The carte de visite was a standard size small albumen photograph, that when mounted on a thicker paper card, measured 2.5 inches (64mm) by 4 inches (100mm).

The advantage over previous methods of photographic reproduction that allowed for only a single reproduction at a time, was that the inventor, Frenchman Adolphe Disderi had patented a photographic method in 1854 using the 'multiplying camera-obscura', that took multiple separate negatives on a single plate thus reducing production costs. Later versions of this camera took 8 and then 12 negatives on a single plate.

The format and cheaper cost meant that for the first time it was economical for relatives and friends to exchange portraits either by hand or by post, no matter where they were located, and from about 1859 their use spread from Paris to other areas of Europe and the Americas.

The popularity of the carte de visite more...

56 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

A collection of cartes-de-visite (approximately 80) and album.…

A collection of cartes-de-visite (approximately 80) and album. New Zealand, Australian and English photographers, 19th century

Tasmania: A leather-bound album containing an extensive range…

Tasmanian Cartes-De-Visite Album

Tasmania: A leather-bound album containing an extensive range of Tasmanian cartes-de-visite. Photographers noted include Anson Brothers, H.H. Baily, C. Cherry, Duval & Co., T. Nevin, C. Wherrett & Co., Wherrett & McGuffie, Alfred Winter, W. Burrows & Co.,…

James E. Bray, photographer, Beechworth, Victoria, a group of…

Victorian Albumen Prints of Beechworth and Richmond

James E. Bray, photographer, Beechworth, Victoria, a group of eight (8) original carte-de-visite size albumen prints laid-down on Bray cards, each titled in manuscript, including 'Ford St', 'Lunatic Asylum', 'View of Beechworth from Kerferd St', etc.;…

T.F. Chuck of Ballarat: two cartes-de visite of an albino…

Albino Violinist Cartes-de-Visite from 19th Century Ballarat

T.F. Chuck of Ballarat: two cartes-de visite of an albino violinist, 19th century,

G. Wood, Son & Co. Adelaide, carte-de-visite, circa 1870s.…

G. Wood & Co. Adelaide, Carte-de-Visite, 1870s

G. Wood, Son & Co. Adelaide, carte-de-visite, circa 1870s. Inscribed verso 'G. Wood, Son & Co. Adelaide, S.A.. Gilbert William wood (1828-1886) see far right of photo',

Photographers:Portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., (50 items).…

Melbourne Photographers: Portraits and Cartes-de-Visite

Photographers:Portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., (50 items). Melbourne Photographers: Portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., by E. Sands (Bourke St.); J. T. Seymour (Wellington St.); William Short & Co (Bourke St. East); Stevenson & McNicoll (Elizabeth St.);…

King Johnny Aboriginal in European clothing, wearing a…

King Johnny in European Attire

King Johnny Aboriginal in European clothing, wearing a king-plate, circa 1880 carte-de-visite albumen paper print on unknown photographer's card, 10.5 x 6.5 cm.

A leather-bound album containing cartes-de-visite; mainly of…

Antique Cartes-de-Visite Album from Australia

A leather-bound album containing cartes-de-visite; mainly of South Australian and Victorian origin. (199 images).

Adelaide & South Australian photographers: portraits,…

South Australian Photographers, 19th Century

Adelaide & South Australian photographers: portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., by Thomas Adcock (King William St.); Adelaide photo Co. (Rundle St.); Adelaide photographic Co. (King William St.); Adelaide school of Photography (Rundle St.); American studio…

H.F. Dufty group of seven cartes-de-visite portrait photographs…

H.F. Dufty's Cartes-de-Visite Portraits from Fiji

H.F. Dufty group of seven cartes-de-visite portrait photographs including native Fijian, 19th century, reverses labelled 'F.H. Dufty Photographer Levuka, Fiji' and 'Photo by F.H. Dufty Victoria studio, Levuka, Fiji'

Eureka interest: military portrait carte-de-visite photograph…

Military Portrait Carte-de-Visite from Bardwell Royal Studio Ballarat

Eureka interest: military portrait carte-de-visite photograph possibly the 40th or 12th regiment, Bardwell Royal studio, Sturt Street, Ballarat

Anson Brothers (Hobart), portrait of an Aboriginal man and two…

Aboriginal Portrait by Anson Brothers of Hobart

Anson Brothers (Hobart), portrait of an Aboriginal man and two women, carte de visite albumen print mounted on a photographer's card, inscribed on the verso 'Natives of Tasmania', 10 x 6.2 cm

Thomas Edward Price, group portrait of Maori men, carte de…

Maori Men Group Portrait by T.E. Price

Thomas Edward Price, group portrait of Maori men, carte de visite albumen print mounted on photographer's card, 10.2 x 6.2 cm

Thomas Edward Price, group of Maori figures in front of a…

Maori Figures in Front of Wharenui Tipuna

Thomas Edward Price, group of Maori figures in front of a wharenui tipuna (dwelling), carte de visite albumen print mounted on photographer's card, 10.2 x 6.2 cm

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of a Maori woman, carte de…

Maori Woman by Samuel Carnell (Napier)

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of a Maori woman, carte de visite albumen print mounted on photographer's card, 10.2 x 6.2 cm

Thomas Edward Price, portrait of a Maori woman wearing a…

Maori Woman with Whalebone Hand Club

Thomas Edward Price, portrait of a Maori woman wearing a korowai holding a kotiate paraoa (whalebone hand club), carte de visite albumen print mounted on photographer's card, 10.2 x 6.2 cm

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of a Maori chief with huia…

Maori Chief with Huia Feathers and Korowai

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of a Maori chief with huia feathers in his hair and wearing a korowai, carte de visite albumen print mounted on a photographer's card, 10 x 6.2 cm

Portrait of an Aboriginal woman, carte de visite albumen print…

Aboriginal Woman, Carte de Visite

Portrait of an Aboriginal woman, carte de visite albumen print mounted on a photographer's card, 102 x 6.2 cm

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of Hami Te Hauerangi, carte…

Portrait of Hami Te Hauerangi by Samuel Carnell

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of Hami Te Hauerangi, carte de visite albumen print mounted on a photographer's card. 10.2 x 6.2 cm

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of a Maori woman in a korowai,…

Maori Woman in Korowai by Samuel Carnell (Napier)

Samuel Carnell (Napier), portrait of a Maori woman in a korowai, carte de visite albumen print mounted on photographer's card. 10.2 x 6.2 cm

An accumulation of cartes de visite, mainly Australian…

Collection of Australian and English Cartes de Visite

An accumulation of cartes de visite, mainly Australian photographers, including Wilmot & key (Geelong), Batchelder & O'Neill (Melb.), Yoeman & Co. (Prahran), Waddington & Co. (Melb.), Davies & Co. (Melb.), Turner's (Geelong), Gaul & Dunn (Melb.), T.S…

Queensland, other Australian, New Zealand & other foreign…

Portraits by international photographers

Queensland, other Australian, New Zealand & other foreign photographers: portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., including the work of Henry Goode (Rockhampton), Hansen Lundager (Rock'ton), Mathewson (Brisbane), McCleeand & Goode (Rock'ton), J. Watson…

Melbourne photographers: portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., by…

Melbourne Photographers of the 19th Century

Melbourne photographers: portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., by E. Sands (Bourke St.), J. T. Seymour (Wellington St.), William short & Co (Bourke St. East), Stevenson & McNicoll (Elizabeth St.), Stewart & Co. (Bourke St. East), Stewart & Co. (Bourke St.),…

Early Brisbane: group of seven cartes de visite by J.Watson of…

Early Brisbane: 1870 Riverfront and City Views

Early Brisbane: group of seven cartes de visite by J.Watson of Queen Street, Brisbane, showing detailed early river front and city views, circa 1870., Watson occupied premises in Queen Street between 1862 and 1875.

Sydney & New South Wales photographers: portraits,…

NSW Photographers: Portraits & Cartes-de-Visite

Sydney & New South Wales photographers: portraits, cartes-de-visite, etc., by Besse && Edwards (Bega), William Bradley (Pitt St.), F.A. Breen (Nowra), Burton Bros (Albury), R. Caspers (Goulburn), Clarke Bros. (Windsor), W.H. Crago (Sydney), Elite studio…

Australian goldfields group of six cartes de visite of a…

Goldfields Theatrical Troupe and Illustrated News (7 items)

Australian goldfields group of six cartes de visite of a theatrical troupe taken in Castlemaine Victoria, together with an 1852 edition of the London illustrated news with Victorian gold rush motif on the cover. (7 items)

Tasmania: A leather-bound album containing an extensive range…

Tasmanian Cartes-de-Visite: A Photographer's Collection

Tasmania: A leather-bound album containing an extensive range of Tasmanian cartes-de-visite. Photographers noted include Anson Brothers, H.H. Baily, C. Cherry, Duval & Co., T. Nevin, C. Wherrett & Co., Wherrett & McGuffie, Alfred Winter, W. Burrows & Co.,…

An early photo of a Lindauer painting and a carte de visite…

Maori Woman and Child in Muka Cloak

An early photo of a Lindauer painting and a carte de visite attributed to Elizabeth Pulman, both images of a Maori woman wearing muka cloak with child to their back. 14 x 9.5 cm and 9.5 x 6 cm.

A bearded footballer in full playing outfit with inflated oval…

1880 Footballer in Melbourne Studio Portrait

A bearded footballer in full playing outfit with inflated oval ball at his side, circa 1880, Albumen print photograph, carte de visite format, 102 x 64 mm, verso imprinted 'From Burman's Photographic Rooms, 209 Bourke St. East, near Parliament Houses and…

Five Mid/Late-19th century New Zealand Cartes de Visite, all…

Unidentified Cartes de Visite from 19th Century New Zealand

Five Mid/Late-19th century New Zealand Cartes de Visite, all albumen silver prints, unknown, untitled. Young woman wearing feather cloak. C.1860-90. 8 x 5.5 cm., attributed to Burton Brothers, portrait of Ratene Hihitawa, ngati Pakenga of Tauranga. C.1870…

Isaac Albert Newton four panelled picture frame with carte de…

Newton Family Carte de Visite Picture Frame

Isaac Albert Newton four panelled picture frame with carte de visite portraits of the Newton family, 19th/20th century, 18 x 41 cm overall. Provenance: Direct family descent

Deslandes, John [Victorian Gold Rush] Carte de visite format…

Victorian Gold Rush Nugget Photograph by John Deslandes

Deslandes, John [Victorian Gold Rush] Carte de visite format albumen print photograph of a gold nugget, with hand colouring in gold; recto with the imprint of J.Deslandes, Photographic Artist, Inglewood.' The card with contemporary inscription in ink:…

A collection of Foy Brothers Maori portrait photographs,…

Foy Brothers Maori Portrait Collection

A collection of Foy Brothers Maori portrait photographs, c1872-1886, black and white carte de visite photographic print, Pare Whakerongomai (Pare Watene), 16.5 x 10.8 cm, verso 164. Pare Whakerongomai, Hori Ngakapa Te Whanaunga, 16.8 x 10.6 cm, verso 258.…

(Chang Woo Gow 1841 - 1893), Chang the Chinese Giant, Ballarat,…

Chang Woo Gow, the Chinese Giant, in Australia 1870

(Chang Woo Gow 1841 - 1893), Chang the Chinese Giant, Ballarat, 1870, Albumen print photograph of carte-de-visite 106 x 62 mm, verso imprinted for Bardwell's Royal Studio, Opposite the Theatre Ballarat. Chang Woo Gow (born in Canton, China) visited…

Collection of 85 carte de visite portrait photographs, many…

Australian Carte de Visite Portrait Collection

Collection of 85 carte de visite portrait photographs, many Australian examples

Tasmania: A collection of 1870s-90s albumen photographs laid…

Collection of 1870s-90s Tasmania Albumen Photographs

Tasmania: A collection of 1870s-90s albumen photographs laid down on pages or card, various sizes. Subjects mostly annotated in a contemprary hand and include 'Abandoned Penal Establishment, Salt Water River', Hobart Town Harbour 6th April 1880,…

A collection of predominantly Australian carte de visite and…

Australian 19th Century Portrait Collection

A collection of predominantly Australian carte de visite and salon portraits, 19th century, inspection will reward

Burgess Bushranger Gang 1866 Carte de Visite by Captain…

Burgess Bushranger Gang Carte de Visite and Related Items

Burgess Bushranger Gang 1866 Carte de Visite by Captain Coulston showing the Victorian bushrangers Philip Levy, Richard Burgess, Thomas Kelly (Noon) & Joseph Thomas Sullivan, most famous for the Maungatapu Murders in New Zealand, plus a 1924 book on the…

Batchelder and O'Neill photographers: Carte-de-VIsite…

William Landsborough and Aboriginal Trackers in Carte-de-Visite Photograph

Batchelder and O'Neill photographers: Carte-de-VIsite photograph depicting William Landsborough and two Aboriginal trackers, Jemmy and Jack Fisherman. circa 1862. Landsborough led a search for Burke and Wills after their disappearance.10 x 6.5 cm

Carte de Visite photographs by Tasmanian photographers.

Tasmanian Carte de Visite Photographers

Carte de Visite photographs by Tasmanian photographers.

Carte de Visite photographs by Ballarat photographers, includes…

Ballarat Carte de Visite Photographs

Carte de Visite photographs by Ballarat photographers, includes one showing a carriage in front of a house; and another of a man wearing what appears to be a masonic collar.

Carte de Visite photographs (175) by Victorian photographers,…

Victorian Photograph Collection: Cartes de Visite and Tintype

Carte de Visite photographs (175) by Victorian photographers, one an earlier tintype photograph.

Carte de Visite photographs (198) & Cabinet Card photographs…

Australian Antique Photo Collection

Carte de Visite photographs (198) & Cabinet Card photographs (30) by Australian photographers, plus range earlier tintype photographs (10).

Foy Brothers (Thames). Portrait of a young Ngati Maru woman…

Young Ngati Maru Woman in Traditional Attire

Foy Brothers (Thames). Portrait of a young Ngati Maru woman wearing korowhai and hei tiki. Original carte de visite, c. 1865

The Glew collection of rare carte de visite/ albumen prints by…

Rare Maori Portraits by Elizabeth Pulman, c1870s

The Glew collection of rare carte de visite/ albumen prints by Elizabeth Pulman, Auckland, c1870's. Print sizes generally: 90 x 5.5 cm. Three images have been cropped to an oval by the photographer. Mild fading and wear to prints. This exceptional…

Piggoreet Murder: Facinating group of 19th century photograph…

19th Century Murder Scene and Wanted Criminals Photographs

Piggoreet Murder: Facinating group of 19th century photograph including 3 captioned carte de visites of the murder scene near Ballarat showing where Mr Ballan shot Mr T Ulicke Burke, 'Black trackers finding the pistol', 'The exact spot.....', & 'The tree…

Aboriginal carte de visite by S.Duesbury of Brisbane c1870;…

Aboriginal and Historical Portraits Collection

Aboriginal carte de visite by S.Duesbury of Brisbane c1870; carte de visite, 'One Thousand Portraits of Living & Historical Celebrities'; J. W. Lindt cabinet portrait of a gent; & a carte de visite portrait.(4 items)

Charles Darwin: printed autograph on carte de visite by Elliott…

Charles Darwin Autographed Carte de Visite

Charles Darwin: printed autograph on carte de visite by Elliott and Fry of London c1870. good condition

Album of Carte-de-visite photographs c1850-1880s, mainly…

Cdv Photographs 1850-1880s: English Collection

Album of Carte-de-visite photographs c1850-1880s, mainly English photographers. mixed condition (140 items)

Cricket Carte de visite: Photo portrait of a seated cricketer…

Cricketer Portrait by Rodgers of Hamilton Ohio (c1865)

Cricket Carte de visite: Photo portrait of a seated cricketer (c1865) by Rodgers of Hamilton Ohio. Sitters name & some details also on the reverse in ink (William Lauder?). Rare piece. Corners trimmed

Group of 'Carte-de-visite' photographs. Many early Australian…

Early Australian Photographers' Carte-de-visite Collection

Group of 'Carte-de-visite' photographs. Many early Australian photographers including Nettleton, [Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and the U.K.]. (83)

Collection of Cartes-Des-Visites over 300 images backing card 1.…

300+ Cartes-Des-Visites Collection Album

Collection of Cartes-Des-Visites over 300 images backing card 1.2 cm high, 6.3 cm wide other notes album 18

Collection of studio cards, cartes-des-visites and tin types…

Vintage Portrait Collection

Collection of studio cards, cartes-des-visites and tin types approximately 100-175 images various sizes

Large collection of carte de visite

Carte de Visite Collection

Large collection of carte de visite

Large collection of carte de visite including Portraits by N.J.…

N.J. Caire Carte de Visite Portrait Collection

Large collection of carte de visite including Portraits by N.J. Caire

Cartes-de-visite depicting Charles Darwin in later life (2…

Darwin and Elephant Cartes-de-Visite

Cartes-de-visite depicting Charles Darwin in later life (2 different) and another depicting 'The Mother Elephant 'Hebe' and her baby 'Young America' (3)