I collect photographs dating from the 1840s to the 1940s. I am drawn to these images as irreplaceable and almost magical glimpses into our collective history, time capsules of past moments preserved only on fragile glass and paper. These are not for sale. I’ve digitally imaged them here to increase the chance of their survival and to share them with others who may enjoy them as well. I’m not an expert, but I’ve identified people, places, and ages of the images to the best of my ability based on occasional notes on the backs, paper and printing, and on the contents of the images.

- Robert Beauford

 

1870 to 1880 Photographs

Full length standing Carte de Visite photograph, 1873 to 1881, of a young woman in a photography studio setting holding a book. Under magnification, it can be seen that she is wearing earrings and appears to have a large ring on her left hand. The

Full length standing Carte de Visite photograph, 1873 to 1881, of a young woman in a photography studio setting holding a book. Under magnification, it can be seen that she is wearing earrings and appears to have a large ring on her left hand. The dress and style of the card are consistent with the 1870s or 1880s in general, while the hair style is more typical of the later 1870s to early 1880s. The studio imprint on the back is of Dorus G. Freeman (b. 1848), who is a known photographer working in Buffalo, NY, from 1873 to 1881. From 1882 to 1931, he had a studio in Blissfield, Michigan, with the exception of a brief period in Springville, NY, around 1900.