A fine figure of a woman - for dating please!

[JenB]

Please can one of our experts put an approximate date to this photo?

Gibson was well known as a landscape photographer, but portraits such as this are thought to be relatively unusual, so I was delighted to acquire it 

Is she holding a book or possibly a small box in her right hand?

[Mike in Cumbria]

I wonder if it's a box for cremated ashes.

Mike

[Mike in Cumbria]

something like this?

Description

A quaint keepsake box with floral sprays, circa 1875. Lined with Scalamandre woven cream silk sateen with soft gold quatrefoils. Matching satchel.
9 ¼ in. (23.1 cm.) wide x 4 in. (10 cm.) high x 6 ¼ in. (15.6 cm.) deep

[AJ100]

1860's or early 70's, no later.

AJ

[Kerry Clark]

Such an amazing photo, just an idea, could it be that the box is actually a bible?

[JenB]

Here it is enlarged. The end looks rounded to me - I'm inclined at the moment to think that it's a book 

[jim1]

The hairstyle is 1850's-1860's & unusual to see it as late as late 1860's - early1870's when this was taken.
The book indicates literacy.

jim

[chinakay]

Yes, agree with Jim. Very old-fashioned hairstyle but the lady seems to have a bustle which first came into fashion around 1870. Chair and pose also very 1870s, but due to the cardstock this can't be any later than around 1875. Doubtful it's that late though. And it's not a copy.

As Jim points out the book is supposed to denote literacy and was a common prop.

A beauteous image indeede Myfstrefse Jenne

[chinakay]

Beholde ye maker of photographyc images:

http://www3.northumberland.gov.uk/catalogue/dserve.exe?dsqServer=w2k3calm1.woodhorn.org.uk&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqSearch=%28%28text%29=%27sae%27%29&dsqPos=0

(Lynk does notte shrynke )