Category Archives: CDVs
1870s CDV of boy with intense stare. Private collection.
Once in a while I come across a special portrait that makes me go “wow”, then “hm…this looks like an old soul”. This picture captured the boy with the intense stare of somebody much beyond his years.
The card has round corners not shown here.
He was well dressed too, with a white ribbon tied like a bowtie. By the lapels and style of card I estimate this was taken around 1870 or in the early years of the decade at most. The front bottom was clipped to fit in an album.
Photographer: Warren’s Portraits. 465 Washington St. Boston. Massachusetts.
4 Comments | tags: 1870s, beautiful eyes, Boston, Massachusetts, old soul, USA, Warren's Portraits | posted in Boys, CDVs
Austrian boy with very high collar & cigarette. CDV. Personal Collection.
A thick late period CDV of a dapper Austrian boy. He’s wearing a high collar and white tie that together elongate his silhouette. His jacket’s wrinkled but his gentlemanly appearance is complete with a straw boater hat, buttonhole jewelry chain and a cane tucked on his arm.
The backdrop is plain and looks like a painted room corner.
This card reminds me of the German one.
Photographer: Atelier Tegeffhoff. Inh. F. Jelinek. Vienna. Austo-Hungarian Empire.
2 Comments | tags: 1900s, Atelier Tegeffhoff, Austria, Austro-Hungarian Empire, cigarette, coming of age, europe, smoking, straw boater hat | posted in CDVs, Teens
1860s ‘uncle’ John Randolph. CDV. Private Collection.
This handsome fellow with the small smile came on a CDV with the beautiful design around the vignette portrait. His name is written in pencil on the back. Was he of the famed Randolph family of Virginia?
I wonder if his bowtie was a patriotic red and white.
John Randolph CDV with the intricate chandelier-like frame design.
Leave a comment | tags: 1860s-1870s, John Randolph, smiling, USA, Virginia | posted in CDVs, Gentlemen
1890s-1900s European circus performers. CDV. Private Collection
The CDV is blank, back and front, but someone wrote their names and even the circus they toured with. Unfortunately I haven’t found info on either the circus or this pair of dancers/circus performers. I can’t even begin to imagine what their lives were like performing on the road back then. What do you think, siblings or a couple? It would make sense to imagine siblings growing up training how to dance, and they look similar.
Robert og Hilda Smith
Cirkus Frank C. Louis
4 Comments | tags: 1890s-1900s, beautiful couple, circus, dancers | posted in CDVs, Couples
1890s CDV. Private Collection.
A very interesting little CDV, both unique and beautiful, of a young man in profile with glasses on his nose.
He’s wearing some fine and unusual evening wear. The details are amazing like the diamond shaped buttons on the white shirt, and the looped ones on the slim coat. His bowtie looks made of velvet.
His hair also feels like an anachronism.
Back of CDV. V. Donat & J. Tomas
Photographer: V. Donat & J. Tomas. Prague. Czech Republic (the Austro Hungarian Empire at the time).
3 Comments | tags: 1890s, Czech Republic, europe, fashion, glasses, handsome man, menswear, Prague, victorian | posted in CDVs, Gentlemen
Bowlers And High Collars 