photo on glass information request

[Yvonne from Oz]

Hi there,

have just found a photo on glass that I thought was lost and gone forever. It is in very bad shape but if anyone could have a go at dating it for me I might be able to work out who it should be.
I remember that there once was a matching gentleman in the other side of the holder but he is long gone and the holder is badly bent and broken. I have scanned one side of the the metal holder incase that is important.

Thank you

[Yvonne from Oz]

This is the photo - because it is on glass and badly scratched around the head I tried to find a dark background but this blue diary was all I could find. The photo is roughly 3 inches square

[Yvonne from Oz]

This is the outside of the metal case:

[Yvonne from Oz]

Got to go to bed - back in the morning

[Laurie in Oz]

Oh Vonny that is so lovely. Sorry I can't help -

There are boxes and boxes of photos on glass out at the Archives that we are currently sorting, cleaning and indexing - taken very early last century, teeheee . . of those in the prisons in NSW

Is the case silver ???? It will probably have markings on it that an antique dealer would be able to tell you where and when and by who it was made.

When we were in UK last year, I took two silver matchboxes to an antique dealer, and he was able to tell me so much about them both.

L xo

[Rachel Scand]

Beautiful Photograph

Have enlarged and sharpened the back ... are those numbers on the left towards the bottom ?
It's a little too fuzzy to see, but may be a 4 and 5 ... or is it just pattern ?


hmmm .... think it may be pattern

[Rachel Scand]

If you google 'Ambrotypes' (photos on glass) that will tell you about the process ....

[Rachel Scand]

Just found this, which explains how to tell the difference between an Ambrotype and Daguerreotype


The Daguerreian Society: Daguerreotype FAQ

[Just Barbara]

Hi your lovely lady dates from the 1860s, looking at the style of her dress she is about 1865, look at her jewellery!

[Guy]

This any help

Cheers
Guy

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I have several ambrotypes and two dageurotypes in my collection. The easiest way to tell the difference is that the dageurotypes look rather like a hologram, but it's not so easy to tell if you don't have both types to hand. However, if your photo is from the 1860's then it's much more likely to be an ambrotype.

[Heather Positive Thinker]

She has a fantastic complexion doesnt she. We have some daguerrotypes and as Merry says, you couldnt actually see the image on them like this one.

I dont know, the design is almost Adam like isnt it.

[Yvonne from Oz]

Morning/evening all,

thank you for the information and web sites.
I'm just going to look at them now.

[Yvonne from Oz]

Rachel, thank you for that link, it is full of information.

Merry, you were correct, I have discovered that what I have is an Ambrotype:
"The second type of photograph, ambrotypes, (1855-1865) also came in hinged cases but in these there is a photographic emulsion that has been coated onto glass so they do not have that "shiny mirror" reflection (but, being on glass they are somewhat reflective). If you take an ambrotype out of a case and hold it up to the light you can usually see through the picture (since it's on glass). Ambrotypes don't tarnish but the black paint painted on the backside of the glass often dries out, cracks, and then peels off."

Now I am googling for the case. L'oz, it is made of a plastic-like material (I thought it was metal) not silver, and there are no other markings on it at all.

Union Case made of varnish and wood fibres ( shellac and sawdust) mid 1850s to the mid 1870s.

A "Union Case" is an example of an early thermoplastic technology, being produced from about 1855 to 1865. Some people call them gutta-percha cases but that is not a correct term, better being "thermoplastic case" or, as we use, a "Union Case". Littlefield, Parsons & Co. was one such case manufacturers. A mixture of shellac and wood fibers were pressed into a steel mold.

So - my dates so far are: 1855 - 1865 for the Ambrotype
1850s -mid 1870's for the case according to two different sites

And Barbara (thank you) says probably 1865 for my relation which fits beautifully with the other information. Now, I know there was a husband picture originally so off to find out which lady was alive and married at that time!

back soon.

[Yvonne from Oz]

And the best contender is..........................

Sarah Annie Pellatt Brindley born 25th November 1834 in Plymouth, England and married to Marshall Bayley (senior) born c1825 in England somewhere! They were married in 1855 in Sydney. Which means that this must have been photographed in Australia, and thanks to L'oz' information re the archives- I know that they could do it here.

Sarah would have been 31 in 1865. Do you think the lady in the picture looks late 20's early 30's? She was my great great grandma by the way.


* rats rats rats - and other strong language that I never use. That means that the missing husband piccy was Marshall Bayley senior of whom I haven't any photos!*

[Yvonne from Oz]

Guy - how do you do that? And thank you ever so much. Can I just copy it?


Just had a thought - going to look at another old photo.

Just remembered the piece I wrote for the Mystery edition of FTF family magazine with the copy of an old photo C1909.
I never thought about the elderly lady in the photo but I now realise it has to be Sarah Annie Pellatt Brindley aged in her 70;s!
She died in 1912.

[MacPanda]

Great work everyone and wooohooo Vonny great find.

[Guy]

[QUOTE=Yvonne from Oz;1247039]Guy - how do you do that? And thank you ever so much. Can I just copy it?

Yes, of course you can.
There is perhaps a better version here.

http://anguline.co.uk/images/Lady.jpg

Cheers
Guy

[Yvonne from Oz]

Thanks Guy - that is great and I was able to copy it

[Rachel Scand]

I've been thinking that she looks like Vivien Leigh in 'Gone With the Wind' ... hair and costume ...

The American Civil War was 1861 - 1865, so that fits quite nicely