RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Chris Anderson on Tuesday 08 August 17 11:49 BST (UK)
-
This was on the back of an old portrait, possible hand painted photograph. Any ideas?
(https://image.ibb.co/jya1nF/666.jpg)
-
Without actually seeing the front, I'm guessing that 1839 is the year with 15 perhaps being the 15th one done.
The name that I see at first glance is Mason but it is hard to be sure.
-
Hi
? Customer worksheet number / item within worksheet
? Customer name?
? Allard ?
Ray
-
Without actually seeing the front, I'm guessing that 1839 is the year with 15 perhaps being the 15th one done.
Wouldn't that be too early, if as Chris thinks, it is "possible hand painted photograph" ?
-
The "painting by hand" ( of the photograph ) could have been done much later ?
R
-
Here is the front. As you can see it's been done in some kind of painted technique
(https://preview.ibb.co/fwAb4v/Maybe_Ellen_Hollingshead.jpg)
-
Think that rules out the 1839 as a date then!
-
Hi
? Customer worksheet number / item within worksheet
? Customer name?
? Allard ?
Ray
Customer name - What though? Can't read it for the life of me
-
? ALLARD ?
-
Definitely not 1839! 1920's/1930's maybe?
So maybe 1839 is the reference number for that customer with 15 being the 15th one done of a series of photos.
Is that writing on the bottom right hand corner, or scribbles of some kind?
-
So maybe 1839 is the reference number for that customer with 15 being the 15th one done of a series of photos.
Is that writing on the bottom right hand corner, or scribbles of some kind?
I agree, it does look like some sort of reference number, which would only mean something to the studio.
I wondered about the marks - looks as if a child may have got hold of crayons. ;D ;D
-
Could the name be WARD?
-
Definitely not 1839! 1920's/1930's maybe?
So maybe 1839 is the reference number for that customer with 15 being the 15th one done of a series of photos.
Is that writing on the bottom right hand corner, or scribbles of some kind?
Just scribbles
Maybe the writing is just studio information. We assumed she was Ellen Hollingshead who became Ellen Anderson after marriage. But that doesn't look like the signature. None of the guesses so far ring a bell either.
-
This is always a major problem with photos. Very few people think to put any names & dates on the backs so that future generations will know who they are.
I have an old family photo album and my grandmother could name virtually all of the people in the album. She wouldn't let me write the names down in the album so apart from a handful of photos which did have a name and others which had been noted, the majority are nameless.
So if we want our children and grandchildren to know who their ancestors were it means writing full names/dates on the backs or some other suitable method used.
-
Was the pic found amongst family possessions?
Why not list all of the (sur?)names in your family and then let us all see if we can make any fit?
-
Was the pic found amongst family possessions?
Why not list all of the (sur?)names in your family and then let us all see if we can make any fit?
Yes we assumed it was my Grandads mother
ANDERSON
TAYLOR
NESBITT
HOLLINGSHEAD
SNAITH
NANSON
-
The name may not be that of the woman in the picture - it could be the name of the person who ordered the photo.
I can see it as 2 names - either Allard as suggested by Ray, or a word starting Mi and ending rs. ???
-
? Guard
Ray
-
I don't know. So frustrating, the word has been quite heavily underlined too, suggesting significance I guess
-
Mind you, the lady does look very much like a gentleman (ex-colleague) with a name similar to your username.
:o
Ray
-
Not thinking about whether it's a name, or whatever, I think it looks like Mirror.
But why should the word be underlined? A
-
Mirror meaning mirror image, but why would that be of any importance?
-
I originally thought that it may be the "colourist's name"
as in the job number ( 1839 / 15 ) and the name of who was to do ( /did ) the job.
I even tried to make the word say "colour . . .".
R
-
the word has been quite heavily underlined too, suggesting significance I guess
Not necessarily. My father always put a line underneath his signature, for no particular reason at all ::)
-
I THINK I'VE CRACKED IT
This thing was sealed shut in a very unusual frame, it took 12 nails to get it out of a MIRROR border which was plated over oak wood. I wonder, could 1839/15 be measurements of some kind and mirror was the type of frame ordered.
-
Well it seems at though Anne on replies 20/21 was on the right lines then.
You didn't actually show us the picture in its frame did you?
Are you saying that the frame is a mirror one or that there is a mirror border?
-
Rather than measurements, could 1839/15 be the item number for the style of frame? Or perhaps something like Style 1839 in Size 15?
-
Well it seems at though Anne on replies 20/21 was on the right lines then.
You didn't actually show us the picture in its frame did you?
Are you saying that the frame is a mirror one or that there is a mirror border?
Mirror border about 2 inches thick
It's old and degraded though, didn't hit me until Anne mentioned it !
-
"I THINK I'VE CRACKED IT"
Hope not, 7 years bad luck ?
;D ::)
-
Well although the mystery of the word has been solved, it doesn't help you to identify the lady does it?
I thought it might be the 1920s/30s era. I don't know if anyone else agrees with that.
-
"I THINK I'VE CRACKED IT"
Hope not, 7 years bad luck ?
;D ::)
;D ;D. I did think that was a bit extreme cracking it to solve the mystery.
-
It's a hand tinted photo and the the number is a photographer's negative reference number for copies...the underlined name is most likely the surname of the person who ordered the photo. I have one very similar of my Grandma taken in the 1940s.
Carol
-
It's hard to guess her age in the photo but my Grandads mother was born in 1886 so if the portait was done in the 20's to 30's that would make her about 35 to 45 years old in the portrait???
-
I THINK I'VE CRACKED IT
This thing was sealed shut in a very unusual frame, it took 12 nails to get it out of a MIRROR border which was plated over oak wood. I wonder, could 1839/15 be measurements of some kind and mirror was the type of frame ordered.
That's how the one I described above was framed...blue tint border, mirror frame with round head chrome screws attaching it to a wooden back.
Carol
-
Here is mine Chris...taken 1954...I have another one in a similar frame taken in the 1940s but can't find it...this one is attached to a wooden back....sorry for the shaky image but took it with the ipad.
Carol
-
Mmm...Three messages and no response...Perhaps I'm invisible ::)
Carol
-
Hi Carol, yes the the two portraits are very similar in style.
Have you thought about getting into them? It took a while but I just had to look inside
-
I don't need to as I know who they are and when it was taken, and I am afraid to dismantle the frame as I fear the photo may be stuck behind it and don't want to risk damaging it.
Carol
-
I don't need to as I know who they are and when it was taken, and I am afraid to dismantle the frame as I fear the photo may be stuck behind it and don't want to risk damaging it.
Carol
Fair enough, I was apprehensive also but luckily I have put it back together as good as new
Chris