Alexander Bros., at 88 Renfield St. 1866 - 1897

Note the progression in the complexity of the design on the back of the cards below, and the transition from square to round corners which generally took place in the late 1860s or early 1870s. The first card above, on the basis of the simple text only design on the back, would probably come from 1866 or 1867, and examples of the design on the second are known from 1869 and 1870.

The dating of the centralised and localised design on the back of the cards below is not certain - it could be from the late 1860s, or very early 1870s.

An example of the first design below is known from 1872, and the second cdv, with a gilt edge is dated to 1869. The second also has a marled imprint on the back, similar to the card below it. However, the first looks to be the earlier, so it is possible that both designs were available over a period,

The cdv below, an example of which is known from 1874, is on a glossy and gilt edged card, with a marled or contour imprint on the back - more easily seen on the darkened scan to the right. A similar type of card is used by Howell, presumably in the same period.

The three card backs below, all gilt edged, are all supplied by the printer George Mason of Glasgow, which places them in the period 1885 +- 3 years, though the order of the three is uncertain. The design on the back of the centre card, which was in use in 1886, is delightful piece of promotion, and an enlarged portion is shown at the bottom.

The design on the back of the cabinet card below is the same as the centre portion of the centre cdv above, so is probably within a year or so of 1886. The old lady has retained the bonnet and hair style of twenty years earlier.

The cabinet card below shows a radical change in design. The medals on the back are dated to 1891, so the card could come from 1892 or 1893. The exhuberant shoulders and the gilt and bevelled edge suggest a date no later than 1895.

The cdv below is on a thick matt card, with gilt and mitred edges, and blank on the back. This, together with the simplified form of identification, again suggests the mid 1890s, but this is not certain.