While some older photographs bear signatures or ink stamps, others feature a more subtle mark of origin: the blind stamp. A blind stamp, also called an embossed stamp, is a colorless impression pressed into the paper, leaving a raised or indented mark. They are usually found on the photograph’s mounting board or in a corner of the actual photo print. The impressions often feature the photographer’s name, studio logo, or sometimes just initials or a symbol. 

Using blind stamps to sign photos was a common practice among early professional photographers. From the latter half of the 1800s to the early 1900s, you will often find them on cartes de visite and cabinet cards. 

The difficulty in forging a blind stamp makes it a trustworthy mark for authenticating vintage photographs. Even today, as photographic forgeries become more prevalent, many fine art photographers utilize blind stamps on their prints to signify authenticity and authorship.