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Posted By: Hankron 

I like MastroNet, and have already placed some bids, but in some areas they, or whoever writes the catalogs, are consistantly ignorant. About every auction they make certain mistakes, I point out the basic errors, and the next auction they make the exact same mistakes. It's to the point of almost being comical. One of the problems, other than they are errors, is that the general hobby and folks on eBay emulate MastroNet-- which means the same mistakes are repeated.

Most common mistakes made by MastroNet and emulated by others, (but not by anyone reading this).

WIREPHOTO: Though commonly used as a general term, a wire photo is a specific type of news service photograph. The wire photo is only the photograph reproduced by a wirephoto machine and sent through the telephone wires to another wirephoto machine. There is no such thing as a 1910s wirephoto, as the machine hadn't been invented yet. Almost no Pre 1934 photos are wirephotos. If you aren't sure whether or not something is a wirephoto, called it the general term of 'news service photo' or 'press photo.'

This is not just David getting technical, as the original photograph (non wire photo) is by its nature rarer, higher quality and of higher longterm value.

Wirephoto is THE most commonly misused and misunderstood term in the hobby.


CABINET CARD: As with wirephoto, cabinet card is not a general term but a specific sized photograph (4-1/2" by 6-1/2" overall size). Realize that the mounted photograph terms (cabinet card, cdv, etc) were commercial standards applied to specific sized photograph. The same as AA battery or size D men's shoe. As such, it's not correct to say 'big cabinet card' or 'smaller cabinet card.' An Old Judge Cabinet is a cabinet card. If it's bigger or smaller than that, it's something else.

If you don't know whether or not a mounted photograph (paper photo pasted to a cardboard mount) is a CDV or cabinet card or other, simple give its dimensions and call it a 'mounted photograph.'


IMPERIAL CABINET CARD, or IMPERIAL: Again, this is a specific size of photograph (about 7" x 10", though there can be some variations in size. You can get away with calling a 8x10 mounted photo an imperial) and is not a generalized term. MastroNet has an apparent compulsion to apply this term to very large photographs, which is incorrect.

WOOD-ENVRAGING VERSUS ENGRAVING: These are not interchangable terms, as an engraving and a wood-engraving are totally different types of prints. The Harper's prints are wood-engravings but not engravings. You can also call Hapers' prints 'woodcuts', which is a larger area of printing that includes wood-engravings.

REAL PHOTO can only be have an actual photographic image. A printed card or pc or whatever is not real photo.

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Posted By: harry

Many auction companies, not just Mastro, use specific words incorrectly. The word "lithograph" also comes to mind.

On the other hand, I do not think that the measurements for cabinets are as specific as you make them out to be. It is, at least, not cut and dry. For example, here is the definition from dicionary.com for cabinet photograph:

"Cabinet photograph, a photograph of a size smaller than an imperial, though larger than a carte de visite."

The overuse of the term "wire photo" is annoying.

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Posted By: Julie

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I bought a 19th century "cabinet" recently that was about 4.5" across but nearly 9" high. Very nice way to show a full body image BTW. The seller called it a panel card. I'd never seen these dimensions before, but I am new to 19th century cabinets. Ever heard of this? The photographer was Wood.

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Posted By: Hankron

When in doubt, simply give the dimensions of the photograph when selling. Also, I think the term 'cabinet-style' or 'cabinet card-style' is perfectly accetable-- the term meaning, "This isn't technically a cabinet card but it's the same kind of photograph." If someone is selling an '8x10 cabinet-style photograph', we all know what he or she is talking about.

There were actually loads of different names given to 'cabinet-style' photographs, with each name corresponding to a card photograph of different dimensions. While cabinet, CDV and Imperial Cabinet are the most common, other names/sizes include the Boudior card, Swiss card, Promenade Card, Paris card. There are so many names/size combinations, in fact, that there's no need for a collector to try and memorize them all. That's why I say, when in doubt simply give the dimensions of the photograph.

Wood was a prominant baseball photograph. I know he did photos of Harry/George Wright teams and I believe that one of his cabinet cards is shown in Lewe Lipset's enyclopedia.

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Posted By: Hankron

I should also point out that, as with many baseball cards, there will be reasonable variations in the size-- often due to manufacturing varations. If, for example, a card photograph does not match exactly the measurement for a cabinet card listed above, but is close, it is reasonable to call it a cabinet card. In other words, you shouldn't sweat over quarter inch or whatever.

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Posted By: Hankron

One last point. I'm not a nitpicker, and, assuming the seller lists the dimensions, don't have a seizure when an eBayer offers a 'mini-cabinet card.' I beleive in 'No harm, no foul.' I do, however, hold major auction houses like MastroNet and Sotheby's to a different level of scrutiny. Especially as they are dealing with particularly rare and expensive items, and, like a baseball hero, their practices are so widely emulated.

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Posted By: Hankron

Adam, I had forgotten to mention that your photograph isn't technically a Panel Card, as Panel Cards are larger. I don't know the name for your sized-photo, though there may be one. Just realize that, other qualities even, the larger the 19th century photo the more desirable and rarer. So that yours is larger than normal is good.

One last point, a generic term to cover all these types of photographs (paper photograph pasted to a cardboard backing) is either 'mounted photograph' or 'card photograph.' You will notice that they are all called 'cabinet CARD', 'Panel CARD', 'tobacco CARD.' Even Cartes de Visite (CDV) is French for 'visiting card.'

In other words, it's perfectly acceptable to call an odd size, a "card photograph bigger than a cabinet card."

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I've seen five different boxers with the same dimensions and gold bordered mount, all by Wood, from two different dealers.

I'd love to find some baseball players in this size (but who wouldn't?).