Approximate date of photo please!

[dollylee]

This is a scan of a copy made about 15 years ago from the original which is in the possession of my Grand Aunt.  She has no idea when or where the original was taken.  It is a picture of my grandmother who immigrated to Canada from Norway around the time of WWI.   It is very possible the picture was taken in Norway which could explain why her dress is so different from what you would find at the time in England or Canada.

I hope that someone will be able to date it and give an educated opinion/guess as to whether or not it was taken in Norway.  That would give me an approximate age for her in the picture (she was born in 1896).  Looking at it with my uneducated eyes I would think she could be anywhere from 16 to 26.  Thank you.

modified:  oops, she is much to large will be right back after shrinking h

[Gadget]

Hi Dolly

I'd say she was between about 16 and 18, which would put it at about 1912-14. The clothes are about right for that age but not sure about Canadian/Norwegian fashions.

Gadget

[dollylee]

Hi Gadget:

Thanks so much for the almost immediate reply.  It is odd to see someone at that time dressed for a formal portrat in such a casual dress.

It would seem possible that it was a picture taken in Norway before she left for Canada.

This is just the kind of question I wished I had asked 15 years ago before my parents passed on and my Grand Aunt started to forget things.

Thanks again.

dollylee

[Gadget]

Hi Dolly 

I was thinking afterwards that it looked far more like Norwegian clothing. I grew up near Llangollen - the home of the International Eisteddfod - and I remember many of the women in the  folk choirs from Norway had clothing like this but with a little apron 

Yes - all those 'wish I'd asked'. I kick myself about lots of those, often 

Gadget

PS - The striping on the dress doesn't show up so well in the small photo 

[dollylee]

maybe her idea of "dressed up" was to take the apron off   

Unfortunately everyone I have left to answer questions on my dad's side of the family are well into that forgetful stage.  It is possible that there is information on the original but she can't remember what she had done with it.....poor dear.

Thanks again.

dollylee

[Gadget]

For people like OR and Prue, who might come in later, what size is the original and is there anything on the back at all?

The studio set could be almost anywhere. Any chance of a close up of the book?

Gadget

[dollylee]

It appears that any chance of a close up on the book is between slim and none.  It is 4:42 a.m. here (don't ask) and other than being drop dead tired I do not really know what I am doing.  I increase the dpi and the computer won't save it, I enlarge it and lose detail....I am hopeless   

It would seem to be the answer to the origin of the picture.

Thanks so much for trying to help.

dollylee

modified:  I don't have the original....it's lost in my Aunts belongings.

[Gadget]

Oh dear - poor Dolly 

When you get up, even a section of that larger image that you posted might help!

Goodnight/morning

Gadget

[sparrett]

Hi,
I am not any expert on the subject, but I know that usually these studio portraits were intended to convey as much info. as possible about the subject.

Apart from the fact that she is clearly very beautiful!!!!!......

the book with turning pages says she was literate at the least and even well -educated.

That we are not given a view of her left hand, & she is pictured alone says she was not married.

Sue 
PS Now I look closer, it is not a book.  Possibly a piece of music, a single poem etc., but it appears unbound.
PPS  Is that a drum or such the paper is resting on?  Very odd for a table and table-cloth!