Once photography had settled down into a reliable (but still laborious process!), the chance to make easy money was available by illegally copying existing works of art or high profile photographers images. Even though the threat of copyright was always present, it was not easy to enforce. The craze of the photographic and cutting scrapbook was in full swing!

Many copies of Carte de Visite photographs were made of Royalty and famous people without permission, some well done and some not.

Shown here are five small varnished half cdv sized salt print photographs of circa 1858 which have been either been copied from an original photograph, an engraved print or a painting - Though it cannot be proved, It is doubtful whether permission to do this was sought. The quality is not excellent, but it is adequate for a market that wants the latest image of the day. Though the collodion (wet plate) process had been invented a few years before in 1851, the process used here appears to have been a paper negative (calotype).