An examination and explanation of clues to establish the
date of 19th century photographs.
This Weeks Photograph - December 19, 2011
Photo Facts
Photo Type:
Cabinet Card
Card Size
6.5" x 4.25"
Card Color
Natural
Card Edge
Beveled
Front Imprint:
Small Type
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 well worn cabinet card is very typical of formal photographs taken in the mid and late 1880s. A variety of clues validate the fact that 1886 was noted on the back along with the woman's name.
Dress
Here dress embodies the 'Victorian' look of a tightly drawn waistline, many buttons down the front, and the rounded shoulders with tight sleeves. A little hint of the bustle is evident, though it was losing fashion sense towards the late 1880s. Crushed velvet lapels reinforce the mid 1880s analysis.
Studio Props
The studio props are important clues. Paper mache fences, rocks, trees, and other objects were the rage in the mid 1880s. These were light, inexpensive, and provided the photographer with an infinite number of ways to compose the picture. This fence appears smooth with the surface sculpting painted on, the tree appears to actually have some 3D texture with the leaves attached with thin wire.
Photograph Date: 1886
Similar photograph examples can be seen in the Fake Props gallery:
This card appears to have a natural surface with gold, beveled edges. Both popular in the 1880s. The imprint text is small, compared to 1890s text and is simply printed. Later imprints became more artistic and larger, and sometimes included embossing or foil stamping.
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The card back is enabled white, with the artwork covering the complete card. This was trendy in the 1880s, then nearly disappeared in the 1890s.
Another 1880s clue is the phrase "Instantaneous Process used exclusively". Improvements in photographic process allowed pictures to be taken with greater speed. That is the subject did not have to sit still as much as in the past. This allowed fidgety children to be photographed easier.
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.