I found this CdV in an antique shop recently, and it was labeled “Girl, circa 1890s.” Having a bit of experience with photos and clothing from the 19th century, I knew this to be incorrect. And so, I bought it. First, the silhouette of the dress is a very classic 1860s style – dropped …
Being inquisitive may have brought you here, wondering “who were they?” of some old photos in your collection. Well today, we can answer the question of this photo, to some extent. Someone helpfully identified the subject as Damares Day or Dom Day Shimplon or Shimflor or…something. Thinking the name Damares is fairly unusual, I searched …
This is the final image from the Red Velvet album, and depicts a woman in early middle age. She looks a bit tired, but cleaned herself up for the sitting. It is unusual that she is quite over weight. While people certainly had the ability to become obese in the 19th century, it wasn’t as …
I believe this to be an 1860s era CdV, due to the square corners, general sparsity of props and absence of a back mark. What I have read is that in the earlier part of the decade, little to no props were used, but by the end of the decade, chairs, tables and other assorted …
This photo is courtesy of site reader Ray Jackson who found it in a set of photos he bought from ebay. The back of the CdV indicated the subject is one Horace Jones, who at the time of the photograph looks to have been in his early twenties. We can tell this is an 1860s …
Who Were They? 