Identifying Ancestor Photos: Daguerreotypes

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor. 

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is. The earliest type is the Daguerreotype.

Identifying a Daguerreotype

Morse visited Daguerre in Paris in March 1839 and observed a demonstration of the daguerreotype process. He returned to the United States to spread the news, and by the end of 1839 some larger cities on the East Coast had very successful portrait studios.

Every daguerreotype is a unique image on silvered copper plate.  Daguerreotypes are small, usually about 2x3 inches and they tarnish easily. What else makes it unique? 

Daguerreotype Cases

Daguerreotypes are fragile and were always put in protective cases. Here are a few from my personal collection.

 This is a daguerreotype from 1854

This daguerreotype of a woman in formal evening wear is from the Civil War era.

 

A rare beautifully decorated double case holding a daguerreotype on side, an ambrotype on the other 

Learn More

Watch my video Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about daguerreotypes on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photographs: Ambrotypes

Ambrotype of the Treadway cousins

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is. 

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor.The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854.

Ambrotypes (circa 1854)

The ambrotype was a glass negative backed with black material, which enabled it to appear as a positive image. Patented in 1854, the ambrotype was made, packaged, and sold in portrait studios as the daguerreotype had been, but at a lower cost. The ambrotype produced a single image on glass.

From My Collection of Ambrotypes 

1861 Ambrotype

1858 Ambrotype

 

Another Civil War era ambrotype of a young woman in day dress with a typical snood and ringlets.  

Don't Be Confused 

Ambrotypes are often confused with daguerreotypes as they are similar in size and usually cased. If the image "disappears" when you move the photo around, it is a daguerreotype, not an ambrotype. Unlike daguerreotypes, which can appear as a positive, negative or reflective (mirror) image, ambrotypes are always a positive image no matter how they are held. 

Learn More

Watch my video Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about ambrotypes on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photos: Tintypes

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is. 

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor.The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854. By 1855 Tinytypes had begun to replace Ambrotypes

Tintypes (circa 1855)

The Ferrotype process (tintypes) was introduced in the United States in 1855. It substituted an iron plate for glass and was even cheaper than the ambrotype. Because tintypes were placed in albums along with CDVs, they were often trimmed at the sides and corners.

Tintypes were produced in various sizes

• Full plate 6 1/2" x 8 1/2"
• Half plate 4 1/2" x 51/2"
• 1/4 plate 3 1/8" x 4 1/8"
• 1/6 plate 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
• 1/9 plate 2" x 2 ½"
• Gem approximately 1/2" x 1"

Examples of Tintypes

Gem Tintype

9th plate Tintype

Watch my video on Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about Tintypes on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photos: Cartes de Visite

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor. The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854. By 1860 Cartes de Visite (CDVs) were becoming popular.

Cartes de Visite

Cartes de Visite are photographs mounted on a small (4x2.5") cardboard card. They became extremely popular as a method of collecting photographs of friends and family members to place in elaborate albums. A CDV could be easily duplicated in contrast to the earlier daguerreotypes and ambrotypes.

Estimating Dates of a CDV

Early 1860s CDVs have square corners. By 1870 many had rounded corners. The thinner the cardboard backing, the earlier the Cartes de Visite. Photographers logos, found on the verso (back) of the CDV also began to change, becoming more elaborate in later years.

Examples of Cartes de Visite

 

1877 Cartes de Visite, round corners

1864 CDV

 

1872 CDV with round corners

  

CDV 1872

  

1871 CDV

 

Learn More about Cartes de Visite

Watch my video on Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about Cartes de Visite on my Lost Faces website

Review of Out-of-Style:A Modern Perspective of How, Why and When Vintage Fashions Evolved

Out-of-Style:A Modern Perspective of How, Why and When Vintage Fashions Evolved by Betty Kreisel Shubert is one of the best books I've read about fashions and hairstyles over the ages. I use it to help me date the old photographs I collect. 

The author has filled the book with her own illustrations to provide assistance in understanding what the various terms in fashion and clothing mean.

Her use of her charming illustrations rather then the expected photographs (cartes de visite, cabinet cards, tintypes, ambrotypes & daguerreotypes) adds to the unique appeal of this book.

As well the author illustrates with her sketches, the gradual changes that took place over time with such women's fashions as the bustle. Ms. Shubert originally came up with the idea for her 349 page book as a way to help genealogists and historians who were seeking a reference work to help them date fashions in their own family photographs. Don't overlook this book as an invaluable guide to have on your bookshelves.

Help Dating an Old Family Photo

A question was asked on a Facebook group about this photo. Audrey M. asked the group "Does anyone know how I could try to find the date of this photograph?"

I thought I would answer here on Olive Tree Genealogy blog.


To date photographs, first detemine the type. This is a cabinet card which were not used until ca 1870. 

Next determine when the photographer was in business. Narrow the years this way. A check online for the Maitland Photography studio in Stratford, Ontario Canada reveals that the owner, George Maitland, did not establish his photography business in that town until 1876. His first studio was on Market Street and that is where this photograph was taken. George was in business for about 30 years (perhaps a little longer) so we can estimate this cabinet card photo was taken between 1876 and 1906 or slightly later. 

Searches of available Stratford City Directories reveals that in 1888 George Maitland's studio was still on Market Street but in 1896, Maitland Photgraphy Studios was on Downie Street. Thus we have narrowed the year of the cabinet card even more.

Next we start looking at clothing and hairstyle clues. The adult woman's hairstyle is ca late 1880s to early 1900s but it could be narrowed down even more. Using the reference book "Out-of-Style:A Modern Perspective of How, Why and When Vintage Fashions Evolved" by Betty Kreisel Shubert
I see that her hair with its flattened "spit curls" was in style 1880-1890s.

Her dress with its tight fitted bodice looks like ca late 1880s to early 1900s as well.The children's clothing is confusing me slightly as the boys with their knickers look to be in the early 1900-1906 range. But the girls are wearing the yoke-style dresses framed with ruffles which was popular in the 1890s.  The 1890s also saw huge balloon style sleeves. I'm leaning towards dating this photograph in the late 1890s.
 
Here is a place to start reading up on some basic clues http://www.lostfaces.com/photo-clues.html

Identifying Ancestor Photos: Cabinet Cards

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor. The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854. 1860 saw the Cartes de Visite becoming popular and the larger Cabinet Cards began to slowly replace the popular CDVs in the mid 1860s.

Cabinet Cards

Cabinet Cards were basically a larger version of the earlier Cartes de Visite. Photographs on paper were pasted onto a large stiff backing measuring 6.5 x 4.25 inches. Photographer logos can be found on the front or verso and were often very elaborate. Around 1880 the cards became more elaborate, sometimes having gold or silver edges. At this time the colour of the cards began to change to darker tones and black, burgundy and deep green became popular.

Examples of Cabinet Cards 

 

1877 Cabinet Card

 1882 Cabinet Card

 

1900 Cabinet Card

1890s Cabinet Card

Learn More

Watch my video on Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about Cabinet Cards on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photos: Cartes de Visite

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor. The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854. By 1860 Cartes de Visite (CDVs) were becoming popular.

Cartes de Visite

Cartes de Visite are photographs mounted on a small (4x2.5") cardboard card. They became extremely popular as a method of collecting photographs of friends and family members to place in elaborate albums. A CDV could be easily duplicated in contrast to the earlier daguerreotypes and ambrotypes.

Estimating Dates of a CDV

Early 1860s CDVs have square corners. By 1870 many had rounded corners. The thinner the cardboard backing, the earlier the Cartes de Visite. Photographers logos, found on the verso (back) of the CDV also began to change, becoming more elaborate in later years.

Examples of Cartes de Visite

 

1877 Cartes de Visite, round corners

1864 CDV

 

1872 CDV with round corners

  

CDV 1872

  

1871 CDV

 

Learn More about Cartes de Visite

Watch my video on Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about Cartes de Visite on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photos: Tintypes

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is. 

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor.The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854. By 1855 Tinytypes had begun to replace Ambrotypes

Tintypes (circa 1855)

The Ferrotype process (tintypes) was introduced in the United States in 1855. It substituted an iron plate for glass and was even cheaper than the ambrotype. Because tintypes were placed in albums along with CDVs, they were often trimmed at the sides and corners.

Tintypes were produced in various sizes

• Full plate 6 1/2" x 8 1/2"
• Half plate 4 1/2" x 51/2"
• 1/4 plate 3 1/8" x 4 1/8"
• 1/6 plate 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
• 1/9 plate 2" x 2 ½"
• Gem approximately 1/2" x 1"

Examples of Tintypes

Gem Tintype

9th plate Tintype

Watch my video on Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about Tintypes on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photographs: Ambrotypes

Ambrotype of the Treadway cousins

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is. 

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor.The earliest type is the Daguerreotype. Ambrotypes followed, coming into use circa 1854.

Ambrotypes (circa 1854)

The ambrotype was a glass negative backed with black material, which enabled it to appear as a positive image. Patented in 1854, the ambrotype was made, packaged, and sold in portrait studios as the daguerreotype had been, but at a lower cost. The ambrotype produced a single image on glass.

From My Collection of Ambrotypes 

1861 Ambrotype

1858 Ambrotype

 

Another Civil War era ambrotype of a young woman in day dress with a typical snood and ringlets.  

Don't Be Confused 

Ambrotypes are often confused with daguerreotypes as they are similar in size and usually cased. If the image "disappears" when you move the photo around, it is a daguerreotype, not an ambrotype. Unlike daguerreotypes, which can appear as a positive, negative or reflective (mirror) image, ambrotypes are always a positive image no matter how they are held. 

Learn More

Watch my video Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about ambrotypes on Lost Faces website

Identifying Ancestor Photos: Daguerreotypes

Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor. 

Genealogists often have old family photos in their possession or they find some in Great Aunt Matilda's attic. But how do we know when the photograph was taken? One method is to determine what type of photograph it is. The earliest type is the Daguerreotype.

Identifying a Daguerreotype

Morse visited Daguerre in Paris in March 1839 and observed a demonstration of the daguerreotype process. He returned to the United States to spread the news, and by the end of 1839 some larger cities on the East Coast had very successful portrait studios.

Every daguerreotype is a unique image on silvered copper plate.  Daguerreotypes are small, usually about 2x3 inches and they tarnish easily. What else makes it unique? 

Daguerreotype Cases

Daguerreotypes are fragile and were always put in protective cases. Here are a few from my personal collection.

 This is a daguerreotype from 1854

This daguerreotype of a woman in formal evening wear is from the Civil War era.

 

A rare beautifully decorated double case holding a daguerreotype on side, an ambrotype on the other 

Learn More

Watch my video Five Types of Early 19th Century Photographs

Read more about daguerreotypes on Lost Faces website