An examination and explanation of clues to establish the
date of 19th century photographs.
This Weeks Photograph - December 10, 2012
Photo Facts
Photo Type
Oversize Print
Image Size
4¼" x 7½"
Card Size
5½" x 8½
Card Color
Natural
Card Border
None
Front Imprint
None
Back Imprint
Small stamped
Print Technology
Albumen
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.
This 1890 oversize print was documented with the date, the high school name, city, and probably the owner. This was the first graduation class of:
Girard High School
Girard, Illinois
Class of 1890
Fanny Robbins (Fletcher)
In the 1890s, a variety of card formats were introduced, replacing the cabinet card. Many had unique names such as Victoria, Promenade, Panel, and Imperial; each one a different size. This was called a Boudoir card.
Group photographs like this 1890 high school graduation pictures are real treasures for the art of dating old photographs. Besides placing the photographic technology at a specific date, including the boudoir style card, the fashion variations are like a Rosetta stone of styles.
We put a lot of faith in a picture like this reflecting the current styles. All the students would be dressed in the best outfits, many brand new. And they are old enough to be wearing adult styles.
Using only our past analysis of clothes, especially women's, we would have estimated this photo as being taken in the very late 1880s, up through 1890. One of the prime clues is the girls' dresses. The shoulders were still rounded and tight, not like the soon-to-be stylish raised shoulders, and the sleeves are very tight to the arm. The ever popular 1880s Queen Victoria style including the single row of many buttons down the front of the dress is prevalent on most of the dresses.
A couple of the young men are still fastening only the top button of their coat. This was the style in the 1880s, but disappeared in the 1890s.
Fanny Robbins (Fletcher) was identified as the girl on the left.
Boudoir size card photograph: 5½" x 8½"
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.