Carte de Visite
Albumen-print portraits on small card mounts — the calling-card photo of the Civil War era.
Antique CDV Wm. H. Pope Cute Toddler Boy John Young Jr Seated in Brooklyn NY
Antique CDV Knight Excelsior Bearded Man in 3-Piece Suit Chair Buffalo NY
Antique CDV Williamson Handsome Man Mustache Bow Tie Suit Brooklyn NY Portrait
Antique CDV J.M. Elliott Handsome Man Mustache Suit Bow Tie Columbus OH
Antique CDV W. & D. Downey Elderly Bearded Man Long Frock Coat Newcastle On Tyne
Antique CDV Frank Z. Fritz Handsome Young Man Suit Fringe Armrest Chair Portrait
Antique CDV G.H. Morand Handsome Bearded Man Spectacles Bowtie New York NY
Antique CDV Rogers Handsome Bearded Man in Dark Coat Portrait New York NY
Antique CDV Handsome Bearded Man in Frock Coat Standing By Chair & Pillar
Antique CDV D.P. & G.R. Florer Old Lady Polka Dot Sleeves Dress Kokomo IN
Antique CDV Joshua A. Williams Handsome Young Man Suit Watch Chain Newport
Antique CDV J.B. Smith Handsome Seated Man Goatee Striped Pants Utica NY
Antique CDV Wenderoth Taylor & Brown Handsome Man Goatee Philadelphia PA
Antique CDV Ferdinando Dessaur Handsome Man Mustache Frock Coat New York NY
Antique CDV Terry Handsome Bearded Man Bow Tie Suit Bristol
Antique CDV Robt. H. Blair Handsome Young Man Bow Tie Smyrna de Portrait
Antique CDV R.A. Lewis Handsome Young Man Frock Coat New York NY
Antique CDV L. Thompson Young Victorian Lady Ornate Chair Norwich
Antique CDV Gilchrest Bearded Man Bow Tie Piped Coat Portrait Lowell
Antique CDV Deloss Barnum Young Lady Ringlet Curls Striped Bow Cortland NY
Antique CDV R. Disbrow Bearded Handsome Man Suit Bow Tie Albion NY Portrait
Antique CDV D.O. Furnald Old Lady Lace Collar Brooch Manchester NH Portrait
Antique CDV S.J. Thompson Handsome Bearded Man Holding Hat Albany NY Portrait
Antique CDV R.A. Lewis Old Man Sideburns Double Breasted Frock Coat New York NY
The carte de visite (CDV) is a small albumen photograph mounted on a stiff card the size of a calling card. First proposed by Louis Dodero in 1851 and patented in France by André Disdéri in 1854, CDVs became a worldwide craze after Disdéri photographed Emperor Napoleon III in 1859 — and stayed in production into the 1920s, collected and pasted into family albums by the millions.
HistoryOrigin & era
CDVs are produced from a glass-plate negative printed onto thin albumen paper, then trimmed and pasted to a card mount. Studios printed them by the dozen; the same sitter could order several copies of the same exposure to hand out. The format was largely displaced by the larger cabinet card from the 1880s onward, though CDV-sized prints continued to be made by smaller studios and itinerant photographers into the 1920s.
IdentificationHow to spot a CDV
- Card mount roughly 2½ × 4 inches.
- Albumen print — slight surface gloss, often warm brown or sepia tones.
- Studio imprint usually on the back (photographer + city).
- Square-cornered mounts are earlier (c. 1860s); rounded corners and decorated backs come in later.
- Tax revenue stamps on the back date it to 1864–1866 (U.S. Civil War tax).
CDV sizes
CDVs are largely standardized — the mount size barely varies — but the photo on the mount and the mount stock evolved over time.
| Format | Inches | Millimeters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard CDV mount | 2½ × 4 in | 64 × 100 mm | Universal mount size from the 1860s on. |
| Albumen print on mount | ≈ 2⅛ × 3½ in | ≈ 54 × 89 mm | Photo trimmed to fit the mount with a small border. |
| Victoria (mini-CDV) | 3¼ × 5 in | 83 × 127 mm | Brief 1870s variant — slightly larger than standard. |
Common questions
What is a CDV photograph?
A carte de visite (CDV) is a small albumen photograph mounted on a card the size of a calling card — roughly 2½ × 4 inches. The format was first proposed by Louis Dodero in 1851 and patented in France by André Disdéri in 1854. CDVs were the dominant portrait format from the early 1860s through the 1870s and continued to be made into the 1920s.
How can I tell if a CDV is from the Civil War era?
A revenue tax stamp on the back dates a CDV to between August 1864 and August 1866 — the only window when the U.S. taxed photographs. Square corners, plain mounts, and two-line photographer imprints also point to the 1860s; rounded corners and elaborate decorated backs are 1870s and later.
How much is an antique CDV worth?
Common 1870s studio portraits typically run $5–$25, while Civil War soldier images, identified subjects, occupational portraits, and outdoor scenes can run from $75 into the thousands. Condition, identification, and historical interest of the sitter drive value far more than age alone.
Are CDVs and cabinet cards the same thing?
No — they share the albumen process but cabinet cards are larger (about 4¼ × 6½ inches on heavier card stock) and came into vogue in the late 1860s. CDVs and cabinet cards coexisted from roughly 1866 into the 1890s before cabinets took over the standard portrait market.
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