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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Mayflower2023 on Thursday 25 May 23 14:39 BST (UK)

Title: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: Mayflower2023 on Thursday 25 May 23 14:39 BST (UK)

Hi again to all

Thank you for your help with dating a photo that I posted a few weeks back - I now have another request :)

Would anyone be able to give a date range for the attached photo?  We don't know if the lady is a family member or a friend (girlfriend?) of my husband's late grandfather (lived 1878-1959). A date range would really help with our investigations :)

Many thanks

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: Treetotal on Friday 26 May 23 13:12 BST (UK)

I would say that this was Edwardian.
Carol

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: jim1 on Friday 26 May 23 14:16 BST (UK)

I think later.
This isn't normal daywear, it looks like a bridal/bridesmaid outfit.
Her hairstyle indicates to me C.1930's.

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: Mayflower2023 on Saturday 27 May 23 22:41 BST (UK)

Thank you both for your thoughts - that's given us something to have a ponder about :)

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: Handypandy on Sunday 28 May 23 22:06 BST (UK)

For what its worth....Its the structure in the background that I find a bit intriguing. Flat roof and modular has more of a 50s/ 60s vibe. 

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: Gadget on Monday 29 May 23 11:34 BST (UK)

I think it's quite difficult to date. The hairstyle could be 1930s through to the 1950s-60s. Also, I had a Laura Ashley dress in a similar design in the 1970s.

Is there anything on the back that might give a clue?

Gadget

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: arthurk on Monday 29 May 23 14:15 BST (UK)

Would a bride or bridesmaid be more likely to have some kind of hair ornament or visible jewellery, and/or be holding a bouquet or posy?

I also wondered if the dress covering her feet was accidental, or a sign of modesty pointing to an earlier date - whichever it is, the dress does seem to be very long.

And could the structure in the background be a rather posh greenhouse?

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: Mayflower2023 on Tuesday 30 May 23 23:54 BST (UK)

Hi and thank you all for your comments :)

Sorry, there are no further clues on the back of the photo. 

But to cut the file down so it was small enough, it is cropped, and actually the lady is sitting in the garden of a house and the structure you can see is part of a large window. 

We know my husband's grandad Ernest was married twice (1913 & 1930), and this lady is *not* one of his wives - and the photo was in Ernest's photo collection which we have discovered following the passing of his son (i.e. my husband's Dad).  Ernest had a collection which seems to range from about 1900 to about 1940 (we can guess that approximate range because we have worked-out/know who a lot of the people/places in the photos are).  But this photo is a mystery...

Title: Re: Approx date please for this portrait of a griffin woman
Post by: cottergriffin on Saturday 06 April 24 19:44 BST (UK)

Hi just joined , probably a old thread but who is the lady , as I’m pretty sure she’s one of my griffins as she is the spit of my grandad facial features with the same exact eyes , my grandad is John T griffin from Whitechapel 1913 , can’t believe the likeness