Portraits from the first 100 years of photography
The women in this photograph are unidentified. Fortunately, the mount is stamped Clifton & Co., Bombay, indicating that the photo was taken at the studio founded in that city (Mumbai) by Harry Clifton Soundy (1863-1922). At first I assumed the woman sitting at left was wearing a County or Branch badge of the British Red... Continue Reading →
This post is a work in progress. At the time that I published it, I hadn't managed to identify any of the men in the photo. A resourceful reader in the UK, Michael, quickly identified two of them. The man seated in the middle of the second row is Frederic Thesiger, Viscount Chelmsford, who was... Continue Reading →
Where are you going, my pretty maid?I'm going a milking, sir, she said.May I go with you, my pretty maid?You're kindly welcome, sir, she said.What is your father, my pretty maid?My father's a farmer, sir, she said.What is your fortune, my pretty maid?My face is my fortune, sir, she said.Then I won't marry you, my... Continue Reading →
This cabinet card photograph is the first image I've shared from Australia. It was printed at the Anson Brothers studio in Hobart, Tasmania, which was in operation from 1878 to 1891. Founded by brothers Joshua, Henry Joseph and Richard Edwin Anson, the studio became known for views of Tasmanian scenery, which received medals at the... Continue Reading →
This photograph came to me a few years ago from Scotland (Clydebank, near Glasgow). The print is mounted on stiff paper, which has nothing written or stamped on it to identify the group, the location or the photographer. Since all the members of the group are adults, I don't think this is an extended... Continue Reading →
I found this cabinet card portrait for sale on eBay in England (Northamptonshire) in January of this year. Books are common props in 19th-century studio portraits, but titles are usually too blurry to read, even after scanning them at high resolution. In this case, the book is large enough that the title is easily readable... Continue Reading →
This large-format photograph came to me from the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, it has nothing written on it and I haven't identified anyone in it. Hanging high on the wall is a shield with a crown on it. Would the crown indicate a royal household? I've brightened it below to make it a little easier to... Continue Reading →
In the first comment under the previous post, Shayne Davidson said the nurses' uniforms reminded her of the BBC series Call the Midwife. Her comment made me look anew at the photo above, which also came from the United Kingdom, and wonder if the young sitter might have been preparing to work as a midwife or... Continue Reading →
When I saw this cabinet card from the United Kingdom, I immediately assumed it must have come from a Victorian production of Shakespeare's King Lear. The tragic play revolves around the relationship between the king and his youngest daughter, Cordelia. I spent some time looking for images of historical productions of the play, but found... Continue Reading →
If only we could see the colors of her dress! She must have made it to attract attention to her cause. Her hat has words sewn on it -- I can read LITTLE and HELPS -- so it may read EVEN A LITTLE HELPS. She's holding a donation box with words printed above a cross... Continue Reading →
This early carte-de-visite from India doesn't have the young woman's name on it, but it was listed for sale on eBay along with a few other photos from the same family, one of which had "Miss Collins" written on the back. The same young woman is in that photo, along with several young adults who... Continue Reading →
This carte-de-visite came to me from England (Northamptonshire), but it has nothing written on it to identify the sitter or photographer. The photo (print) was cut into an oval shape and glued onto a paper mount with an oval frame design already printed on it. Such cartes were generally made after someone had died, as... Continue Reading →
Tokens of Companionship 
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