Dating CDV photographs from the designs on the back

by Roger F. Vaughan 2003

The 1860s

The earliest CDV you will normally find in the UK will be 1859 and quite rare!

In the early 1860s the card was thin, with square corners, the logo and writing are one step up from an ink stamp, simple writing or with a logo

By 1865 designs such as the ribbon and scrolls, crowns and copies can be had statements, but the main design keeps to the middle of the card.

From 1868 on the design just gets more intricate but still quite simple.

General Information: 1860 - 1900. I do not expect you to be able to match every back exactly, the number of individual card designs may run into many thousands, and you have only 70 to go through, but work through the decades starting at the 1860s. Try to reach the same level of design complexity, for the trend is towards more complex designs through time. Beware of reprints. There will be many unique backs that will not fit anywhere, and those simple text only designs that can turn up at any date. A hand-stamped ink mark could have been done at any time.