Joseph Jenkins Roberts 1851, copy by Rufus P Anson c1853
This daguerreotype portrait of Joseph Jenkins Roberts is probably a copy of an image taken in 1851 by African-American daguerreian Augustus Washington, when Roberts and his wife were visiting the United States from Liberia. Roberts was born in Virginia, but moved to Liberia in 1829, where he was a colonial governor and later the first president when the country became independent.
This image bears the imprint of Anson, 589 Broadway. That was Rufus P Anson, who had a studio at that New York address from 1853 until about 1860. The plain matte and decorative preserver are typical of the early to mid-1850s, so this copy was probably produced between 1853 and 1856.
This is a good reminder that photographs can have more than one date associated with them — the date the image was taken may be earlier than the date it was printed. In this case, a few years makes little difference in the clothing styles of a gentleman, but it allows us to reconcile the fact that Roberts was in Africa while Anson was operating his studio at 589 Broadway in New York.
George Thays with 3 Daughters and one Son, Wisconsin 1914
Here we have a real-photo postcard (RPPC) showing George Thays and his children. The identification is printed on the back of the card, which also shows a stamp-box, which we can date to the 1907-1929 period. Notice the big hair ribbon bows at the back of the head for Viola and Fern, while Esther wears a smaller one, off to one side.
A quick look at the census shows us George and his wife Bertha living in Grand Rapids, Wisconsin, with these children in 1910, though son George is incorrectly listed as four year old daughter Georgia. By the time this photo was taken in 1914, George (Sr), a paper mill worker, was 35 years old, daughter Viola 14, Fern 10, George (Jr) 8 and little Esther 4.
Julia Louisa Mayers, August 5, 1883
This is a photograph of a young girl, identified on the back on Julia Louisa Mayers, born February 2, 1881, at the age of two years and six months. The image is dated August 5, 1883.
There are various props in the photographer’s studio, and a painted background, but the center of attention besides Julia is the baby buggy, probably her mode of transport to the studio. She wears a simple yoked shift that flares at the bottom and has a scalloped lower edge.
The photographer for this image is William C Shoemaker, 602-1/2 Poplar Street, Philadelphia, whom we know was active in Philadelphia at least 1880 to 1890. The back imprint he uses is a standard type I call the Floral Bouquet over Picture Frame, with Camera and Palette with Banners.
This is not a tremendously popular motif, but I have seen many. The dated examples I have first appear in 1879, and this is the latest one in 1883. They may exist a few years earlier or later — do you have a dated example outside this range? Let us know!
1864 CDV
This image of an elderly lady is the earliest I have with an imprint on the front that is more complex than the simple, small, serif font photographer’s imprints found on other early CDVs. In this case, the imprint is gilt, just like the double lines near the outer edge of the card.
Two equal width lines like this are typically found on CDVs dating 1861-65, though rarely it is a feature seen as late as 1868. (Not to be confused with one thick outer line and a thinner inner line, also a common 1860s motif.) That confirms the reported date of 1864 for this image. The woman’s clothing, too, is typical of the mid-1860s.
The photographers, Burrows and Bundy (W F Burrows and either Joseph or Horace Bundy) are also listed in Middletown CT in 1864-65 in W C Darrah’s CDV collection.
So this CDV is probably correctly dated, and represents an early use of larger and more complex fonts in front-side photographer’s imprints. If you have an earlier example, or reason to think this date is in error, be sure to leave a comment!
