The carte de visite was more affordable than its earlier, elaborately cased predecessors. Cartes de visite were easy to handle and could be mailed to friends and family. It was common for Civil War soldiers to have them made and sent back home. Images of actors, generals, royalty, statesmen, and works of art were mass-produced as cards and became popular to collect and trade.

Cabinet cards are similar to cartes de visite, but larger and mounted on thicker boards. The studio’s name is often displayed on the front bottom edge. Decorative scenes advertising the gallery were sometimes printed on the back of the card. W. S. Mahon of Nashville decorated the back of his cabinet card portraits with a cherub atop a studio camera.

Cabinet card of an unidentified man. Cabinet Card Photograph Collection. ID: hawk010.

This unidentified photograph of a young, formally-dressed man was taken by photographer W. S. Mahon in Nashville. "To Mamma from her boy" is written on the back. The photograph was taken on the Public Square in Nashville. Mahon’s studio was located at 117 Courthouse Square from 1888 to 1891.

Portrait of Admiral David G. Farragut, mass-produced, ca.1862-1867 by Salisbury Bros. & Co., Providence, Rhode Island. Carte de Visite Collection. ID: 31400.

Admiral Farragut was a Tennessean and American military hero. The mat enclosing the small image is decorated with elaborate embossing.

Full-length studio portrait of an unidentified girl, seated, ca. 1870s. A. B. Langford, photographer, Jackson, Tennessee Carte de Visite Collection . ID: 31482.

Full-length studio portrait of an unidentified woman, ca. 1876-1877. H. P. Seavy, photographer, Columbia, Tennessee Carte de Visite Collection. ID: 31459.