Scarce: Victorian CDV Album Frontispiece Filler Card – Children & Nursery Scenes c1870s

Description:

An unusual and highly decorative Victorian carte-de-visite (CDV) album filler/frontispiece card, produced specifically for insertion at the front of a photograph album, circa 1870s–1880s.

Rather than depicting a single sitter, the card is composed as a dense photographic montage of Victorian children, portraits, theatrical or genre scenes and familiar nursery subjects. Individual scenes are captioned “The Children in the Wood,” “Hush-a-Bye Baby,” “Little Bo-Peep” and “Little Red Riding Hood.”

The elaborate central panel carries the charming inscription:

“Yes, this is my Album

But learn ere you look:

That all are expected

To add to my book.

You are welcome to quiz it,

The penalty is;

You add your own portrait

For others to quiz!”

This wording explains the card’s function beautifully. It was intended as an introductory leaf to a Victorian photograph album, inviting visitors to look through the collection while humorously insisting that they contribute their own portrait in return.

Such commercially produced album filler cards provided decorative subjects for otherwise empty CDV apertures and included reproductions of paintings, royalty, religious subjects, theatrical personalities and sentimental scenes. This example is more specifically an album introductory or frontispiece card, its verse directly addressing anyone about to browse the photographs that followed.

The surrounding collage is particularly interesting, incorporating numerous small photographic reproductions and tableaux associated with childhood and Victorian popular culture. The Gothic/black-letter typography and elaborate scalloped central reserve are typical of the decorative taste of the period.

The reverse is completely plain, with no photographer’s or publisher’s imprint visible.

Condition: Good antique condition overall with expected age-related toning, minor marks and light edge/corner wear. Please examine the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.

A scarce and very appealing piece of Victorian photographic-album ephemera, and considerably more interesting than the usual portrait CDV — particularly desirable as an example whose original purpose as the opening card of an album is explicitly stated in the design.

Combined postage available.

USA BUYERS NOTE: Please wait for an invoice before making payment as Duty will be added at this end as the seller has to pay in Australian lodgement at the post office.