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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Old Blue on Thursday 01 December 11 14:17 GMT (UK)
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This is a scan of an ambrotype which has just been given to me by a relative in a batch of family possessions. Due to the dating we can apply to ambrotypes I'm fairly sure of who the people in the photograph were, but I was just wondering if the lady's dress or any other aspects of the photograph give any clues as to location, status etc.?
Thank you for looking :)
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Hi Blue...Has this been posted before?...It seems familiar...I love it 8)
Carol
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Hi Blue...what a fabulous photo, and a good scan of it too. I'm so jealous :)
All I can tell you for sure is that as it's an ambrotype, the image is reversed. Here's how the lady would actually be posed.
The edges of the photo, including one of the girls, is out of focus due to limitations in early camera lenses.
The lady is wearing a hair covering called a snood.
And lastly, 1850s for a date.
Carol, it looks familiar to me too but maybe it's this one we're thinking of...very similar dress:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,435602.msg2995257.html#msg2995257
Cheers,
China
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Thank you Carol and China - yes, I'm very lucky to have this.
No, this wouldn't have been posted before.
I ignored all advice about the scan and did it on 2400 dpi - it takes ages and the end result is a huge file, but I think it was worth it :)
I'm almost positive the family are from the North-east of England, although I was wondering about the tartan theme going on.
Thanks again for your interest and advice.
OB
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Ambrotypes were most common between 1852-1865, though I think they were supposed to have been most popular between 1854 and 1861. This is an ambrotype for sure? It’s a glass print? It appears to be so, but I just thought I’d ask for sure as tintypypes, common from about 1854 onwards into the 20th century, also flipped images and were popular during this time.
Looking at the woman’s dress and her hairstyle, I feel quite confident in saying this was taken during the 1860s. As for narrowing it down further, I’d guess probably before 1867. I’ve read that in the early half of the decade, it was more common for hairstyles to cover a woman’s ears, particularly older women who tended to have this severe part and sweeping backwards of hair. Around the middle of the decade, this fad changed and by the end of the decade it was fashionable to have the ears exposed and the hair pulled up and away from the ears. Additionally, the dresses in the latter part of the decade (starting in about 1867 or so) had a much different silhouette, more like the multi-layered and bustled style of the early 1870s. I’ve seen examples of necklaces like the one in your photograph in photos taken throughout the decade.
I’d say your woman is probably between 25-35 (giving an approximate birth range around 1830-1840, give or take a bit). The children are maybe around two and four (but don’t quote me on that as I’m not great as guessing ages of children), both probably born in the late 1850s or early 1860s.
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Agree with China,mid-late 1850's.The tartan was a popular children's style at the time.
The children I would suggest were born 1850-55.
jim
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Thank you JD and Jim for your additional input.
I can confirm that it is definitely glass.
The lady that I think it is was born in 1840 and gave birth to girls in 1859, 1861 and 1865. The ambrotype came with items from the 1861 child's line, so I'd say that one of the girls is her. This all fits in very well with what you have suggested JD - thank you for your insight.