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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Wooler57 on Wednesday 02 February 11 11:10 GMT (UK)

Title: Photo date help, please
Post by: Wooler57 on Wednesday 02 February 11 11:10 GMT (UK)
Hi,

I’d be grateful for any thoughts on the date of this photograph.  Could it be a wedding photo (he is wearing a buttonhole), but why the straw in the foreground?

Any help welcome,

Ian
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: braw on Wednesday 02 February 11 11:54 GMT (UK)
Clothes look American to me or a uniform of sorts and its does not look like straw it could be wool
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: duckboy on Wednesday 02 February 11 12:10 GMT (UK)
It is to dense to be hay or straw and wool is usually rolled up as a fleece I wonder if it is cotton, probably represents his trade or calling, but what trade or calling? It does look a wedding picture.
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: braw on Wednesday 02 February 11 12:25 GMT (UK)
Its not cotton as cotton when picked/harvested looks like fluffy cotton wool.
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: ScouseBoy on Wednesday 02 February 11 12:27 GMT (UK)
Could it be Horse Hair?
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: Katharine75 on Wednesday 02 February 11 12:43 GMT (UK)
could be later 1870s - earlier 1880s.
Rustic backdrops, rounded corners of Carte-de-visite, style of hat and jacket.
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: braw on Wednesday 02 February 11 13:14 GMT (UK)
He is also wearing a ring on the small finger of the right hand,will this help
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: ScouseBoy on Wednesday 02 February 11 13:16 GMT (UK)
Photo taken by Newcastle branch.

What is he holding in his hand?                Could it be something to do with horses?

Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: duckboy on Wednesday 02 February 11 13:20 GMT (UK)
It's a bowler hat he is holding in his hand.
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: jim1 on Wednesday 02 February 11 17:12 GMT (UK)
The general clothes style of this chap is mid- late 1870's.
As in the other A & G Taylor photo we can get closer.
1st. clue is the Marion Imp Paris name.As I said on the other post they
dated their cards but not until 1880.this one isn't dated so before 1880.
A & G Taylor had these UK addresses in 1878 but not the Paris & USA addresses
until the following year.
Also the crown was replaced in 1880 with a Crown & Fleur- de- Lis.
So after 1878 & before 1880 only leaves 1879.
Taking into account this may be old stock a date of 1879-80 for this one.

jim
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: chinakay on Wednesday 02 February 11 17:15 GMT (UK)
Brills, Jim :)
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: jim1 on Wednesday 02 February 11 17:28 GMT (UK)
Thanks China.
I might point out that this isn't a uniform,the silk braiding was the style at the time for menswear & the straw is just a studio prop.Studios at this time were getting away from the more formal drawing room sets to the forest,mountains & rural sets which were more dramatic.
Forgot to say well done Katharine,right on the money.
jim
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: Wooler57 on Wednesday 02 February 11 18:05 GMT (UK)
Thanks once again to everyone for their posts, and suggestions.

Jim, I agree with China, your summary is brilliant.  I still wonder if the photo is meant to be from a wedding, because of the flowers in the lapel.  On the other hand, if the style at the time was for forests & rural sets, then perhaps the buttonhole is just for effect, and has nothing to do with a wedding,

Ian
Title: Re: Photo date help, please
Post by: jim1 on Wednesday 02 February 11 19:30 GMT (UK)
The difference between a button-hole & a corsage is the greenery,also he's wearing a formal cravat which I wouldn't expect to see as normal daywear.
So I would suggest a young working class chap getting married 1879-80 on Tyneside.
jim