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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: PrueM on Wednesday 17 June 09 23:38 BST (UK)
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From luckyjo:
"Can anyone give me a rough date for this photo of Edwin Ames an ancestor of mine. Possibly born around 1823. If anyone feels like giving him a wash and brush up I would be delighted."
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About 1890 to 1900
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well, giz' a chance to attach him!! ;D
I'd say he dates from around the mid-late 1860s, so could well be Edward born 1823 :)
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a clean
Irene
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with color
Irene
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Mid-late 1860s from me as well...typical lino-looking flooring, head brace visible behind the chair, blank white wall behind the subject. Wonder if there was at one time a "companion" lady's portrait taken in the same setting...
Cheers,
China
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That's nice, Irene.
Wonder if there is any signifigance to the book he is holding...generally a book is supposed to denote literacy but this book isn't a very masculine-looking one, it looks more like a child's white prayerbook or something....
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Hi Prue......Heres another version.
Carolyn :)
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I posted wrong one I will have another try.
Carolyn :)
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What a great suprise, I think you are all spoiling me. Edwin Looks a treat cleaned up...and in colour. Can't believe how you can bring him to life like that. Wonderful thanks very much. Thanks for all the clues too. Silly me thought it was carpet. He was a master engraver so have no idea about the book. I do have his partner but doubt if it's the same setting it's such a bad photo I don't think anything can be done with her, its probably not worth bothering with.
Big thankyou to you all. Joy
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I would agree with Prue & China on the date period for this image. With the point to the footwear/ low deep V to the waist coat (which can also indicate that this image was taken durung the summer month's) / the hair being swept forward at the side of the head with a slight upward flick-curl at the end, would all indicate to me this period as well. Is there anything on the card at all to say who the photographer was? as this may narrow the time frame even more.
old rowley
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G'day Old Rowley, thanks for the extra information.1860's is a great help, that puts him in Fleet St Birmingham, so perhaps he had business in the jewelery quarter. Thanks for the pointers, teaching me to be more observant in the future in regards to dress and hairstyles. I would never have thought to look at his hair curls!
The actual photo is more like layered cardboard which has worn away at the back, so there's no markings unfortunately.
Thanks again for your help Joy
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This photo was given to me in this state but I was so thrilled to get it and didn't care. It doesn't matter if it can't be restored but it would be good to know how old it is. It is believed to be Kezia Ames the wife Of Edwin previously dated c1860's. This one does look a lot older though. Would like to know your thoughts. Joy
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Hi Joy :)
This photo is much later, probably from around 1905-1910 going by the lady's hairstyle and lovely blouse/dress.
Cheers
Prue
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Your gentalman looks older than 37 if born 1823 by 1860. The dress suit is younger- may be 1870-80 at the earlest. No doubt some photo expert will know more by the photos appearance.But 1860 photo's were not that good.
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Hi dobfarm,
Um...are you implying that no photo 'experts' have given their opinions yet?! :P
1860 photographs could be very good - this one's an average example. The man would be in his early-mid 40s at the estimated date of 1865-1870. There is very little chance it's from later than 1870, as the framing, setting and posing as well as the fashions had all changed by then.
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Just found Edwins death December 1891 aged 68 yipee so thats a great help. So maybe the 1870s is about right. Thanks guys. Joy
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1860 photo's were not that good.
I think you're being generous to give it an "average", Prue... I thought it was atrocious by 1860s standards...
Luckyjo, the flooring may truly be carpet, but there was much use of linoleum which was patented in 1860 and all the rage for a while. It's a typical pattern for the times, whatever is on the floor. Sometimes we see lino that's cracked, curling up at the edges, cut and mismatched as a floor covering in an old photo particularly from the 1860s...it always amuses me to see the subject of the photo dressed in Sunday best for the grand occasion of having a photograph taken, with this ratty stuff on the floor. I'm not being critical, I find it charming :)
Cheers,
China
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Hi Prue
I've read in some posts about the method of photograhy that changed after the 1860's early 1870's. This is what I implied but I still think it 1875 plus. The fashion seems early but men would wear their sunday best for decades. Not exactly worried about last years fashion.
Dobby
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hello luckyjo,
I found your photos of Edwin and Kezia Ames very interesting as they are my g.g.grandparents, what is your connection with them? and where have the photos come from? I have looked for a likeness between Edwin and my Grandad but can't really see one. As to the age of the photos they could be anywhere between 1843 when they married and 1861 the date of the last census I can find them together. I have Edwin living with his son Albert on the 1891 census and hisndeath reg 1891. Kezia's death was reg in 1894. As I dont own a computor I,m using a friend's e.mail.
Elaine
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Elaine they are also my ancestors. This is exciting.lol
maybe you would like to email me at (*)
just take out the Australia bit.
Look forward to hearing from you.
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Hi luckyjo, I now have an e.mail address but as I havent used this site before I can't post you privately. perhaps you can post me or Val with your e.mail add as it wasn't on your last correspondance. I hope to mail a letter to you later today, its taken me ages to sort through the paperwork which I hadn't touched in years. It had me nearly pulling my hair out but I did find an earlier photo of Edwin & Kezia no idea at present were it came from, will put it in the post to you.
Elaine
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Welcome to Rootschat, grannybobbins :)
If you make two more posts you can send someone a private message. You send a PM by clicking on the green scrolly-looking thing under the username.
They don't have to be quality posts....just posts :)
Cheers,
China
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message to luckyjo will be sending more soon.
grannyb
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thanks for the welcome china and the tips, hence the short post.
thanks grannyb
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Apologies for wading in this post at a later date. I came across the post as the result of a random google search of "Edwin Ames Engraver". I am actually research my partners family for him.
Beatrice Ames was his great grandmother, her mother was Mary Ann Ames though no father is given. Mary Ann Ames' birth certificate lists her father as *Edwin Ames* and her mother as Elizabeth Ames (formerly Holland). This all ties up with the 1881 census where he seems to have a family with Elizabeth. I also found his marriage to Kezia and them in the 1861 census previous to this. This photo is very exiting :)
Curiously although Edwin is in the 1891 census with his son Albert (Mary Ann's brother) in the 1891 census record I have found of Elizabeth, Mary Ann and Beatrice; Elizabeth is now listed as Holland again and records herself as widowed. I do wonder if this had something to do with Mary Ann raising an illegitimate child (Beatrice) that she gave birth to in the work house in 1888?
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Hi Kate and welcome to Rootschat..when you have posted three times you will be able to sent a Personal Message to LuckyJo by clicking onto the green scroll beneath her avatar.
Carol
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Yes that would great - thanks for that.
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My pleasure...one more post and you will be able to send a message and Luckyjo should get and email notification...but...she hasn't been online since February ::)
You my like to try sending messages to others here who have connections to the same family line.
Carol