"New Masonic Temple, Boston," circa 1870

01

Artifact Overview

This carte-de-visite, made around 1870 in the studio of Boston photographer Joseph Ward, shows the city's "New Masonic Temple" (built in 1867). Cartes-de-visite were small photographic prints on cardboard stock made by professionals. Americans commonly collected and exchanged cartes-de-visites, which remained popular in the United States from the Civil War in the 1860s through the 1880s.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Carte-de-visite (Card photograph)

Date Made

circa 1870

Subject Date

circa 1870

Creators

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2012.0.5.62

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford

Material

Cardboard
Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Albumen process
Mounting

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 4 in
Width: 2.375 in

Inscriptions

Text on front under image: NEW MASONIC TEMPLE, / BOSTON Photographer's imprint on back reads: JOSEPH WARD / LOOKING GLASSES, PICTURE FRAMES, / PHOTOGRAPHS, / STEREOSCOPES AND VIEWS. / 125 WASHINGTON ST. / BOSTON Red bordered label on back typed: 4356
"New Masonic Temple, Boston," circa 1870