Date for this elderly couple please?

[jim1]

Most of the elements that we use to date are absent in this.However I would suggest from what there is, 1870's.

[SmallTownGirl]

I had one couple in mind and their dates were

Him: 1831-1920
and
Her: 1830-1907

but if you think it's 1870s, then could it be a couple who's dates were

Him: 1791-1874
and
Her: 1805-1887

Perhaps?

STG

[SmallTownGirl]

Oh, and hasn't he got large feet?

STG

[Regorian]

I think second or earlier couple. The only clue is his facial hair.

[Lisa in California]

I don't visit this board often; my observations of photographs is very limited so perhaps I am not correct with the following, but I wanted to mention it in case it helps?

The woman's hands, especially the one touching his arm, seem fairly tanned, as if she spent some time in the sun. (She isn't wearing gloves, is she?)  I don't remember seeing that much difference in too many photographs before (comparing her hand to the white of the cuff of his shirt).

Comparing the lady and man, he seems to be quite a bit larger than her -- again looking at their hands.  If he stood up from what appears to me to be a chair that doesn't really fit him, wouldn't he be unusually taller than her?   

Do you know the occupations of the two couples?  Since the man seems to be tall in comparison to her frame and the size of the furniture in the photo, could that be a clue to which man it might be?

[SmallTownGirl]

I think second or earlier couple. The only clue is his facial hair.

Then the happy-looking couple could be my 3xg.grandparents.  Am a bit giddy at the mere idea! 

STG

[SmallTownGirl]

I don't visit this board often; my observations of photographs is very limited so perhaps I am not correct with the following, but I wanted to mention it in case it helps?

The woman's hands, especially the one touching his arm, seem fairly tanned, as if she spent some time in the sun. (She isn't wearing gloves, is she?)  I don't remember seeing that much difference in too many photographs before (comparing her hand to the white of the cuff of his shirt).

Comparing the lady and man, he seems to be quite a bit larger than her -- again looking at their hands.  If he stood up from what appears to me to be a chair that doesn't really fit him, wouldn't he be unusually taller than her?   

Do you know the occupations of the two couples?  Since the man seems to be tall in comparison to her frame and the size of the furniture in the photo, could that be a clue to which man it might be?

I don't really know who they are, but given that both my mother and her sister had a copy of the photo, chances are it's family related.  However, having said that, if it's the family I think it could be, then the men were agricultural labourers/builders/brickmaker-types, so the fact that he looks as if he was once a large, strong man, would work in that scenario. Also, as the wife of a manual labourer, with umpteen children and no paid help, I wouldn't expect her hands to look anything other than how they seem in the photo.

Maybe the height difference explains why he's sitting and she's standing - if it was the other way around, the photo couldn't work, would it?

STG

[Regorian]

Anyway, a super photograph. His face shows intelligence and character. Don't like the look of his hands though. Swollen finger joints......arthritis?

[Treetotal]

Based on Jim's knowledgeable dates it looks more likely to be the second couple.
Carol