This is a wonderfully posed picture from the late 1890s. The card mount is textured with a noticeable vertical running grain and darkened beveled edges. |
An Odd Size Card
This is a great photo with several clues that lead us to a very close date, but then one clue that is a bit puzzling.
The Dress Clues
This appears to be a classic dress from the mid-1890s. The bulbous sleeves, sometimes referred to as leg-o-mutton sleeves, were very popular in the mid-1890s, then they returned to a smaller form by the end of the decade.
The medium-high, tight collar was also prominent at this time.
Her hat is not a formal or evening hat, but more of a day hat worn to picnics or just a stroll. These came into popularity in the late 1890s and were seen well into the 1900s.
Everything about her look guides us to a mid to late-1890s estimate.
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Est. Date: 1899 +/-3 year
See similar dresses here.
Card Size and Mount
Towards the end of the 1890s, a wide variety of photograph sizes and card mounts were introduced. The traditional-size cabinet card still dominated most photograph production, but it seemed to disappear almost overnight around 1900 – replaced by a myriad of sizes, textures, and styles.
This card may have been one of the early replacements. It is plain, with no studio imprint and no documentation. It is an unpublished size (5.5 x 10.25) and is not listed in several prominent catalogs of the time. Its tall feature resembles the panel and boudoir card formats of the time.
First glance we thought it was from after 1900, but her fashion says pre-1900. So, we compromise, and believe it is right at the end of the 19th century. |