This stamp photograph is reproduced by kind permission of Daniel from Cinderellastampforum.com. The border is believed to be copied from the British penny lilac stamp issued from 1881 to 1901 with an oval within a dotted rectangle frame. Photographer and subject currently unknown.

These examples, which do not have perforations, have been fixed to a plain cream carte de visite sized mount so that they can be shown in a photo album. The engine turned style of cris-cross pattern surrounding the portraits is vaguely reminiscent of the engine turnings which appear on the background of the Penny Black stamp, while the cross fleury in each corner looks less in keeping with a postage stamp design. The overall size of each stamp is 1.3 x 1.7 inches. Photographer unknown.

This example shows a perforated stamp photograph stuck onto the carte de visite from which it was copied. There are no details of the photographer who took the carte de visite or the photographer who made the stamp photographs. The stamp is 0.9 x 1.0 inches. The owner's portrait is in an inner oval with scroll work in each corner. The stamp is perforated This carte came from the album of Fanny Pearce, b: 24 Oct 1871 in Gosberton, Lincs. The photograph, probably from the 1890s, may be of Fanny, or one of her sisters; Lydia or Florence. The carte de visite was a donation to help with fundraising for St Bartholomews Church West Pinchbeck, Lincs.

This example, affixed to an envelope, addressed to "Auntie", measures just 1 inch x 3/4 inch.The owner's portrait appears in a rectangular window with the two top corners rounded. This is contained within another rectangle with scroll work along the bottom, shading on the two sides and more scroll work in the top two corners. It is perforated 17 to 2cm. The image is of an unknown young man, date unknown, possibly around 1900.

This example measures just 1.0 x 0.8 inches, and had a gummed reverse. The sitter is in side profile and his portrait is contained in an oval window with a simple celtic square pattern border. There is a star in a circle in each corner. Overall the design has a crisp and realistic postage stamp appearance, perforated 12 to 2 cm. Sitter and photographer unknown.

This example again measures just 1.0 x 0.8 inches, and had a gummed reverse. The sitter is taken full face looking at the camera. The border is believed to be copied from the British penny lilac stamp issued from 1881 to 1901 with an oval within a dotted rectangle frame, and is printed on glossy paper. Perforated 14 to 2 cm. The stamp producer has not made the best use of the oval space within which the sitter's portrait appears. More od a close-up would have given a better result. This stamp photo has been stuck onto a piece of thin cream card 1.8 x 2.2 inches, possibly for insertion in an album. Sitter and photographer unknown.

Another example stamp photograph of an unknown lady, semi-profile. Dimensions, 1 inch x 0.8 inches, perforated 14 to 2cm. The border is believed to be copied from the British penny lilac stamp issued from 1881 to 1901 with an oval within a dotted rectangle frame, and is printed on glossy paper.

A Stamp photograph, semi-profile, of Miss Florence Halle, The Furze, Esher, from around 1900. The stamp photograph measures 1.0 x 0.8 inches, perforated 14 to 2cm. The sitter's portrait appears in an oval contained in a rectangle. There is scroll work in each corner of the rectangle, with a rather prominent inward facing stylised arrow in each corner. This shows the use of a stamp photograph to enhance a personal calling card, 3.5 x 2.5 inches, which, in this instance, has been used to send best wishes at Christmas 1900. The word "Miss" has been struck through, suggesting the recipeint was someone well known to Miss Halle

This example is by Francis - see below, reproduced from an article in a French periodical, La Nature, 1891. It is an engraving, an illustration from an article by G Mareschal on "Photographies Timbres-Poste", a novelty photographic format. Note how the engraver has incorrectly shown two rows of perforations between the stamps.

Portrait stamps 12 for 1s 6d

Edinburgh Photo Company 7 Leith Street, Rutherford’s Stair, Top flat.

The Scotsman Tues 25 July 1871 p1

Beautiful postage stamp photographs of actresses 100 post free for 1s 8d; 25 for 6d.

E.McCabe, Lurgan, Ireland.

Western Daily Press Tuesday 2 January 1877 p1, 5 Jan 1877 p1, 6 Jan p1, 8 Jan p1,

The Postage Stamp Photograph for heading letters, 2s per dozen (now very popular in England)

J. MACK, Artist, &c., Proprietor. 84 York Street Belfast

Belfast Telegraph, numerous entries from Mon 17 May 1880 p2, - Wednesday 19 June 1880 p1

The new patent postage stamp photographs, printed by a special process, price 4s per 100

George Lawrence, the inventor and patentee, 57 Queen Street, Cardiff

Cardiff Times Sat 1 Oct 1887 p8

A curiosity. Your picture reproduced by photography and made in sheets perforated and gummed the size and style of postage stamps. By using the novel portrait stamps you can affix your portrait to all your letters cards, books etc .

J.F.Foot and Son 44 Camden road London NW

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News - Saturday 29 September 1888 p26

Your picture reproduced by photography and made in sheets, perforated and gummed, the size of postage stamps. By using these novel portrait stamps you can affix your portrait to all your letters cards books &c.

James Wylie, photo artist, 27 Eglinton Street Beith

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald - Friday 11 January 1889  p1

Your photograph reproduced in the style of portrait stamps 50 for 3s 6d perforated and gummed.

C.Wilkie, Cork

Cork Constitution - Friday 22 February 1889 p1

Photographs reproduced in style of portrait stamps 50 3s 6d; 100 4s 6d

C.Fanner, Botley Station.

Portsmouth Evening News - Saturday 23 February 1889 p4

50 PO R T R A I T S, 3s. A Crowning Triumph. Any Photograph reproduced in the novel style of Portrait Stamps, made in Sheets, Perforated and Gummed like Postage Stamps. Thus you can put your Photograph on all your Letters, Cards, Circulars, Books, goods, &c. An unparalleled success. Everywhere receives the highest commendation

J. E. Foot and Son, 44, Camden road, London, N.W

The Era - Saturday 20 April 1889 p11

New POSTAGE STAMP PHOTOGRAPHS, which are equal in every respect to a first-class Cabinet or Carte. Being perforated and gummed, like postage stamps, they can be stuck on Visiting Cards, Envelopes, Programmes, &c,, thus forming an excellent advertising medium.

W. FRANCIS, 104, Mallinson-road, Wandsworth-common, S.W.

The Era Saturday 5 Oct 1889 p18

They are similar in size to the ordinary postage stamp and in a neat artistic border bear a well executed reduction of the carte de visite or cabinet photograph of the person who desires to use these admirable mediums of personal advertisement by affixing them to letters, circulars &c.

Messrs Green and M. Allan of 3 Ludgate Circus

The Era 21 June 1890 p18

the latest novelties hit upon by the ingenious photographer. As a work of art the portrait-stamp has much to recommend it; to egotistical persons and adventurers it ought to be treasure. You simply send in your ordinary carte to have it reduced, and the result is surprising.

Photo Novelty Company, Eden-quay, Dublin

Flag of Ireland Sat 4 Oct 1890 p6

Photograph of a design for producing stamp photographs, an oval in a rectangular border.

Copyright owner and author of work: George Piner Cartland, 7 High Street, Eton.

The National Archive COPY 1/404/441 and similar at COPY1/404/473 Registration stamp: 24 June 1891.

“An elaborately planned suicide” - reporting on the death of Sergeant Horace Tarrant. "Much sensation was also caused by the production of a number of visiting cards which were found on the deceased. Each card bore a loving memorial inscription to members of the family and friends, and pasted upon each card was a small stamp photograph of himself."

Not known

Hampshire Telegraph Sat 2 Jan 1892

Your photograph reduced to size of postage stamps 50 2s 9d,

The Portrait Stamp Co 2 River Street, Bedford.

Bedfordshire Times and Independent - Saturday 03 December 1892 p5

Stamp sized photographs. the finest reproduction obtainable in Lincoln and County from carte, cabinets or sittings, for Xmas cards or presents, 1s per dozen

Seaman's, Mint Street, Lincoln. See our page of additional information about the Seaman family. Edward Seaman patented a printing frame for stamp sized photographs in 1895.

Lincolnshire Echo - Saturday 18 December 1897 p1

Photographic Stamps. These little oddments have been found useful in many ways and for several purposes. As the title signifies they are generally portraits akin to postage stamps in size and appearance . They are issued ready gummed. 45 – 2/6d, 90 - 3/6d, 180 - 5/6d

W Tylar 41 High Street Aston, Birmingham.

The Photographic Annual 1898 Henry Sturmey Ed, London, p621

Palace New Brighton. At this popular place of amusement all the attractions are in full swing, the one constant round of entertainment is provided for the visitor. Attractions included the photographic stamp studio

Not known

Liverpool Mercury Thursday 22 June 1899 p8

In around 1900 James Whyte designed and sold a "Photo Stamp Album and Autograph Book". The book measured 9.5 x 6 in and had a thin card cover - reminiscent of the kind of albums used for cigarette cards. The book was marked out in rectangles for 180 stamp photos up to 1.25 x 1.5 inches in size with a space beneath each for a signature. The album was printed by J and J Murdoch of Glasgow and sold for 6d. A non perforated stamp sized photograph of Whyte appeared on the flyleaf, where he also offered "Your own photographs 12 for 1/-"

James Whyte, photographer, 37 Jamaica Street, Glasgow. More details about Whyte's work are here: on this excellent site on Glasgow photographers:

Cambridge University Library 1900.9.87, acquired in 1900.

The first advertisement below appeared in The Stage 25 Jan 1900. By April that year the second advertisement took its place, with slight variations over time, in a range of different local newspapers. The advertisements ran until March 1902.

Grossigraph stamp photos ware described as one and a quarter inches, later, double width prints were available for more than one subject

Grossigraph, 25 Lime Street, later 77 Paradise Street Liverpool. Spiridione Nicolo Grossi (1877-1921)

The Stage 25 Jan 1900. Numerous other newspapers 1900- March 1902 including: Lincolnshire Echo, Lichfield Mercury, Swindon Advertiser and North Wilts Chronicle, Cambridge Daily News, Peterborough Advertiser, Warminster & Westbury Journal, and Wilts County Advertiser, Kerry Evening Post, Cornish & Devon Post. This is the range of the campaign picked up by the indexing of the British Newspaper Archive - there were probably advertisements in additional newspapers not included in the Archive or found by its index. Interestingly Cambridgeshire was clearly targeted by the campaign, and so some of these early stamp photographs are likely to crop up in Cambridgeshire family albums.

British Journal Photographic Almanac 1912 p.407
1913 P421, 1914 p425, 1915 and 1916 p.176. Their later adverts, 1917, 1918, 1919 did not mention stamp photographs.