A popular hair accessory in the 1870s and 1880s, this lady is wearing a peigneta. Some will call it a comb, which it is, but the Spanish name is peigneta. If used with a lace veil, it becomes a mantilla. However, in America, these combs were wildly popular as a fashion accessory and were available …
Poor Martha Smith, her image is fading so we can’t see much of her profile any longer. What we can see shows us a middle-aged woman in a rather nice dress. There is a lot of trim and adornment going on there. The back tells us a little, but it will be nearly impossible to …
This photo shows what some call an “transition era” dress. It has the dropped shoulder seams of the 1860s, but the apron and drape of the 1870s. It’s an excellent example of the transition away from the cage (hoop skirt) and toward the bustle. The photo mount has rounded corners, putting it in the 1870s, …
I owed you a photo because I missed Monday somehow. Too many things going on, perhaps? :-) This image is identified as Jacob Black. I particularly like the penmanship – we just don’t see beautiful handwriting all that much anymore. My child at age 13 cannot write her entire name in cursive although she wants …
Who Were They? 