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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Copernicus on Monday 16 March 09 04:35 GMT (UK)

Title: Dating: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, DE
Post by: Copernicus on Monday 16 March 09 04:35 GMT (UK)
Hello, here is a photo that I came across in the midst of a number of more recent ones from my family.  It had absolutely no identification on it, but I was able to determine it was from Freiburg im Breisgau, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, based on its Medieval Cathedral, which stands out in it and still exists to this day.

Can anyone ID the date?

Thanks!

(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1904/18800000mnsterplatzfrie.jpg)
Title: Re: Dating: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, DE
Post by: chinakay on Monday 16 March 09 04:46 GMT (UK)
Hi Copernicus...same problem, I'm afraid.....

However, this photo shows the corners of the cardboard mount, and the corners are rounded. This probably means it was taken post 1875 or so, as before then the corners tended to be square. Rounded corners made it easier to slip a photo in and out of the pockets in photo albums which were becoming popular in the mid 1870s, as photos became cheaply available...

Cheers,
China
Title: Re: Dating: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, DE
Post by: Copernicus on Monday 16 March 09 05:17 GMT (UK)
Quote from: chinakay on Monday 16 March 09 04:46 GMT (UK)
Hi Copernicus...same problem, I'm afraid.....

However, this photo shows the corners of the cardboard mount, and the corners are rounded. This probably means it was taken post 1875 or so, as before then the corners tended to be square. Rounded corners made it easier to slip a photo in and out of the pockets in photo albums which were becoming popular in the mid 1870s, as photos became cheaply available...

Cheers,
China

Ok, I do have to add to this that the photo was relatively large, about the size of two tin-types, if that helps.

And, that could be the case, but my entire German side of my family was in America before 1870.

Maybe a relative sent it?

And, what about the clothing?
Title: Re: Dating: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, DE
Post by: chinakay on Monday 16 March 09 05:58 GMT (UK)
How big is a tintype?

As for the clothing, I'm afraid there isn't much visible, and it's all men in the photo, with just one out-of-focus woman who might be wearing...well, anything...all you can see is a long skirt which was pretty much the fashion from time immemorial to about 1910...

Please see comments on the Kraslice thread :)

Lovely photo, lovely town...I've been there, and used to live a couple of hours away...

Cheers,
China
Title: Re: Dating: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, DE
Post by: PrueM on Monday 16 March 09 06:09 GMT (UK)
Hi Copernicus - as China says there isn't much to go on in the actual photo to help us with a date, but from the look of the photo, its deterioration and the relatively long exposure time which has caused moving people to blur a bit, I'd say it dates from the 1880s or 90s.
It's just a guess though. 

Is there an archive or similar in Freiburg that might be able to offer a bit more localised knowledge?  They may recognise the street scene as being from a particular period.

Prue  :)
Title: Re: Dating: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, DE
Post by: chinakay on Monday 23 March 09 17:45 GMT (UK)
You're welcome.