Date Tintype? couple with scarf and blanket

[4kithnkin]

Can you please help with dating, and possibly identify the country where the photo was taken? There is another like this with three boys that I will post separately.

We don't know if the couple in the U.S. received the blanket and scarves as a gift from New Zealand, or if they received the photo from relatives in New Zealand ? or elsewhere.

It's a big ask, thanks for taking the time 

[mahalia]

It's an interesting picture - I wonder if the mystery will be solved - just brightened it a little which has bought the original coloured tint out a little more for you - the backdrop is perhaps? meant to represent a night with the moon glow - or maybe that type of photography was just dark - I don't know anything about it.  I wonder what the badge is the gentleman is wearing?

Cheers

Maureen
The Scribbly Bark Poet

[4kithnkin]

Thank you Maureen for brightening, and pointing out the badge... I hadn't noticed.
Jim put the photo date of 1870's in NZ or USA, more likely the States ... so the mystery is partially solved 
Kate

[Erato]

It sure looks like a pine log that he's resting his hand on and that would suggest North America but, then again, pines were introduced to NZ sometime in the 19th century.

[chinakay]

Not much datable in this interesting pic, but the lady's hat is a style popular about 1868-1870, and worn low on the forehead as here. I'd suggest about 1870 or so.

Cheers,
China

[mahalia]

This is a complete long shot but since you are now talking America rather than NZ I wonder if that mountain on the backdrop is supposed to be Mount Rushmore - the one with the USA Presidents heads carved in it - because if you enlarge the photo and look closely there do appear to be 3 faces, and the correlation of them seems to match with the 4  heads on Mt Rushmore - although the carving of that didn't commence until 1927.  Would the American fashions be in the same time frame as UK ones?

The pattern on the scarf doesn't look like a traditional Maori design but I couldn't find any American Indian designs like it either, and the plaid blanket seemed out of place with either of these cultures.
I presume the scarf has significance as it is shown in the childrens photo as well.  Could it be European?  A Polish, Russian etc traditional design.  Perhaps a gift sent to them by family ?

[4kithnkin]

Thank you China for dating, and Maureen and Erato for your thoughts on this.
Your information will hopefully aid in identifying this family. 
Kate

[jim1]

As China has said this photo confirms the date of 1870's & possibly as early as late 1860's but still difficult to give a precise location.

jim

[Viktoria]

I thought it was just the top button of the man`s coat, not a badge.
 Just to throw a spanner in the works my first thought was the designs looked vaguely Scandinavian!

However I`m not familiar with Maori designs so I could be totally off course. Viktoria.