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Rural Retreat, Virginia, Carte de Visite,

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-2009-080

Scope and Content

This collection consists of a single carte de visite. While the woman pictured is unidentified, the photographer is. The back side of the card is marked "W.A. Johnston, Photographic Artist, Rural Retreat, Va."

Dates

  • Creation: n.d.

Creator

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Rural Retreat, Virginia, Carte de Visite must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Biographical/Historical Information

Prior to the use of cartes de visite, individuals used calling cards–cards with an individual's name engraved on the front. These cards were meant to be left with individuals one had visited. While these calling cards were quite popular in the mid-1800s, they were replaced by cartes de visites–small paper and cardboard cards with a photograph–with the improvements in photography during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Typically, these cards depicted an individual or a couple, and had the name(s) of those depicted on the picture.

W.A. Johnston was born in Virginia about 1844. In 1880, he listed his profession as photographer, and was boarding with a Crockett family in Wythe County, Virginia. No other biographical information is available.

Full Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains a carte de visite is of an unidentified woman taken by photographer W.A. Johnston from Rural Retreat, Virginia.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by material type.

Acquisition Information

The Rural Retreat, Virginia, Carte de Visite was purchased by Special Collections in February 2009.

General Physical Description note

1 folder; 0.1 cu. ft.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Rural Retreat, Virginia, Carte de Visite commenced and was completed in May 2009.

Title
A Guide to the Rural Retreat, Virginia, Carte de Visite, n.d.
Status
Completed
Author
Lora Settle
Date
© 2009 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308