Friday, April 2, 2010

Antique Photo Victorian Couple, man woman Troy N.Y. Cabinet Card

I have found the photographs of the 1800s to be very interesting.  Often you can date these cards by furniture and other props found in the photograph.  Also the style of clothing, hairdos, whether ears are exposed.  (Early 1860's ears were covered on the women)   The earliest Cabinet cards were full portraits, later in the 1870's the hair was less severe, and photos showed only 3/4 of the person, not their feet.  In the 1880s and 1890s the womens clothes became my fitted, severe and suitlike.  In 1998 when postcards became popular there were less cabinet cards printed.  Of course I have found other cabinet cards that do not fit any area. 

3 comments:

Christine H. said...

All of these subjects look very stiff. Maybe they were nervous about having their portraits taken or standing still for the picture.

Mz.Many Names said...

Also, a good way to help date them would be to look up the town records on businesses. Every business had to register with the county so you should be able to look up and find what dates the studio was in operation. I am from Troy, Ny and am familiar with the streets. The streets are still the same but the studio is long gone. I will look up and see about this one...looks like the name is "Pieper?"

papel1 said...

Thanks for the information about the town records. I have googled the names of the businesses with not too much success. I have a few new cabinet cards with the names of the people photographed but very few are listed with this batch I just got.
Judy

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