A. S. Williams III Cartes de Visite Collection

Collection

Identifier: WP-001

Scope and Contents

The collection contains approximately 3,400 cartes de visite. The images primarily depict portraits of individuals, many of which are not identified. Other images include pastorals and landscape scenes. The images are arranged by the location of the photography studio that produced the image.

Dates

circa 1854-1910

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers are responsible for using the materials in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright claimants in collection materials. Copyright for official University records is held by The University of Alabama. The library claims only physical ownership of many manuscript collections. Anyone wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of literary property rights or copyrights. Please contact Special Collections (archives@ua.edu) with questions regarding specific manuscript collections. For more information about copyright policy, please visit: https://www.ua.edu/copyright/. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals without the consent of those individuals may have legal implications, for which the University of Alabama assumes no responsibility.

Biographical / Historical

Cartes de visite (CDV) were a popular form of photography from around 1855 through 1900. The black-and-white images were most often small albumen prints mounted on thin cardboard, slightly larger than a modern baseball card. Individuals gave these cards to family and friends as visiting cards, leading to the need for albums to organize and display the images. As they were quick to make and mass-produceable, both celebrity and location cards became popular to buy and trade. Cartes de visite reached the height of their popularity in the 1860s and 1870s, eventually replaced with the larger cabinet card.

Extent

9.1 Linear Feet (23 containers)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

The collection contains approximately 3,400 cartes de visite, small photographs mounted on thin pieces of cardboard popular in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The images primarily depict portraits of individuals, many of which are not identified.