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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: noytd on Monday 23 September 19 12:58 BST (UK)

Title: Unidentified Princess
Post by: noytd on Monday 23 September 19 12:58 BST (UK)
This photo is in an old family CDV album - the album presented in 1884.

This is a random CDV in the album, but I was wondering if anybody might know who is in the image?

Many thanks for any help.

(https://i.ibb.co/SQ69D7z/SCAN1286.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wJdxZrf)
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: HughC on Monday 23 September 19 13:20 BST (UK)
It took me a while to realize that CDV means carte de visite.  I suggest that CdV would be a more appropriate abbreviation: it is not normal to capitalize particles.

I see that Queen Victoria's 4th child was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Admiral of the Fleet, who in 1874 married Marie Alexandrovna, only dau. of Tsar Aleksandr II.  They had five children.  Could she be the mother in the photo?
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: Treetotal on Monday 23 September 19 13:26 BST (UK)
I wonder if this could be her:

https://picclick.com/Vintage-CDV-Empress-Maria-Alexandrovna-of-Russia-253927796016.html

Carol
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: arthurk on Monday 23 September 19 13:51 BST (UK)
I'd been wondering if it wasn't Alexander II's first wife, but his mistress and second wife Princess Catherine Dolgorukov, with whom he had 4 children. The pose and hair look similar to other photos I've found online.

Marie (the first wife) died in 1880, and shortly afterwards Alexander married Catherine, to the disapproval of the rest of his family. After he was assassinated in 1881 she lived in France.

More on her, and photos (also some of Marie) at https://smarthistoryblog.com/2016/07/22/katia-the-wife-of-alexander-ii/

Marie was born in 1824 and Catherine in 1847, and to me the age of the sitter seems to match Catherine better. The studio in Brussels might point more to her too.

(Other sources: Wikipedia and Google Images)
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: Treetotal on Monday 23 September 19 14:10 BST (UK)
I think you are right Arthur having read more about the Family from your link...it's more likely to be Catherine rather than Maria as the date matches better. The CdV looks to be 1870s  but could  be a reprint of an earlier image.
Carol
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: aghadowey on Monday 23 September 19 17:21 BST (UK)
I don't think the above photograph looks like any of the Russian royal ladies mentioned so far. This lady could belong to any of the Russian nobility entitled to use the titles prince & princess so it may be difficult to make a positive identification.
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: Treetotal on Wednesday 25 September 19 22:43 BST (UK)
There is a CdV of Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra by the same photographer on Pinterest.
I can't post a link from the iPad....also a few on eBay.
Carol
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: aghadowey on Wednesday 25 September 19 23:22 BST (UK)
If you google 'chemar freres brussels' then click images lots of examples of their works. Look like rather posh studio that photographed lots of European royalty.
Title: Re: Unidentified Princess
Post by: Treetotal on Wednesday 25 September 19 23:30 BST (UK)
If you google 'chemar freres brussels' then click images lots of examples of their works. Look like rather posh studio that photographed lots of European royalty.

That's what I did and chose what I thought was a possibility! At least I am trying to find a match  ::)
Carol.