An examination and explanation of clues to establish the
date of 19th century photographs.
This Weeks Photograph - September 12, 2011
Photo Facts
Photo Type:
Cabinet Card
Card Size:
4" x 5 3/4"
Card Color
Very Dark Green
Card Mount
Very Dense Card
Front Imprint:
None
Back Imprint:
None
Photo Technology:
Matte Collodion
Special
Sharp, hard corners
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.
At the turn of the century, cabinet cards were no longer dominated by the mount style of the previous 20 years. New, denser car materials were introduced. These are noticeably sturdier and most had square corners, sometimes very sharp. The colors were typically very dark green and sometimes black. This card is dark green, appearing black in dim light.
By the late 1890s a printing paper called 'matte collodion' was popular, as it produced very rich, true black and white images. This process was dominate even through the 1950s.
The woman's dress is typical of the late 1890s, with modest bulk at the shoulder, much reduced from the leg 'o mutton sizes of the mid-1890s.
Her hair is pulled back and includes a slight top knot, popular during the late 1890s.
Date: 1899
Modern era cabinet card.
Card mount is new stiffer style and very dark green
Matte collodion printing paper produced true black & whites
Subtle shoulders reflect late 1890s style.
Hair style reveals a slight top knot, typical of the era.
This type of card is a dependable clue of the turn of the century timeframe.
The card is slightly smaller than the standard cabinet card. It can be found from about 1898 through the middle of the first decade in the 20th century. The card material is actually the greater indicator of date than the size.
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.