This is a tin type of a lovely young woman wearing a checkered dress and black hat. It's very hard to tell from this shot, but she is wearing a large bow tied around her neck, she has small ear-bobs, and she is holding in her left hand a small black purse which is dangling from the side of the chair.
I am having trouble dating this photograph - I want to date in the late 1870's or early 80's due to the fringed chair and the type of hairstyle the woman is wearing with the fringed, feathery bangs. However the dress is throwing me a bit; there is definitely no bustle. I wonder if she is younger than she appears to be, therefore would not yet be wearing a bustled dress? I've tried to blow up the picture so you can better see the details.
I agree -- many mixed messages in this photo. Her face appears very young. If it weren't for the earrings I'd guess 14. But since girls could marry that young, maybe earrings were appropriate at that age too. I hope you get some more takers on the challenge to date this photo.
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