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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: OzJane on Wednesday 19 April 17 06:42 BST (UK)
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Hi there,
I was given a batch of scanned family photos. There is nothing other than the photo, for example I don't have the back as I've not seen the original. I'm unable to access the original now as the contact is no longer with us.
I'm guessing that this is of my grandmother, Kath Kempe. If it is, she was born in April 1897 in NSW Australia.
The photo does need some restoration (if anyone has a chance to do so, I'd be grateful) but wondering if there are any hints that might help with a date. The child seems to be around 18 months old which would date this as late 1898. Is there an expert who might be able to pick out something in terms of dress, decoration etc that might definitively place this in Australia? My grandfather who is the other possibility was born in Belfast in 1898.
I'm inclined to think it was my grandmother as that family were financially comfortable and in a position to afford to have a photo - I'm guessing that these weren't cheap at the time.
There seem to be some biro marks on the child's right shoulder as well as the dog's face. The fact that the child seems to have bows in her hair make me think it is more likely to be a girl.
Kath was the only girl in the family, she had 6 brothers, so perhaps all the more reason a photo was taken.
Any help in confirming or refute all this is thankfully received.
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One from me....
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Edwardian & could be anytime up to WW1.
Not possible to say if this is a girl as both were dressed identically.
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If this is a postcard which I suspect it might be then I would think this could be post 1916 when the white border was introduced during WW1 for economic reasons. If I had to guess I would be leaning towards a boy but that's just my gut feeling.
Nice work Andy...This isn't an easy one so I may be some time ::) ;D ;D
Carol
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Nice work Andy...This isn't an easy one so I may be some time ::) ;D ;D
Carol
Thanks......I got up early... ;D
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Good job Andy, I had a go too, :)
Yvonne
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Nice one Yvonne....Loads of work ::) ;D ;D ;D
My go.
Carol
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and a slightly different tone.
Carol
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Yvonne and Carol....nice... I note that you have both removed the dummy/ soother.... I was considering that but left it in the end.... Is that item on the chest to which it was attached, some kind of teething aid? Not seen one before.
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Fantastic work everyone! Well done!
For what it's worth, I think it might be a boy as well :-\
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Kath Kempe
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Thanks Carol, you did some lovely versions. :)
Thanks Andy, I took the string as an extension of the crease, but it does look like a dummy now. :)
Nice one also eglejok. :)
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I couldn't make any sense of it and followed the creases and removed it, but I think Eglejok most likely has achieved a happy medium.
Carol
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I have adjusted mine. ;D
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Oh no.........mine is the only one now that looks like the child has a dagger in it's chest ??? ;D ;D
Carol
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;D ;D ;D
I didn't want to start a riot, I was just curious.....I think losing the detail actually improves it as a portrait. This is the item that I was referring to....obviously it could just be an illusion....
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Good morning all - it feels like Christmas! I woke up this morning (Sydney time) to find so many of you had taken the time and immense trouble to help me identify an ancestor. :) :) :)
Andy, Jim1, Treetotal, Yvonne, Carol (both versions), Judy and eglejok - my thanks. I'm so thrilled with your work and the time you've put in. To be honest, until I saw your work, didn't realise how much effort it takes, like removing creases etc. ;D I certainly hadn't identified the dummy/soother and thought what I now know to be string, was a crease!
Andy, agree that 'losing the detail actually improves it as a portrait'.
I'm so appreciative of your expertise not just with the restoration but identifying a potential time frame.
The great thing is that, from you've all said, it is more likely to be a boy and most likely to be of the time period 1900-WWI. That means it is unlikely to be my grandmother - which is good to know - and possibly one of her brothers. There were three in that time frame born in 1905; 1907 and 1910. It's too early to be a grandchild. One thought is that the boy born in 1907, died at 14 months in a 'Convalescent Home' south of Sydney. I wonder if my G Grandmother had this as a memento. It was obviously a sad time for the family and they relocated from Sydney to the Hunter Valley. Anyway, pure speculation ::) and not a good approach.
Again I am indebted to you for your expertise, but most of all, your interest, in solving a family mystery.
Jane
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Sorry, me again, just scrolled through the images you've provided again - CANNOT believe the clarity and details. Thanks so much!
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Andy I thought it was part of a crease & tear, but it does look like a dummy now, very confusing. :)
Hi OzJane, :)
You're very welcome, you certainly have a choice, ;D
It does seem to have pantaloons, but the ribbons confused me also.
Yvonne
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For this period, big hair bows were fashionable with girls whereas these ribbons look unfussy and purely functional.
Carol
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Hi......My contribution.
Carolyn :)
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Oh Carolyn - now I am really spoiled for choice! ;D and with some colouration too... Thanks so much for your work, it's great.
Carol, thanks for the comment about the bows in the hair, clarifies the general opinion about a boy.
Jane
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Thank you Jane .... I am so pleased you like my rendition.
It is such a lovely photo, I just had to have a try at improving it.
Carolyn :)
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.......and I decided to go with the flow and remove what I perceived to be a dummy..... As you already have some great versions, for my second version, I went for the novelty option....
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Love the novelty option :) Andy, looks fabulous.
Am now moving toward personal embarrassment about the huge amount of time and expertise you have put into this. :-[
Agree it is probably better without the dummy - as a portrait.
So, so, so pleased and cannot thank you all enough. Am so grateful for what you, and the other experts, have done.
Many many thanks.
Jane
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Am now moving toward personal embarrassment about the huge amount of time and expertise you have put into this. :-[
Don't be soft !! We all do it for the love of it....its not compulsory ;D ;D
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Cheers Andy!