Your expert opinions please - What is it?

[Redroger]

Not directly connected, but I think relevant to the quality of photography available in the mid to late 19th century is the fact that during the siege of Paris in 1870 microfilmed copies of newspapers etc. were flown into the besieged city by carrier pigeons and enlarged and read by the in habitants.

[Gadget]

Hi again Genie

I've been looking at the image again and, although I can't say for definite without seeing the original, I think it's a reprint enlargement (probably 1880s-90s platinum print)   of an 1850s photo that's been heavily over drawn/painted.

As I said, it's very like the one that I restored a few years ago - same size, card, overdrawing, etc.



Gadget

See, for example: http://chestofbooks.com/arts/photography/Practical-Photography/Chapter-XIX-Platinum-Printing-Black-And-White.html


PS Just heard from George  and  he agrees with me re the process and dates

[Polldoll]

Hi Genie, Gadget and all... just found this thread .... Fabulous Genie ...what a  treasure to have... I remember when I was studying at Scarborough ...a hundred years ago  seeing   a number of copies  of photographs that were called crayon prints from the latter part of he 1800s. Gadget is right ...  they evolved from the first enlargements of photos . As they were always a lot less clear than the original sized ones,  this sytem of enhancing with crayon or fine charcoal was used quite often ... I ve found these examples  and the effects are very similar  to yours Genie ...  the enlarged photos were often outsourced to artists for the touchups ....

http://www.floridamemory.com/photographiccollection/photo_exhibits/photographic-processes/crayon.cfm

Poll

[RecycledHippy]

I hope it is acceptable for me to clean the damage a little
It seems a shame and to tempting to leave it as it is

Hippy

[geniecolgan]

My thanks to;
Gadget and polldoll for sharing their knowledge of early photographic/drawing hybrids and George for his input, 
Redroger for the history of huge enlargements that were used in the 1870's,
RecycledHippy for cleaning up the lady's spots  ,
and Pels. for her observation about the lady's age 

I now I have a much clearer idea how it was achieved.
I've taken on board your thoughts about the age of the lady, Pels and I agree. Considering the times in which she lived, she was extremely well preserved. She does look younger than 35.

Just to check I've got my fact's right, please correct me if I'm wrong. Daguerreotype 1839, Ambrotype 1853, Tintype 1856.

So, if this is the lady we think it is, the original, could have been taken in the 1840's.
The original was enlarged to it's present size and reprinted, possibly using the Platinum printing process, then overdrawn with charcoal.

Thanks again to you all. Special thanks to Gadget, with whom I had a tete a tete off line.

genie