Photo Detective: Wedding Album

 

The man wears a double-breasted shawl collared vest of a style from the 1850s. His jacket has darker trim on the upper lapel and collar. This is not usual for either 1846 or the 1850s. One of the determining factors is his collar: In the 1840s, most men wore their collars standing up. The man’s hair is blunt cut and is has a mustache and a goatee that can be found in photographs of the later period.

Family members suspect that this was a wedding portrait for the Goza/Harrington couple, but the photographic evidence doesn’t agree with the marriage date. This could be a portrait the couple had taken later in their marriage, or be an as-yet-unidentified couple.

This portrait has not survived a century and a half without damage. The upper left corner of the picture is missing. At one point it was framed. You can see the outline of the frame at the edges of the image. The brown areas show the effects of the resin in the wood frame. Exposure to sunlight probably accelerated the aging process. A professional conservator can stabilize these problems—find one through the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

For more help dating the hairstyles in your family photos, see Maureen A. Taylor’s book Fashionable Folks: Hairstyles 1840-1900.