Many people have old family photographs that have been passed down through generations. These are fantastic for recalling family members’ stories and experiences from previous generations.
However, it can be tricky to build an accurate timeline since the albums have undated family photographs and you can’t tell exactly when they were taken.
In this blog post, we will discuss some methods for dating old family photographs. We’ll also provide tips for preserving and displaying them in your home. So if you’re ready to learn more about your ancestors, keep reading!
Why You Should Date Old Family Photographs
There are a few reasons why it’s important to date photographs.
We’ll go through four key reasons for dating old family photographs and recording them.
To Understand Your Ancestry & Build A Family Tree
One of the main reasons you should date your family photographs is to get a better understanding of your ancestry. Family history is often passed down through stories and pictures. But what if you don’t have many family members to ask?
By dating old family photographs, you can backtrack and fill in the gaps in your family tree. You might be surprised at how many relatives you can find!
To Understand Context
When you date a photograph, you can also learn about the context in which it was taken. You may also be able to learn about their lifestyle and what was going on in their lives at the time the photo was taken.
For example, it was unusual in the early 1800s to smile in photographs, so if you saw your great-grandmother and father straight-faced at their 1800s wedding ceremony, you would easily understand why based on the date range.
To Identify People
If you have old photographs with people in it, putting a date on them would help you create a timeline and tell you who they are. This is especially beneficial if your photo has people who aren’t identified.
To Preserve Family History
Another good reason for dating vintage photos is to preserve them. Early photographs would have started to fade and lose some color.
When you know when a photo was taken, you can be more careful with it and take steps to preserve it for future generations.
How To Date Old Family Photographs
Using this simple checklist, you’ll be able to confidently research and determine when an image was taken!
Ask Family Members
You can simply just ask family members about the image. If they are in the picture, they will probably remember when it was taken.
If you have a lot of old family photographs, start with the most recent and work your way back. This will help jog people’s memories.
Examine The Kind Of Photograph
There are different types of photographs that can give you a clue about when it was taken. Different technologies and procedures have been used throughout history for taking photographs. If you know the materials and photographic processes utilized to make your family’s old photos, it might be possible to date them.
Also, keep an eye on card stock and image sizes; these two factors may provide a wealth of information about when the photographs were taken!
- Daguerreotypes: These photos were popular between 1839 and 1860. They’re tiny pictures on a silver-plated copper sheet that’s either framed under glass or enclosed in a wooden box for safekeeping.
- Ambrotypes: These were popular from 1854 to 1865. They are also small images on a metal plate, but they have a glass cover and are backed with a dark material, like cloth. They were common from 1854 to 1865
- Tintypes: This photo type which is made of a thin sheet of iron, was all the rage from 1856 to 1900. So if you see a tintype photo, you should be able to estimate a timeline.
- Carte de visite: You might find carte de visite in an old family album. They were small, thin card photographs that became popular in the 1860s. They often had the name of the photographer and their studio on the front or back.
Check For Written Clue
If you are really struggling to date your photo, take a look at the back. Sometimes there will be a clue written in pencil or ink. This could be anything from the name of the photographer to the location where the photo was taken. You need to play photo detective and be very observant.
Even if the date isn’t written in the photo, other elements may provide more information about the time period which could be written in the margins or on the back of the photo. These items will assist you in narrowing down when a picture was taken.
Examine The Background
If you can’t find any clues on the front or back of the photograph, take a look at the background. This will give you an idea of what was happening during that time period and might provide some information about your ancestors.
For example, if there are automobiles in the background, this would date the photo to after 1888. If you see a man in a uniform, this might give you an indication that the photo was taken during a time of war.
Check The Image Toning
One of the tell-tale signs of an old photograph is its tone. As photographs age, they often take on a yellow or brown cast, due to the breakdown of the dyes and chemicals used in the development process. By observing the toning of a photograph, it is possible to get a general idea of its age.
For example, a photograph with pronounced yellow tones is likely to be from the early 20th century, while a photo with more brown tones is likely to be closer to the present day, perhaps from the mid-20th century. Of course, this method is not exact, as different developers used different formulas, and some photos have been treated to artificially change their tone. Nevertheless, by studying the toning of a photograph, it is possible to make an educated guess about its age.
Observe The Fashion Style
In any given photograph, there are a wealth of details that can tell us a story about the time period in which it was taken. By analyzing the clothing, hairstyles, and other fashion choices in a photo, we can often get a pretty good idea of when it was taken. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, certain styles are associated with specific time periods.
For example, photos from the early 1900s are often characterized by formal clothing and well-coiffed hair, while photos from the 1970s often feature relaxed styles and bold patterns. By studying the fashion choices in a photo, we can get a better sense of its place in history.
Restore Damaged Photos
Some old family photographs might start to fade and lose important detail. In order to determine the date, you must first restore them to normal high quality.
That is where we come in!
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Our specialty is the restoration of blurry and old photos!
Our restoration artists will closely examine and enhance your blurry image, remove stains, mold, blur, refine and add more detail and color to each picture.
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What Do I Need To Do?
First, you need to make your print photos clean and ready for restoration. You can check out how to clean your old pictures.
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You place your order, and that’s it!
How Long Does It Take?
We would restore and send a digital copy of your sharpened image back to you by email within 24 hours. If there is anything you would like us to change on your restored image, revisions are allowed on every restoration, completely free!
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Can I Contact Someone For More Information?
Our customer support is available 24/7 to answer any further questions. You can send us an email at: support@memorycherish.com.
