Date and restore please.

[Costumier]

This is a photo of a Mrs Newton holding my Great Grandfather before 1880. Can anyone date it better and attempt to pull my Gt Grandfather from the faded mists of time?

[wendypusey]

Best I can do

Wendy

[jim1]

The man's dress style is an 1870's fashion but did carry over well into the 1880's.
The woman is a different matter,she is wearing an 1880's style,if this was 1870's
I would expect to see a more elaborate dress/hair style.Her "V" or waistcoat shaped
bodice is an early - mid 1880's creation and her plain neckline mid - late 1880's.
The infant may not be a boy,usually holding flowers indicated a girl,also his/her
strappy shoes didn't appear untill well into the 1880's I believe.It would also
be rare to see an outdoor family photo from the 1870's.
It would be of some help if we could see all of the card plus reverse if you have the original.
Until then I would suggest a date of late 1880's possibly into the 1890's when these
outdoor shots became more common.

jim

[Costumier]

Hello Jim1,
I have the original - it is a photo stuck hard to a card with nothing on the reverse except for the inscription in pencil of the name, Mrs John Newton, Shepton. There is no printing or studio name, unfortunately.

[jim1]

Sounds like a reproduction of an earlier photo maybe reproduced 1900's
but I have to say this isn't 1870's.The earliest I could put it would be
mid 1880's but that would assume she was up to fashion which most
older women weren't.

jim

[Costumier]

Thanks Jim - I agree! Rural Shepton Mallet could hardly have been the centre of fashion! It is therefore probably not my Gt Grandfather then, but is still of someone in the family! More sleuthing is required!!! Thanks again and thanks also to those who have done such neet work on the photo too!

[terry h]

A try from me

Terry

[chinakay]

Just popping in to agree with Jim on the dating...this lady's dress is very much an 1880s thing, as styles changed radically from the 1870s to the 1880s and the difference is quite distinctive.

The exchange of photos between friends as well as family was very common in Victorian times, and some people collected photos as a hobby. So it's possible that Mrs Newton was a family friend and the baby isn't related to you....

Cheers,
China

[saddles]

Hi Costumier......Heres another restore to add to the list.

Carolyn