Overall the picture says a young woman of refinement and great deportment and bearing. So what I usually do is try to eliminate some dates by looking at specific aspects of the dress and from there estimate the date of the photograph using other facts that shout out nostringsattached evidence. This portrait could very well be Felice Bresson just prior to her wedding in 1866, when she’d be 20 years old. The details in the picture fit the facts of Felice’s life. Contact us or call us at 281–940–5870 to learn more about photo dating and repair.
Start By Asking Your Family Members
Although you’re less likely to find portraits of folks who weren’t well-known, that’s worth a shot, too. The Library of Congress has a vast collection of images from news sources, government agencies, donated family or business collections, and other repositories. Begin by using the dropdown menu on the home page to choose Photos, Prints and Drawings, then type your search terms in the box and hit Go.
The Photo Treesite discusses five different photograph types that were available in the 19th Century. Another aspect of a photograph that may draw your attention in the background. The details that are behind our ancestors can also give us a clue as to the date of the photograph. From here there are links to photo collections that date from the 1830s right up to the 1960s.
Research Our Records
While some family photographs won’t offer more details in their background, you may be fortunate enough to see identifying clues in yours! You might be able to determine when a photograph was taken based on the kind of furniture in the backdrop, or the make and license plate of a car. Without knowing anything about the couple, or even considering what clues their clothing can provide, a search for H.L.
The Charity also actively campaigns to improve access to public history through its commitment to making data available as Open Data. Trips to the seaside were a popular leisure activity around the turn of the 20th century, enabled by the railway boom. The advent of smaller, portable cameras made it easier to photograph days out in Edwardian times – especially in sandy and wet environments. These quick line drawings researched and done by me some time ago show clearly the similarity of styling circa 1870.
Consider the hair and clothing of the person or people in the photograph. Women’s fashions changed from year to year and what a person wore to be photographed can provide valuable clues for dating the year the image was made. Play photo detective with our simple tips for how to date old photographs. With this simple checklist, you can confidently research and pinpoint when an image was taken. Early photographs would have been black-and-white, especially those on glass or metal. Images printed on paper were often sepia-toned, a process designed to make the image more stable and longer-lasting.
In the 1870s, women took elegant, feminine fashion cues from Queen Victoria and well-known actresses as the decade advanced. Learn how to care for and scan old photo negatives—and why they deserve a place in your collection. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 3,569 times. All photos from these albums are being moved to Lost Faces website where they are freely available to download for your own personal use.
Tax stamps are unique to the later years of the Civil War time period. We will explore below how to use their presence to narrow down the date of a photograph to a narrow time period. There was a universal hairstyle popular during the war. Hair was arranged very low on the crown of the head, and wider to the sides. Hair was always parted down the middle and slicked down on the crown, then pulled to the back and secured with pins into a bun or roll.
Olson reveals he was a Norwegian-American photographer who had a studio in Montevideo, Minnesota between 1890 and 1900. Try Langdon’s List of 19th and 20th Century Photographers for information about when other American photographers had their studios in various locations. Search the city directories to narrow down the range of years a particular photographer was working in that location.
To my eye I think she could be anything from 14 to 18. When dating a photo it is usual to date within 5 years either way so you can add or subtract 5 years from my suggested late 1860’s date. The beads may well have been borrowed from her mother and add a very sophisticated tasteful decorative touch, so they also make her look ‘older’. They may also be some form of mourning bead as they are dark, so a death in the family in the previous year might also be worth checking too. The sleeve is also interesting and is deep cuffed and slimline like later styles.
The Cabinet Cards – 1866-1903
Since such information isn’t always available online, you can use our knowledge to your advantage. This entry was originally posted by Crestleaf inFamily Photos,Genealogy Tipsand taggedfamily photos,vintage family photosonApril 15, 2015. Your results page will display thumbnail images with basic information from the subject’s person’s MyHeritage profile. You’ll also see the name of the tree the person is in, and the user name of the tree owner. You also can use the site free at many FamilySearch Centers, or at libraries that offer MyHeritage Library Edition. Click an image to read any information the submitter added, and see a link to the album the image is in .
Because families in small towns often visited the same studio over time, searching with just a town may be a good option. It’s also a great way to locate extended family members who might have a different surname. This free old-photo sharing site offers two ways to search the millions of images users have uploaded. Some are unidentified, posted with the hope another searcher will recognize the face. Record information about your family photos and keep track of your collection.
