how old and age guesstimate please! Grandma Pitt

[Granma Anne]

jim1 the image is separate from the negative.. I can see the image in the negative when I hold it up to light. What you say may be true, but I need someone who can process the "negative" I have and hopefully produce a larger image be it color or B&W.

[jim1]

I know the image is separate from the "negative".
Let me explain.
Ambrotypes (glass) was the medium used in the 1850's-early 60's.
They were called positives because the glass was the finished product.
Negatives arrived later.
The lady's dress style looks like it may pre-date the arrival of negatives & therefore
would make the "negative" an ambrotype.
It's possible the image was taken from the ambrotype by photographing it.
What you don't want is someone trying to clean up the back as this will result in the loss of the image.
Before doing anything you need to establish if the "negative" is in fact such or an ambrotype.

[Trishanne]

I think you are right Jim about it being an ambrotype as I'm sure this is a reverse image. I have had a try at restoring this photo and found the blouse was indeed buttoned up the wrong way and I think you are also right about her wearing a ring. I have reversed the image to how it should appear.
Pat

[jim1]

Yes I mentioned the wedding ring being on the wrong hand as it appears in the photo which as you say indicates an ambrotype.

[Granma Anne]

This is the "negative" - NOT glass and soft and flexible as a negative is normally

[jim1]

I think what you have is the negative of the copy not of the original.
So the original is an ambrotype copied probably 20th. C. & you have the negative of it.

[ThrelfallYorky]

I suspect this is the kind of image that needs a certain level of specialist understanding to conserve.