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2006-01-28 4:16 PM

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Expert
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Littleton, CO
Subject: My treasure of the day...

...my mother recently brought me a black and white photo of my great-grandparents. My grandmother gave it to her to give to me. I'm guessing it was taken in the 1950's. It was in a cheap, thin metal frame.

When I went to move it to a better frame, I pulled off the back and tucked between the back and the picture was this photo...obviously taken mush earlier. We have no idea who the couple is, but are assuming it's family. My grandmother had gotten the frame and picture from my great-grandmother's house when she died and has no idea either.

I feel like we've found a treasure! Anybody know what time period this clothing is from? The picture was taken at a studio on 5th street in Pittsburgh..that's the only info on the piece of cardboard it's mounted on.

I just thought this was neat and wanted to share!

 



Edited by Colomingle 2006-01-28 4:17 PM


2006-01-28 5:10 PM
in reply to: #333934

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Pro
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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...

I'd say 1920s but that's just from browsing on the internet. 

It would be cool if you can trace back who they are.  I mean, your grandmother should be able to at least guestimate who they are.  I mean, she can eliminate the people she knows for sure they are not.  So, she can probably say it's not her parents, her uncle, her this or that.  But she might be able to say something like, "I know my Uncle bob once had a distant brother and wife who I didn't know.  Maybe it's them."   Maybe make a family tree or something.

Because once your grandparents pass, it's really going to be close to impossible to figure it out. 

2006-01-28 6:05 PM
in reply to: #333934

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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...

 

Very cool!  My ma has all the wedding pictures from our entire family all the way back to my maternal AND paternal great-grandparents.  She may even have some great-great-grandparents' puctures too.  Best part is to see how resemblences carry on.

Good luck!!

2006-01-28 6:23 PM
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Queen BTich
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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...
What a great find! Enjoy that picture, its amazing to find hidden treasures.
2006-01-28 6:30 PM
in reply to: #333934

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Littleton, CO
Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...

My mom saw the picture and called my grandmother. They've narrowed it down to two probable people.  My great-great-grandparents or my great-great-great-grandparents. Either way, a treasure indeed.

 The worse part....my mother says she wants it back! I told her "finders keepers" and she got very upset. I finally conceded, that she could have it, but only if I get it when she dies!

2006-01-28 7:07 PM
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2006-01-28 7:44 PM
in reply to: #333934

Master
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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...
First of all, you look like him......secondly, have a copy made so you and your mother both get one.  FUn!
2006-01-28 9:39 PM
in reply to: #333934

Wife, Mother, Friend.
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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...

you notice how nobody ever smiles in these pictures?  Looking back at old albums and pics in my nana's house, all the older families never smiled.   Man, was it really depressing back then? 

even some of the women look mad. 

 

ah, hope you figure out who it is!  

2006-01-28 10:52 PM
in reply to: #334062

Champion
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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...
Lucy - 2006-01-28 10:39 PM

you notice how nobody ever smiles in these pictures? Looking back at old albums and pics in my nana's house, all the older families never smiled. Man, was it really depressing back then?

even some of the women look mad.

 

ah, hope you figure out who it is!



That's not a "picture". It's a formal portrait. People rarely smile in formal portraits.

My mom has a bunch of family pictures going back to before the turn of the century and very few people in the ones before WWII are smiling. I asked my great-great grandmother when I was a kid about that and she said that getting your picture taken then was a big deal.

The women on my mothers side are very long lived. If they die before 80, it's "young". 100 is good, but not unheard of.

 

2006-01-29 7:11 AM
in reply to: #333989

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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...
A treaure, indeed--I'm glad for you!

2006-01-29 7:32 AM
in reply to: #334003

Master
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Subject: RE: My treasure of the day...
Lara - 2006-01-28 8:07 PM

it might be easier to date by the clothing..  we have a lot of similar pictures in my family mounted on gray cardboard like material from 1915-1930..  if you take it to a photo restoration specialist they might be able to date it for you..  i'm really tempted to say late 1920's because the quality/mounting is very smilar to two or three family pictures i have in mind from 1928-1930..  however the clothing looks like it may of been earlier..   



I disagree. The clothing looks to me to be considerably before the 20s, and likely considerably before the teens. High-necked long sleeved women's dresses are pre 1910, and the man's bow tie looks like pre-1900, although men's fashions are more difficult to date than women's. My guess would be 1880-1900, with pre-1910 an outside possibility.

a lot of our family photos from prior to 1915 seem to be a bit blurry, even portraits..


Depends upon quality and chance. Matthew Brady's Civil War portraits are occasionally clear and sharp.

I'd say an easier way to date this might be to trace the photographer. City Directories for Pittsburgh are available for every year post-Civil War; all you need to do is find when T.M. Rosser starts and ends in that location, and you've got a date range. Just hope that the photographer was unsuccessful; that way your date range will be short.

Here's the Carnegie Library's Pennsylvania Department; http://www.clpgh.org/locations/pennsylvania/ You can call them and hire someone for a brief geneographical study, or you can wait a month or so until I go there myself.


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