Portrait of a Young Man and Woman, 1896-1897

Professional photographers began producing cabinet cards in 1867. Consumers quickly preferred them over earlier cartes-de-visite, which were mounted on smaller cardboard stock. Through the early 1900s, Americans commonly exchanged and collected cabinet photographs -- often to commemorate friends or family. This young couple's portrait was made in Galveston, Texas, by George H. Wonfor in 1896 or 1897.