Dating Cartes de Visite

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Above right: Clare pastoral pioneer John often inked in particulars on the back of his cartes. "Charles Henry Standish Hope. Carte taken April 28th 1864. Age 2 yrs 8 months & 10 days." Carte de visite by T. Duryea. No. 5420.

Above left: Bernard Goode's newspaper advertisements dated this carte de visite imprint. He was at 155 Rundle Street from February 1863 to October 1864.

Left: Ages of the four Walker children and date were written on the back of this carte de visite made by photographer John Hood, of Glenelg.

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DATING SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CARTES DE VISITE.
Most South Australian cartes de visite carried the photographer's imprint, either in letterpress, rubber stamp, or inked inscription. But while most studios made provision for a negative number, only a few ever put numbers on their cards. In trying to establish dates for some cartes I have concentrated on the three most useful features - the design, the number, and the date where given. I have used horizontal scrolling to provide a more continuous display of the card images. The scroll bar below will take you to Duryea's cartes at right.

TOWNSEND DURYEA'S CARTES DE VISITE.

Duryea was an American daguerreotypist who opened a studio in Adelaide in 1855. See also his entry in the Photographers section under CONTENTS.

Townsend Duryea began making cartes de visite in late 1862 or early 1863, and was advertising his "new" style of carte in May 1863. After examining a fairly large sample of his cards I have arranged them in the order in which I feel they were produced. Almost all of his cards have numbers, some have genuine dates, and as a convenient check he occasionally advertised the size of his negative collection in the press.
The sequence of cards, number ranges and dates I have attributed to them may change as more information becomes available. I would be pleased to receive any unwanted cartes or clear photocopies so that I can more accurately determine the date of South Australian cartes.
A carte with a number belonging to a much earlier number range would be a reprint from an old negative held in storage.

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Left: No. 8 and No. 9.

These are the same but for one small detail - the spelling of "sennotype". No. 8 has the word for this process spelt with a single "n", as in detail at lower left. Range 28,900 to 30,700.
DATE - 1866-1867?

On card design No. 9 (not shown) the spelling of "sennotype" has been corrected. Range 30,700 to 36,500. No.36,100 = Feb. 1868.

Duryea began making sennotypes in January 1864.

Top left: No. 15. This design is similar to, but not the same as, No.14. Numbers range from 47,000 to 48,000. No Printer's name.
DATE - 1871 ?

No. 16 is the same as No. 15 but has the printer's name, Penman & Galbraith added. See enlargement at below left. Range 48,000 to 56,000.
DATE - c. 1872 - 1873.

STUDIO DESTROYED.

Right: No 18. Early in the morning of 18 April 1875 Duryea's studio, and collection of negatives, were destroyed by fire. The studio was rebuilt and re-opening advertised for 18 October 1875, with Duryea offering free sittings to anyone whose negatives had been lost. Highest number seen, i.e. before fire, is 60295 in card No. 18 which is also seen with low numbers (after the fire). A new series of numbers began after the fire. While the studio was being rebuilt Duryea's business was continued at his second studio, The Adelaide School of Photography in Rundle Street, managed by Saul Solomon.

Above: No 1 and No 2. Both use the same coat of arms (above right), but No. 1 is 119 mm high and the distance between the bottom of "T. Duryea" and the dotted line after "No." is 50 mm. Card No. 2 looks the same, but is closer to the normal size for a c de v, being 109 mm high, distance "Duryea" to dotted line 43 mm. Earliest card seen so far is a No 1, Neg. 2595, portrait dated Nov. 1863." DATES -- 1863-1864

Above left: No 3. Only one card seen, No. 6278.
Above right: No 4. These were cards No 3. over- printed with "Photographer to His Excellency." The alignment varies on every card seen. Range 5,000 to 6,700. DATE -- 1864 ?

Above: No 5. Range 4,600 to 7,700.
DATES -- 1864 (definite), 1865 (perhaps)

Above: No. 6 and No. 7. These cards are the same as above left but for one small detail, the centres of the shield. No. 6 is shown at above centre, and No. 7 at above right.
Range for No. 6. - 7,000 to 23,000 DATES -- 15,500 = Oct. 1865.
Range for No. 7. - 18,000 to 28,500 DATE -- 1866 ?

Above: No 10. Range 38,000 to 39,000

DATE - 1868.

Above: No 11. Range 39,000 to 41,800.

DATE - 1869.

Above: No 12. Range 41,800 to 42,500.

DATE - 1869 ?

Above: No 13. Range 43,000 to 45,500.

DATE - c.1869 - 1870.

Above: No 14. Range 45,500 to 47,000.
DATE - 1870 - 1871.
No. 46814 = Jany 1871.

Above: No. 17.
Range ? More numbers needed, seems to overlap Nos. 15 & 16
DATE - 1874- 1875?

Above: No. 18. see panel at left.
DATE - 1875-76?

Above Left: No. 19 and Above centre, No. 20. One of these could have been Duryea's last card. More numbered cards need to be seen. No 19 appears to be a new plate made from No. 17 original artwork. DATES - c.1875 - 1876 ?
Above Right: Nixon & Manning took over Duryea's studio (and status) c.1875-6. When their partnership dissolved Manning struck Nixon's name from the cards.