photo date please

[Yvonne from Oz]

If anyone could date this for me I would be grateful. I thought I knew who it was (because of the name on the back!) but now I have serious doubts that it is actually an earlier generation.

The writing on the back says LONDON and PARIS, Photographic Studio, 618 George Street, Brickfield Hill, Sydney ( taken in Australia) A possible age range for the subject would also be of help.

Thank you.

[Rosie Knees]

Google Image Result for http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/BRGPOD/192753~Portrait-of-Prince-Albert-1859-Posters.jpg

This is a portrait of Prince Albert done in 1859. No comparison for clothes but the facial hair is similar.

EDIT: I found a portrait from 1842 and his hair is very similary (but more of it lol). So maybe that is no help!

[Rosie Knees]

Past Patterns: #009: Double-Breasted Summer Paletot with Flap Pockets: Fashionable Circa 1847-1856.

There is a sketch on here (1847-56). I think it is American but the large collar and collar area are VERY similar.

I think the coat is called a paletot.

[Yvonne from Oz]

Thank you Rosie,

That is what first made me doubt the age - I saw a different photo in a book and thought - hold on, that looks familiar!
You are right about the paletot coat (1847 - 56) it and the collar do look very similar to the ones in my photo.

The name on the back of the photo (frederick) belongs to someone who was born in 1858, so at the earliest, I think that the photo could have been taken in the late 1870's. I suspect OZ was a bit behind in maters of dress but surely not 20 years behind!

However - the other contender for the photo is the subject's father - and he would have been in his early 60's in the 1850's and the photo to me seems to be someone much younger!

I'll just see if I can find a photo of of Fred at a later date.

This is the only other one I have - a family shot with Frederick (father) in the middle of the front row c1910

[Just Barbara]

Hiya, I've just seen this photo, I think it's been taken in the late 1870s, he appears to be wearing the jacket of a sack suit, the style looks about right and also his hair style looks right for then.....;)

[Yvonne from Oz]

Thank you Barbara - I'll go and google sack suits while my internet is working - I would be extremely happy if it is an early photo of Frederick!


Comes back much more knowledgeable about 'sack suits' but still not entirely sure about the age of the photo!! :D

However, upon studying the bigger picture on screen, the father in the family picture definitely looks similar to me, to the man in the first photo.

What do other's think?

[Rosie Knees]

i'm not so sure Yvonne. The original bloke has got a fairly high forehead, yet the later Frederick seems to be receeding at the sides.

[Just Barbara]

Rosie I'm pretty certain the earlier photo has a hairstyle from the early to mid
1870s, if that's any help.