[Salesman's Sample] Photographer's traveling portrait sample with protective faux leather roll

[no place]: [no publisher], [no date]. Very Good. Faux leather protective roll with three snap closures, containing one portrait on paper. The whole connected between two large (1 3/4 inch) dowel halves on one end. The salesman could add various portraits to the assemblage by separating the two half dowels, adding additional portraits, and screwing the assemblage together again. This example has a linen guard to protect the paper portrait as it is rolled and snapped shut. Leather roll is approx 17 inches wide and two foot long. Portrait in this case is of a distinguished man in a suit, shoulders up. Marked on the rear of this portrait (which is paper laid onto linen) is a stamp "Crayon" and various sizes and costs. Generally good condition, with some soiling to the faux leather, and minor creasing to the portrait. Large photographic prints were expensive and difficult to store and transport. This was one solution for photographers - a sample portrait that could be rolled up in a protective cover and taken where-ever needed - the fair, the office, or a client's home.

We find one of these a year roughly so they were in use - rarely do we find the same images used though. This example has one portrait (some have multiples) which is marked "Crayon" on the rear. This may refer to Crayon Portraiture which was a method of using crayons, a solar projector, and crayon paper to hand-draw an enlarged portrait from a smaller image. There are other, competing processes as well, all 19th century inventions. We often see the results in victorian era frames in antique shops so there was some success in promoting and creating these portraits.

An excellent "prop" that takes the holder back to the days of the traveling photographer.