Help requested to date Victorian photo on glass Johnson/Barker/Parsons or Heath

[Ili1133]

Many thanks to treetotal for her posts on the Photograph Resources and Tips sub board about conserving this family photo on glass. She suggested posting the image here and I’m hoping some of you can have a go at dating it, which in turn will point to who in the family it may be. It was taken in the UK and may be an ambrotype. However it seems to have been reframed at some point (late 19th century or early 20th) and is in a sturdy wooden frame under thick glass with card backing. The photo on glass has been secured to the card, but because it is in such a delicate state I daren’t remove the photo from the frame to investigate further. The photo itself measures about 7”x5”.

I’d be interested in how old you think the lady might be; I know her clothes won’t be in fashion but perhaps what she’s chosen to wear in the photo might give some clues as to date. I do have some ideas from other parts of the family history (i.e. I know who she isn’t!) but don’t want to influence you.

I have tried to minimize the glare and even at this resolution you can see the damage to the right side of the photo where the condition is deteriorating. The piece of loose card on the right is a recent addition when I decided to investigate what was behind the brown paper backing for the first time in at least a hundred years!

Grateful for your expert insights about its age - at this stage I am more concerned about dating then conserving the original than I am in restoring the scanned image. I realise the quality would need to be improved for any work to be done.

Helen

[Treetotal]

Sorry, I have just seen this one. It looks to be late 1850-early 1860s. It looks like a Victorian album sleeve that it has been put into. I don't see a ring so either she has lost her husband or is a spinster.
Carol

[Ili1133]

Very interesting! Thank you. I wouldn’t have picked up on the ring - so she might be widowed, you think? How old might she be? I’m confused by the dark colour of her hair - and must admit I have no idea if the mid Victorians changed their hair colour at all.

I’m sure the photo has been ‘rehoused’ and the sleeve fits with that. I imagine the family wanted to hang it in the drawing room.

[Erato]

I'm going to guess 1855-1865.

I have a very similar photo of  my ggg-grandmother, Nancy Tarr - similar clothing, same type of bonnet, same hair style and hair color, same grim expression.  The only significant difference is that Nancy Tarr was an American and the photo was taken in Maine.  Ggg-grandma died in 1866 (aged 75) so I know the photo was before that and she looks to have been in her 60s at the time.  I doubt she dyed her hair - she was described by my grandmother as having very dark hair and eyes.

[jim1]

The problem here is that older ladies dressed like this over a
long period up to & including the 1890's.
I don't believe this is as early as the dates provided solely on
the general style of the photo.
The backdrop with a curtain & plain screen plus the 3/4 image
with a desk/table is typical of the 1870's.
She looks in her 60's.

[Ili1133]

Many thanks for your comments - a lot of what you say, Erato, chimes with my maternal GGGgrandmothers, who were the most likely candidates. All four died 1864-66, which fits the physical dating of the photographic technique but they were all over 70, and it’s true this lady has enviable skin for that age!

But jim1’s comments on style have flagged something that was bothering me too. When I was looking at examples of 1850/60s ambrotypes they struck me as quite direct with the subject(s) looking straight into the camera, without a desk or table or book in sight. It could well make it later. Any other thoughts?

If it is later, any suggestions about why a family might choose to have a portrait done on glass rather than a carte de visite? Was it simply that individual photographers adopted the technique at different times? I have seen cartes de visite from the town dated c1865, but I guess a lot of photographers were itinerant and you got what was on offer.