This photo was cursed with the identification of "snap shot taken of me". Well who was me? Using some good research and analysis we were able to piece together a probable name.
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- Card Type
- Clothes
- Writing on back
An English Carte de Visite
This case study has a couple unique twists to it. The first is the fact that it is an English carte de visite. At PhotoTree we are frequently asked if the studies and characteristics of American 19th century photographs are applicable to photos from the U. K., Europe and elsewhere in the world. The answer is a resounding yes. There are great photography style and technology similarities among various regions of the world.
The print technology (albumen), size and cut of the card are the same found in the U.S. at the time. Her dress (see below) fits U.S. styles exactly. Actually American styles came from England and Europe.
If the card had not been dated, we would have put this in the mid-1880s.
A Family Story
The second twist to this CDV is that the photo is a great-grandaunt of this author
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Confirmed Date: 1886
I found this photograph with family memorabilia my mother inherited. She was the oldest girl in the family (one of 15 children) and much of the family history was passed to her, though many details were lost.
The photo's ID went unknown for years until the confluence of an uncle's genealogy work and my photographic work produced an answer.
The combination of her age, that fact she wrote 1886 on the back, and the notation that her "dear Robert died" allowed us to find her most probable name.
This is Sarah Johnson, daughter of my great-great-grandfather (Stephen B. Johnson). They came to the Acton, Ontario in 1855, where she eventually met Robert Little and married him.
She returned to England for a visit after her husband died, and sent this photo to her brother, my great-grandfather.
The photo was passed down generations to eventually be in my possession. This was a fun and rewarding piece of research.
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