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Old 11-27-2007   #135 (permalink)
dougsmit
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Default Re: Old photographs: Remembering the past

Quote:
Originally Posted by whaas2 View Post
The attached photo is of my great great great great grand mother, Frances Pace(1785-1845). Her father was in the revolutionary war. Her husband was Dr. John Wright Watson, the first medical doctor in Mt Vernon IL. Someone found this photo in a book, photo copied it and sent me a copier hard copy. I then scanned what they sent me. Frances passed away around 1845 so I presume that the photo was taken in the 1830's. I am sure that it was not a digital photo. Does anyone here know anything about what photographic processess were in use during the 1830's?
Photography was invented in 1839. Most images before 1845 were daguerreotypes (the last two in my post above) but this image has a label at the bottom rather like was fashionable 20-40 years later. The lady in the image would need to be 55 years old were the photo from 1840 and the dates correct. I do not believe the image and inscription match. Style in photos was a very important thing and you can usually date images from clothing and photographic style. This one looks to me to be c. 1880. I am no expert and certainly could be off a decade or so but card photos would have to be a copy of a daguerreotype to date from pre 1845 and I do not see evidence of this in the image.
Looking again, I believe the image may not be a photograph but a drawing which was probably copied later so it could be shared with her family. If it is a photo, I do not see how it could be of someone who died in 1845.
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