series 1. Portraits, 1854-1900; Sub-Series 1.1. Identified; Subseries 1.2. Unidentified; Sub-Series 1.3. Portraits unrelated to Oregon; Series 2. Photographer Study Collection; Series 3. Locations, 1854-1900; Series 4. Transportation, 1854-1900; Series 5. Military, 1854-1900; Series 6. Advertisements, 1854-1900.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Portraits, 1855-1905Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Sub-Series 1.1: Identified |
|||
Box | envelope | ||
1 | 1 – 226 | Surnames, A - Chamn |
|
2 | 227 – 399 | Surnames, Chamn - For |
|
3 | 400 – 579 | Surnames, Fos - Ir |
|
4 | 580 – 755 | Surnames, Is - Miz |
|
5 | 756 – 939 | Surnames, Mo - Schz |
|
6 | 940 – 1049 | Surnames, Sci - Tn |
|
7 | 1050 – 1142 | Surnames, To - Z |
|
8 | A-1 – A-208 | Surnames, additions A - Z |
|
10 | Over 6 – 1134; Over A-1 – A-4 | Surnames, oversized A - Z |
|
Sub-Series 1.2: Unidentified |
|||
Box | envelope | ||
8 | A-209 – A-260; A-345 – A-357 | Unidentified portraits |
|
10 | Photo Album |
||
Sub-Series 1.3: Portraits unrelated to Oregon |
|||
Box | envelope | ||
9 | A-467 - A-473 | George Washington and family |
|
9 | A-474 - A-582 | European notables |
Series 2: Photographer Study Collection, 1855-1905Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | envelope | ||
9 | A-360 - A-440 | Oregon Studios |
|
9 | A-441 - A-457 | California Studios |
|
9 | A-458 | Washington Studios |
Series 3: Locations, 1855-1905Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | envelope | ||
8 | A-261 - A-297 | Oregon, identified locations |
|
10 | Over A-7 | Oregon, identified locations |
|
8 | A-328 - A-344 | Oregon, illustrations |
|
8 | A-298 - A-310 | United States, identified locations |
|
8 | A-323 - A-327 | Unidentified locations |
|
9 | A-583 - A-626 | Europe, identified locations |
Series 4: Transportation, 1855-1905Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | envelope | ||
8 | A-311 - A-317 | Ships |
|
8 | A-318 - A-322 | Locomotives |
Series 5: Military, 1855-1905Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | envelope | ||
10 | Over A-6 | Civil War caricature |
|
9 | A-459 – A-464 | Civil War portraits |
|
9 | A-465 – A-466 | Revolutionary War monuments |
Series 6: Advertisements, 1855-1905Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | envelope | ||
9 | A-356 - A-357 | Oregon businesses |
|
9 | A-358 - A-359 | Unknown locations |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Landscape photography--West (U.S.)
- Pioneers--Oregon--Photographs
Geographical Names
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Portraits
Form or Genre Terms
- Genealogies
- cartes-de-visite (card photographs)