logo
Marking time

Marking time in May 2011

Sunday 15 May 2011

Steamship ‘Denmark’

Millions of carte-de-visite photographs were produced in the second half of the nineteenth century. Almost all of them were studio portraits, but there were also a few topographic subjects like buildings and landscapes. Even rarer were cartes produced as commercial advertisements, and here is an example.

Albumen print reproduction of a painting, mounted on a letterpress printed card. The card is similar to a carte-de-visite card, but slightly larger at 108 x 65 mm.

According to Norway-heritage the steam ship on the card was built in 1865 in England for the West India & Pacific Line and named the Chilian. It was soon sold to the National Line, re­named Denmark, and began carrying migrants from northern Europe across the Atlantic to America.

I’m guessing here, but I can imagine a shipping agent handing one of these little photos only to a person rich enough to afford a cabin passage. The great majority of passengers​—​who traveled in cramped dormitories on the lower decks​—​would have been lucky to receive a plain printed handbill listing ports of call and sailing dates.

The back of the card, with a plan of the cabin layout.

Permanent URL. Use it to bookmark or link to this item.   filed under  History + Photography

comment on this article by private email
Search marquis-kyle.com.au

On this page
Steamship ‘Denmark’

Monthly archive
2021 A
2020 O A J J M A M F J
2019 D A J
2018 O S A J J M A M F J
2017 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2016 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2015 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2014 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2013 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2012 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2011 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2010 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2009 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2008 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2007 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2006 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2005 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2004 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2003 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2002 D N O S A J J M A M F J
2001 D N

Subject archive
Archaeology
Architecture
Collecting
Conservation
Design
Environment
Food
History
Lighthouses
Maps
Me
Photography
Prints
Ratbags
Reviews
Society
Technology
The web
This site
Tools
Typography
Words

About marking time

RSS

©
Contact me