Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Pocahontas, Virginia, Carte de Visite, Ms2009-081, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Pocahontas, Virginia, Carte de Visite was purchased by Special Collections in February 2009.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Pocahontas, Virginia, Carte de Visite commenced and was completed in May 2009.

Biographical Note

P. W. (Perry) Poff was born in Virginia, (probably Floyd), about 1854, to Lewis W. and Nancy Poff. Before 1900, he married Nellie Mullins (1873-1968). They had several children. Until about the mid-1890s, Poff ran a photography studio in Pocahontas, Virginia. By 1898, he and his family relocated to Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia, where he ran a new studio until the 1920s. Poff died after 1930 (1934?).

Historical Note

Prior to the use of cartes de visite, individuals used calling cards–cards with an individual's name engraved on the front. These cards were meant to be left with individuals one had visited. While these calling cards were quite popular in the mid-1800s, they were replaced by cartes de visites–small paper and cardboard cards with a photograph–with the improvements in photography during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Typically, these cards depicted an individual or a couple, and had the name(s) of those depicted on the picture.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of a carte de visite of an unidentified man taken by photographer P. W. Poff from Pocahontas, Virginia. A small section of the photograph, perhaps the name of the individual, has been removed.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by material type.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Pocahontas, Virginia, Carte de Visite by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).