She's an unidentified beauty photographed by Thomas M. Easterly (1809-1882). I think it's either 1850s or 1860s—can you help me pin the date down?
Can you help me identify the era of this photo?
- Thread starter denisebrain
- Start date
What a beauitful photograph! Those large ruffled sleeves should be a great clue to date it.
Hattysattic
VFG Member
Yes, they are wonderful - look like pagoda sleeves? If so then latest is likely mid 1860s, I think - but could very well stand corrected!
Katarzyna
Registered Guest
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Katarzyna
Registered Guest
possibly the brooch, lace cover are photographers props. the book definitely is. props symbolism was popular.
or the pictures were taken the same day, and these women know each other. same daguerreotype cases as well
https://mohistory.org/collections/item/N17334?view=zoom
or the pictures were taken the same day, and these women know each other. same daguerreotype cases as well
https://mohistory.org/collections/item/N17334?view=zoom
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So interesting, thank you @Katarzyna! Really, it was a costume for photographs, although I imagine they were truly portraits for these women. It is also very interesting that there was a profile of one woman as well. I love her fingers in various places of the book.
And thank you MJ and Harriet. Harriet, I appreciate the reminder of the name of pagoda sleeves. Likely mid-1860s is very credible.
And thank you MJ and Harriet. Harriet, I appreciate the reminder of the name of pagoda sleeves. Likely mid-1860s is very credible.
Distantdetails
Administrator
The simplicity of the frame points to an earlier era (1850-1860), confirming your thinking.
But it doesn't really look like a dag; more like an ambrotype. ??
But it doesn't really look like a dag; more like an ambrotype. ??
Janine, all I can tell you is that the Missouri Historical Society calls it a daguerreotype. I wouldn't know how to tell for myself, can you explain how you distinguish the two?
Distantdetails
Administrator
Yes, and, btw, the Missouri Historical Society is one of the most outstanding Historical Societies. Most of my family is from Missouri, by way of Virginia, then Kentucky. So I use MHS for genealogical work.
And I did see they are identifying it as a daguerreotype, and I really wouldn't question them, but it does surprise me. Dags have a mirrored finish, and you can easily see that in most photograaphs of them. It makes them hard to take good pics of them. From Google: "The Daguerreotype image has a magical, mirror-like quality. The image can only be seen at certain angles. A piece of paper with writing will be reflected in the image, just as with a mirror." So, they must have had an excellent photographer who took pictures of those dags. Those are gorgeous reproductions. Without a great photographer, you will see the mirroring effect in the reproduction, or else the image itself will appear cloudy or somewhat unseeable.
And ambrotype is also on glass, but has a black backing that makes the image appear. Ambros came a little later.
My first collectibles were dags and antique real-photo postcards. Still love them.
And I did see they are identifying it as a daguerreotype, and I really wouldn't question them, but it does surprise me. Dags have a mirrored finish, and you can easily see that in most photograaphs of them. It makes them hard to take good pics of them. From Google: "The Daguerreotype image has a magical, mirror-like quality. The image can only be seen at certain angles. A piece of paper with writing will be reflected in the image, just as with a mirror." So, they must have had an excellent photographer who took pictures of those dags. Those are gorgeous reproductions. Without a great photographer, you will see the mirroring effect in the reproduction, or else the image itself will appear cloudy or somewhat unseeable.
And ambrotype is also on glass, but has a black backing that makes the image appear. Ambros came a little later.
My first collectibles were dags and antique real-photo postcards. Still love them.
Katarzyna
Registered Guest
It says in the photographer's bio that he did daguerreotypes exclusively, even when they went out of fashion and people started doing wet plates. Daguerreotypes are made on metal plates covered in silver and polished. They are so distinguishable you can't mistake it for anything else. I have plenty of books on daguerreotypes, they ale have great reproductions. You just have to put a dark fabric in front of it to photograph them.