An examination and explanation of clues to establish the
date of 19th century photographs.
This Weeks Photograph - April 16, 2012
Photo Facts
Photo Type:
Cabinet Card
Card Size
4.25" x 6.5"
Card Color
Pink
Card Edges
Scalloped
Front Imprint:
Printed
Back Imprint:
Full Artwork
Print Technology
Albumen
About the Case Studies
Each week a new case study of a picture typical of old family photographs will be published.
These examples can help genealogists learn the skills that will help date their own photos.
An estimated date (if one was not available) will be given with a +/- number of years it could be. Dating old photos is a science that provides answers usually within 2 - 6 years of when the photo was taken.
This is a very interesting cabinet card with some solid clues as to it being a mid-1880s card.
The pink card stock actually was available and most prevalent in the late 1870s. However, it was available in the 1880s, though was losing favor.
The scalloped edges didn't appear until right at the mid-1880s, and became popular late in the decade and well into the 1890s.
The crude attempt at pottery for the studio prop is indicative of late 1870s early 1880s.
Estimated Date: 1885 +-2 yrs
Her dress is solid mid-1880s, not later. Since the photo is from Washington Territory, many of the latest or most fashionable props and photography styles may not have been in practice. In addition Wallula, in Walla Walla County is on the Columbia River, a couple hundred miles east of Portland, OR.
The back of this card is typical of the full coverage of the 1880s.
Of special interest however is the location of the photographer: Wallula, W.T. This would would been the Washington Territory, before Washington was admitted to the United States.
Washington gained statehood in November of 1889, so we can be confident this picture was taken before then. It is possible the photographer had some old mounts in inventory, but these would not have lasted too much past statehood. In addition, people were very proud of being admitted to the U.S., and many would not have wanted an 'old' card mount.
The name of 'Fannie Mitchell' is written on the front. A Fannie Miitchell is found in an 1870 census of the Washington Territory, with a birth year of 1868. This is possible the same person, as it would put the girl around 17 or 18 in the picture.
You can become an expert at analyzing photographs.
Much of the information used to analyze this photograph is covered in the Identification section of this web site. In addition, comparison to similar yet dated photographs in the Gallery section will help confirm the estimates. Even greater detail, organized for this type of research is available in PhotoTree.com's books. Learn More.