An examination and explanation of clues to establish the
date of 19th century photographs.
This Weeks Photograph - August 1, 2011
Photo Facts
Photo Type:
Daguerreotype
Image Size:
2 5/8" x 3 1/8"
Case Size
3.5" x 3 7/8"
Case Material
Leather over wood
Preserver
None
Mat
Sandy texture
Photo Technology:
Silver coated copper plate
About the Case Studies
Every Monday 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.
Past Cases
Front Side
Clues
Explanation
No Preserver
Heavy Sandy Mat
Woman's clothes & Bonnet
No crimps on plate
This is a daguerreotype from the early to mid 1840s. Originally in a full case, the lid portion is missing. It is of typical leather covered wood construction.
The brass mat ( top-curve style is called elliptical) is medium-heavy brass with a sandy textured finish. This particular mat was introduced approximately 1843.
The daguerreotype lacks a preserver, which was a brass frame with flaps that wrapped around the glass, mat, and image. They were not used until about 1847, giving us a good later date range.
The woman's bonnet and clothes were typical of the mid-1840s.
This daguerreotype probably dates from 1843 to 1847.
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.