Case Study 19th Century Photographs

	Weekly Case Study		Analysis of Old Photographs An examination and explanation of clues to establish the date of 19th century photographs.

This Week's Photograph - February 4, 2013

About the Case Studies


Photo Facts
Photo Type	Daguerreotype
Plate Size	1/4 Plate
Plate Dimensions	3 1/8" x 4 1/4"
Preserver	Plain
Mat	Sandy Finish
Case	Leather / Wood
Photo Surface	Silver Plate

Each week a new photo case study typical of old family photographs is published.

These examples can help genealogists learn the skills that will help date their own photos.

An estimated date (if one is not available) is assigned 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.

Front View	Clues	Conclusion
Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image	Mat and Preserver Clothes and Style Documentation This is one of the most interesting, cherished, and probably valuable photographs in the PhotoTree collection. It is a quarter plate (3 1/8" by 4 1/4") daguerreotype from about 1852, and is exceptional in so many ways. The woman and child make wonderful subjects, the composition is perfect, and the daguerreotype is in excellent condition. Furthermore, quarter plates are somewhat rare. What makes this daguerreotype even more special is that it came with an envelope and description of the picture. Also, it contained a swatch of material that the little girl's dress was made from. A Fun Project: Colorization Of course photographs were not in color at this time, though some tinting of the cheeks and lips can be seen, and the woman's brooch was tastefully gilt. (View the larger image of the top picture.) However, since we had a swatch of the girl's dress fabric, we thought it would be fun to colorize the picture as it might have been. Since we don't have training or deep knowledge of colors from the era, we have since been told that the mother's outfit was probably not that color. Colorization is a time consuming task, performed in Photoshop, but it fun and interesting just the same. This was colorized nearly three years ago.	Estimated Date: 1852 +/- 2 Years The writing on the envelope (see below) appears to be dated 1946. It states: "About 89 94 years old this bit of silk sample of taffeta silk from which, when a child, mother's dress was made - as she appears in the daguerreotype with her mother. Taken in 1852 or there abouts." The words are mostly legible, though a couple are difficult to decipher with certainty. "89" was crossed out and replaced with "94". The note is priceless. The envelope, piece of cloth, and daguerreotype are shown together in the image below. Supporting Evidence This type of mat, preserver, and daguerreotype support the written note's date estimate. These were all typical of the 1852 time frame. The mat was heavy brass with a sandy finish. The preserver is fairly plain, thin, and stiff. Fashion and Style The pulled back, swooped hair was very stylish for the time. The mother's pagoda sleeves are found throughout most of the 1850s. Costly Image This is such a well-produced daguerreotype and in a large format, that we concluded it was quite expensive for the time. The woman's clothes indicate a person of means also. Given the dollar-value models then versus today and the cost range of daguerreotypes from the time - this picture would probably have cost the equivalent of well over $100 at the time it was made.


The writing on the left is on small envelope which the swatch of fabric was folded and inserted.

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.

Past Cases