Charley’s Album of CDVs
CDVs 1-20

Click here for CDVs 21-40.

The following images are from an album of carte de visite (CDV) with a locking clasp discovered at estancia “La California” in the late 1960’s.  Per the inscription on its title page, we believe it was the property of Charles T. Benitz given him in 1874, when the family lived in Oakland, California (likely a birthday present, he turned 18 on July 2, 1874).

Many of the photographs were taken in Oakland or San Francisco, between 1868 and 1874.  The names and dates are written in block letters in pencil at the top of each page.  CDVs of non-family members were identified only if their names were written on the back of the CDVs.  This suggests that whoever wrote the names on the pages was not familiar with the family’s circle of friends in Oakland.

Carte de Visite (CDV) became enormously popular in the 1860’s and were exchanged among friends and visitors.  It was a thin paper photograph mounted on a thicker card (the size of a calling card, approx.: 6.5 x 10 cm. or 2.5 x 4 inches).  In the 1870s, larger “Cabinet Cards” (approx.: 11 x 17 cm. or 4.5 x 6.5 inches) replaced CDVs.  Cabinet cards remained popular into the early 20th century, until replaced by Kodak’s Brownie camera & home snapshots.

Thank you! After its discovery in the 1960s, the album became the property of Corina Benitz/Pryor as the eldest child of William A. Benitz (WABz was a nephew of Charley’s).  Corina passed it on to her daughter Jill.  The album was very kindly lent to us by Jill’s son, John Hudson.

Duplicates:  Several of these photos are also found in Josephine Kolmer/Benitz’s album of CDVs..

Image titles & text:
Pages: Title written at the top of the page;
CDVs: our notes, if any;
CDV Backs: Anything written on the back of the CDV.

Image edits:
Pages are unchanged (as is).
CDVs - we erased large obtrusive stains.  We also erased damp spots and smaller scratches on or near faces.  We did not alter the color nor did we remove or alter any improvements made by the photographers, e.g. hair lines, colored cheeks (e.g. see CDV 3).
CDV Backs are unchanged (as is).

Observations and Questions::

• CDV 5 - Proveedor  We labelled it “Proveedor” per the name on the ship.  It was likely drawn by Charley, he won a prize for drawing per the Oakland Times, Sep.22, 1871.
• CDVs 13, 25, & 29 - labelled “SCHREIBER ?” - the question mark suggests that whoever labelled the photos was not familiar with John Schreiber as a young man.  In a photo of John & Josephine as a young couple, John has curly hair, a full beard, and light colored eyes, whereas the person in the CDVs has darker eyes and straight hair.  Consequently, we believe the person in these CDVs is NOT John Schreiber.
• CDVs 16 & 17 - each is labelled: “CHINESE SERVANT”.  They probably were local store owners, e.g. providing fresh vegetables.  Per the census of 1870, the Benitz family had two German servants, a 17 year-old girl from Prussia, and a 58 year-old man from Hess.
• CDVs 33, 34, 35, 36 - famous composers - apparently Charley’s enjoyed music.  Many in the family did - see brother Frank’s diary (1876), and the exchange of pianos at estancia “La California” (daybook, late June, 1890).
CDVs 10, 11, 12, 14, 21, 22, 23, 37, 39 - many CDVs of girls & young women.  Bella Williams was a friend of Charley’s sister Josephine (see Alfred’s diary, 1874).

Click here for CDVs 21-40.

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© Peter Benitz (Benitz Family)