Eyes are the Window to the Soul (Victorian Era Women)

It has often been said the the "eyes are the window to the soul."  There is some confusion as to the original speaker of this quote, Shakespeare being in the running to be the author.    Something broght this quote to my mind and I decided to share a few of my favorite "soulful eyed" ladies of the past.

This first young woman is unidentified and she sat for photographer T. M. Sausman of Norristown, Pa in the late 1870's.  She has such a wistful look on her face, I wonder what she was thinking about.

 

Subject number two, another lovely young woman, also probably dated late 1870's  was from Iowa City, Iowa.  She too is unidentified and the photographer was James of that city.  

 

The third photograph is of a woman a little older, possibly fortyish?  This is one of my favorites, she appears to have such character to her face, not to mention good bones.  Also unidentified, she sat for photographers Brown & Gillis of Galesburg, Mich.  most likely late 1870's.

 

Tintype Tuesday - Late 1860's/Early 1870's (Victorian) Young Woman with Flowers in Her Hair

Today's Tintype Tuesday is a lovely young, unidentified young  woman wearing a belted, gingham dress with flowered headband.  This tintype photograph was most likely taken in the late 1860's to early 1870's, but since there is no photographer's mark or identification of the subject it is not possible to positively narrow down the date or location.

Tintype Tuesday - 1870's (Victorian)Teenage Girl with Long, Curly Hair

Today's tintype features a teenage girl from most likely the 1870's.  Unfortunately as is seen with most tintypes, this subject is unidentified and there is no photographer or year associated.  Her hair is worn long, braided back from the face and adorned with a large bow and some type of beading embellishment in the center part.  

The very busy neck and bust adornments are all characteristics of 1870 women's fashions.  Note the unusual bow scarf, frilly neck and long rope chain with pendant. Her dress has an unusual dark, quilted piece down the front that beautifully offsets the lighter colors of the rest of the dress and accessories.

1870's Teenage Girl

This tintype is badly scratched all over especially across her face, but using the "retouch" function of my basic photo program I was able to bring back to life her promising young beauty.  Note that the photographer has tinted her cheeks pink.

Tintype Tuesday - Stylish Young 1880's (Victorian Era) Woman with Hat

I love this tintype of a stylish young 1870's woman wearing bustled dress and hat.  She is leaning on a photographer's fake stone prop and is holding a handkerchief in her hand. Her dress has the typical fitted bodice and front buttons of the time and she is wearing a dark colored boater-type hat with what appears to be feathers on the top.  I love the not so typical bangs of her hairstyle.  She is quite lovely and I can't help wondering what she was thinking.


Update:  This one has been bothering me and I am changing the timeline to 1880's!

Sepia Saturday #177 - Children on Fences, Columns, Rocks & Other Photographer's Props

I have a lot of wonderful old children's photographs and for some reason rarely post child photos so when I saw the theme prompt for this week's Sepia Saturday I decided to share some of my favorites.  Here are just a few:

This first photo (CDV) is a very young, unidentified Trenton, NJ girl taken between 1864 and 1866 as evidenced by the revenue stamp on the back.  Such a little sweetheart and look at her darling dress.  The photographer was Aller & Brown of Trenton.  This little miss is posing on the photographer's fake balustrade railing.

This next photo (cabinet card) features five young Michigan siblings and their dog posed next to a faux fence and pile of hay.  The photographer was Dave Bradbeer of Charlevoix, Michigan.  This photograph was most likely taken in the late 1880's.

 

Next up is a cabinet card featuring an 1890's boy wearing Little Lord Fauntleroy attire holding the obligatory whip.  This was a very popular costume for boys to wear for their photographs in the 1890's.  This particular young boy was posed by photographer Strunk of Reading, PA seated on a large "rock."

 

This young girl from Trenton, NJ is quite a picture in plaid posed next to a "stone column" and behind an "iron gate."  I've posted  this cabinet card before, but I think she deserves another mention - just love her entire outfit.  The photographer was J. E. North of 31 Centre St.  This photo is also from the 1880's.

 

This young lad leaning on the "stone column" is quite dapper in matching jacket and knickers with  hat and cane and take a look at those plaid leggings!  What a good looking young man.  No photographer is listed, but the boy is identified on the back as Howard Prue Price, I believe.  My guess is this cabinet card is from the late 1870's.

 

And finally we have this sweet young girl leaning on the photographer's "stone fence".  Such a sweetie in her simple dress and lace collar and notice the necklace with long chain around her neck.  The photographer was H. S. Stephens of Rushville, Indiana.  This photo was probably taken in the late 1880's.

If you have enjoyed these photos I hope you will hop, skip or jump over to Sepia Saturday to see even more wonderful photos.

Fashionable Friday - Five Stylin' 1860's Guys

I always show photographs of lovely women on Fashionable Friday so today thought I'd change things up a bit and post pictures of some fashionable and debonair gentlemen from the 1860's.

This first gentleman with the dark suit, vest and long waistcoat was probably taken in the early 1860's.  He is holding his hat in his hand and he looks quite serious.  The back of the photo is blank and no photographer or location was listed.

Unknown man, 1860's

This next young man, sporting impressive mutton chops, had a bust pose taken so all we can see is part of his jacket, his white shirt, a little bit of his vest and his tie. On the back in pencil is written "S. B. Culver Sandy Hill, N.Y."  This is most likely Stephen Berry Culver born July 1841 in Sandy Hill, New York and died in 1902.  The photo was taken by W. Nims, Photographer, East Street, Fort Edward, N.Y.  The mutton chops suggest an early 1860's date, but I am leaning to perhaps a later 1860's date.

S. B. Culver 1860's Sandy Hill, NY

 

Young man number three is wearing a light colored suit, also a long waistcoat and is posing with his hand on a chair.  He looks quite young, probably early twenties.  This CDV photo was most likely taken between 1864-1869.  The photographer was O. A. Taft's Gallery, Opposite Post Office, Middlebury, VT.

Unk, 1860's NY man

 

Next we have Uncle Sidney Morse as evidenced one the back who posed for photographer C. H. Clark in Union Village, N. Y. probably between 1864 - 69.  I found a number of subjects in the New York area with this name.  I'm not sure what a good estimate would be for this particular Sidney's birthday.  How old do you think he looks here?  Thirty-five?  Forty?  Older than that?  I don't believe that he is as old as he appears at first glance.  His suit is very stylish and the vest appears to be made of a satin-like material.

Sidney Morse, NY 1860's

 

Last, but not least, is a young gentleman who it appears has the initials, "J. N.T."  Not much help there!  This picture is actually dated March 9th, 1870, but I thought it would be a good way to end out the 1860 decade.  The hair on his head and face are very clean-cut as was more common in the late 1860's and early 1870's.  He is sitting on a velvet fringed chair with his elbow on a small table which is holding a book.  His pants are a little unusual; I believe I have seen them before, they almost look like uniform pants.  This CDV like some of this others was trimmed at the corners to fit into a photo album.  The photographer was A. Corden located at the Cor. Fourth and River Sts., Troy, N.Y.

Unknown man documented Mar 9, 1870

 

Tintype Tuesday - Two Women Show Off Their Long Hair

Beautiful long hair was considered a woman's crowning glory in the 1800's and this is very evident in today's tintype which features two women  proudly showing of their very very long, dark-colored hair. This photo seems to have been well thought out as each woman is wearing a white dress to best accentuate her hair.  I like how the photographer has posed these women, one sitting and one standing, each with their hair over their shoulder down the front.

It appears that these women are related from their facial features, and I believe they were most likely mother and daughter.  I had real trouble dating this photo.    My feeling is that it was probably taken late 1870's to early 1880's, however I could be wrong.  

Sentimental Sunday - Women With Hats - Five 1870's Parisian Women

For this week's Women with Hats you get five for the price of one!  This wonderful, but somewhat faded CDV of five young, fashionable Parisian women was taken probably in the late 1870's.  I can't even begin to start describing their ensembles, they are just too delightful!  The skirts alone of their dresses with the ruffles, trim and diagonal designs have my eyes darting back and forth over  the photo.  The woman in the rear right has on the most lovely and stylish coat.  And of course, let's not forget the hats! Each of them is wearing an entirely different hat and each is totally stylish in its own right.  

The photographer was Hermet, perhaps Joseph Hermet, who reportedly appeared on the Paris photography scene sometime around 1872. About 1875 he bought the studio of Eugène Maunoury, a well-known artist and photographer.  I unfortunately do not know French, but using Google I believe the back of the photograph says that he sells portraits in oil, watercolor and miniatures, a collection of celebrities contemporaries. 

Tintype Tuesday - Handsome Young 1870's Man

Unidentified 1870's Man

Today's tintype is an example of a tintype packaged in a sleeve simulating a picture frame. The subject is a very handsome, unidentified  young man with blonde hair.  He appears to be well-dressed and  in the photo his cheeks are slightly tinted pink.  I daresay he was quite popular with the ladies and the lucky recipients of this photograph were very happy to have it.  I estimate this photo to have been taken in the early 1870's, perhaps 1872 give or take a year.

Tintype Tuesday - Young 1870's Woman in Striped Dress

The problem with tintypes is that out of all the vintage photographs they are the least likely to be dated and identified.  These two tintypes of a lovely young woman in a striped dress show her posed both sitting and standing.  I've gone back and forth in my head trying to reach a date and I just keep thinking they look like 1870's photos. Her bustled dress is trimmed with ball fringe, kind of like what my mother used to have on her curtains.  Her hairstyle and the neckline and bow of the dress also suggest to me the 1870 date.  I welcome any comments or suggestions to further help date this photo.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - 1870's Woman Wearing Straw Hat

This lovely young woman in a white dress is wearing a straw hat decorated with some type of dark trim, most likely velvet.  She is leaning her left hand on a dark lacy parasol and is resting her other arm on a fake column.  She appears to have short hair although it is possible it is pulled back at the nape of her neck.

This cabinet card, while quite faded and peeling in places, still manages to show the beauty of this unidentified subject.  I have actually enhanced the photo you are seeing here as it is even more faded in person. Additionally, it seems the unknown photographer did not take into account her white dress against the white brick wall and the photo was over-processed.  I think he would have been more successful using a darker background.  For example, check out this prior post showing a woman in a white dress:  http://forgottenfacesandlongagoplaces.blogspot.com/2012/05/sentimental-sunday-women-with-hats-lady.html

I still love this photo as the subject has the most serene look on her face and is very captivating.  Due to the thick gilt border I believe this photograph to have been taken in the late 1870's or very early 1880's.

Tintype Tuesday - Two 1870's Tintypes - Same Young Woman?

These two tintypes were purchased in a group of photos from the same vendor and I believe them to be of the same young woman.  I have examined them at length and although there are some slight differences  such as she appears to be wearing dark gloves in the second photo and the dress appears slightly different which could mean that perhaps the photos were taken on a different day.  I estimate that these photos were taken sometime between 1872 and 1875 but as always I reserve my right to be wrong!  At any rate, she is a lovely young woman, so serious and reflective in her poses.  I wish I knew who she was and what she was thinking.

 

Fashionable Friday - Early 1870's Glens Falls, NY Woman

This CDV photograph of an unidentified young woman from Glen Falls, NY is a bit faded but still is a great example of early 1870's photography. She is wearing the typical, curled on top of the head hairstyle, and her dress has the lace collar and intricate work that was so popular at the time. If you look closely you will notice that her lips and cheeks have been slightly tinted.  The oval frame of the card is a big clue that this is an 1870's photograph as well as the horizontal imprint on the back of the card.

The photographer was A. Orr, Jr. of Glens Falls, NY.  I did not find Orr in any census records but did find him listed on an 1876 map of Glens Falls on Ancestry.com.  I also found several mentions of Orr when I Googled him, one in the "1871 Directory of Queensbury & Glens Falls" listed as "photographer, Traphagan's Building, Ridge."   Another link shows a photograph with the photographer's mark, "C. L. Lovejoy successor to A. Orr, Jr. 1878" which suggests that either Orr sold his business before 1878 or perhaps died or moved from the area.  This mention of him at craigcamera.com suggests that the photograph in question may be a picture of  Orr himself.

Fashionable Friday - Late 1870's Spencer, Mass Fashionista

Unidentified 1870's Spencer, MA woman

Today's Fashionable Friday photograph is a CDV (Carte de Visite) most likely from the late 1870's. The subject is a young, curly-haired woman with a somber look about her.  She almost seems a bit dazed.  The photograph was taken in half pose from the waist up and from what I can tell she is dressed quite fashionably in the style of the mid to late 1870's.  Her hairstyle is somewhat typical of the era with frizzy bangs and although most womn pulled their hair up into a bun on top of their heads hers is more towards the back.  I suspect this young woman may have had a little trouble managing all those tight curls!  The 1870's trend of wearing hair piled high on the head was to make way for the high, elaborate collars and necklines.   The trend was lots of lace and trim about the neck, the more the better.  I think this subject's neckline definitely fits all these criteria! She is even wearing a type of chain that was commonly seen on women at that time.  The dress is a bit unusual from the little I can see, the sleeves and buttons in particular.

I have written before about the photographer, E. L. Jaynes who was Edward Lyman James born in Massachusetts in 1842.  Jaynes was a well-known photographer in Spencer and died there in 1937.  See here for previous posts.

Fashionable Friday - Civil War Era Vergennes, VT Woman

Unidentified 1860's Vergennes, VT woman

Today's Fashionable Friday is a little bit of a head-scratcher for me.  At first glance I was sure this CDV was taken in the early to mid 1860's.  Her dress and hair both pointed to this conclusion.  The style is very reminiscent of what was popular around 1863 as is evidenced in photograph number 2 below. Both have the low shoulder seam that was so common in that era.  It is difficult to tell from this scan that the card has slightly rounded corners that suggest a later date, perhaps 1869 or 1870.  I can only surmise one of two things; either this woman was still wearing the earlier 1860's style at the end of the decade perhaps due to the economic hardships of the aftereffects of the Civil War, or the photographer remounted an earlier photo on a newer card for the customer.  

The photographer as evidenced on the back was J. H. Stearns of Vergennes, VT.  After a little research I determined this was Joseph H. Stearns born ca 1819 in Vermont.  He is found in both the 1860 and 1880 Addison County, VT censuses married to wife Amanda.  In 1860 he listed his occupation as "artist" and in 1880 as "photographer."  Waltons Vermont Register & Farmers Almanac, 1877 listed him as one of two of the city of Vergennes' photographers.  According to this very interesting article at www.oldmaps.com he participated in mapping Vermont between 1854-1859 in "extraordinary detail" with other mapmakers.  "The results of this work were eleven large wall maps which pictured the state of Vermont in remarkable detail."  He is credited on the surface of the Addison County map as "Daguerrean Artist" J. H. Stearns and thirteen views of his photographs of local homes and businesses with names of property owners adorn the map.  I found a mention of his wife's death in 1882 in the Vermont Chronicle but nothing more of Mr. Stearns after that.

Unidentifed early 1860's woman

October 1862 Peterson's Magazine

Sepia Saturday #141 - Time Stands Still for No Man...or Woman

Pocket watch 1897 Sears Catalog

Well actually it does...sort of....in the case of the art of taking a photograph.  It hasn't waited for me either.  I have been missing from Sepia Saturday for the last few weeks for a couple of reasons, the main one being that most of my "time" has been spent resting in a chair after a tumble through space.  To try and make a long story short, I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and in trying to be quiet so I didn't wake my husband, left the lights off as I usually do.  On the way back I tripped over the dog's bed, fell forward and landed on my stomach on the corner of the the bedpost, rolled and landed on my ribs, hit my chin, my head, my elbows, my butt, well, I think you are getting the idea.  I was bruised and banged up from head to toe and ended up waking all three dogs and my husband. I dragged myself to work everyday, but didn't feel like doing much else afterwards.

Pocket watches 1897 Sears Catalog

Now I'm back and ready to tackle the issue of time.  I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this week's Sepia Saturday theme, but when I was looking through all my vintage photographs I kept noticing that in many of the photos of men you can see the chains connected to the pocket watches.  It was a little frustrating because I really wanted to see a pocket watch but not in one single photo out of dozens did I see one.  According to Wikipedia "a pocket watch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket."  Wow, I would have never figured that out on my own!  They were the most common type of watch from their development in the 16th century until wristwatches became popular after WWI. Pocket watches generally have an attached chain to allow them to be secured to a waistcoat, lapel or belt loop and to prevent them from being dropped (Wikipedia).

Please take a look at the photographs below and you will see what I mean about just seeing the chain - you will have to use your imagination to visualize the watch.  Hopefully, the photos from the Sears Catalog will give you an idea.

CDV of Late 1860 couple (unidentified)

Cabinet Card 1870's Couple (unidentified)

Cabinet Card Late 1880's Medina,
NY Man (unidentified)

Summer 1866 Philadelphia Man - CDV
(Blue Playing Card Rev Stamp on back)
(unidentified)

Please take the "time" to click here to visit Sepia Saturday too see more intriguing  photos and stories posted this week.