An examination and explanation of clues to establish the
date of 19th century photographs.
This Week's Photograph - May 27, 2013
Photo Facts
Photo Type
Tintype
Case Size
None
Plate Size
2.5" x 4"
Border Style
NA
Sleeve
Missing
Back Imprint
None
About the Case Studies
Each week a new case study of a picture typical of 19th century 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.
Both young women are wearing dresses that sport the military or geometric designs that were popular during and after the Civil War. These styles are seldom found in the 1870s.
Fringe Chair
One of our favorite dating clues is the ever-popular fringe chair - a chair designed specifically for photography studios. Tthe back and side arm could be raised and lowered, and the person could be posed in many manners. The arm and bottom skirt of the chair were adorned with hanging fringe.
This chair, patented in 1864, was a staple in many studios until the mid-1870s.
Both hairstyles point to the very late 1860s, possibly very early 1870s. The standing girl shows curls flowing from the back of her head. When looked at very closely they resemble bottle or sausage curls which were enjoy a popularity resurgence at this time by younger women.
The shorter hair of the girl sitting can be found throughout the late 1860s. While It is difficult to tell in this picture, the hair is not simply pulled back and tied in a bun. There are some curls and other flourishes on top and at the back of the head.
You can see numerous examples in the Gallery of 1,000 Images reached by the link above.
This tintype illustrates the exceptional quality that could be created with the tintype process by a qualified photographer. Many tintypes were so poorly made, they are nearly lost today to surface flaking and darkening. As a bonus the picture has great composition.
The clues described above put this tintype at the end of the 1860s.
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You can become an expert at analyzing photographs.
Much of the information used in this 19th century photograph case study is covered in the Identification Section of this web site. In addition, comparison to similar yet dated photographs in the Gallery of 1000 Images will help confirm the estimates. Even greater detail, organized for this type of research is available in PhotoTree.com's books.