Elizabeth COULSON, Durham, England - date needed

[Jang]

I think this is a photo of my gg grandmother, Elizabeth COULSON, who died in Stockton, Durham, in  1889. Is it a mourning photo? A rough date would help to identify the death.

Many thanks,
Jan

[Wiggy]

I might be wrong, but I think this photo is from the 1890s - Judging from the leg-of-mutton sleeves.

Possibly even later in that decade.

Got any other contenders for this photo?

Wiggy

[Gadget]

I think it might be the early 1890s.

Shrimpton comments on a photo of a lady wearing a similar style of dress

 'the pronounced vertical puff at the shoulder, a distinctive feature of the first years of the new decade'

Gadget

added - she further goes on to say that it was from 1893 onwards that the full gigot style began to emerge  -so 1890-93 maybe.

[Wiggy]

So maybe not who OP thinks then if she died in 1889.   

Wiggy   

Edit to add - sorry Peter our posts crossed.

 But if it is the GGgrandmother who died, she isn't going to be in mourning for herself is she?    

I don't think it is a mourning photo. 

[McGroger]

Gadget, would the case study in this link be appropriate?
http://www.phototree.com/case_100112.htm
If so, the earliest possible date for Jang's photo might be 1889, coincidentally the year Jang's gt-gt grandmother died. Now, if we knew at what age she died...
Peter

[Gadget]

Her skirt is very plain. I'd say 1889 is more like this one:

http://www.phototree.com/content/gallery/match/Cab_1889e_0530.jpg

[Jang]

Thanks, everyone, for your feedback. Elizabeth Coulson was 2 weeks off 69 when she died, so I think the age is about right. but it seems unlikely she would have her photo taken so close to her death.

I thought it might be a mourning photo because of the photo on the table.

Edit to add:
On looking at Peter's link, I think the dresses are very similar. It says the high neck with single row of buttons down the front is classic 1880s. Perhaps the sleeves in the example are more exaggerated than the ones on Elizabeth Coulson's dress.

[Gadget]

. Now, if we knew at what age she died...
Peter

The GRO index has her as 68 when she died Q1 1889

Sorry Jang - posts crossed.

[Gadget]

She does look around that age.

Is there anything on the back of the photo that might help?  Maybe a scan.