Victorian Photo Albums

The first Canadian photography studio was set up in Montreal in the 1840s, however, photography was developed in Europe well before this. Thomas Wedgwood, known as “the first photographer”, began experimenting with developing photos in 1800. These early photographs darkened over time to produce only shadows and silhouettes. The first permanent photograph is credited to French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826– Niépce used a pewter plate, Bitumen of Judea, and a mixture of oil of lavender and white petroleum to capture the view of the street outside his window (left). Niépce later partnered with Louis Daguerre to experiment with silver chloride (a compound that darkens when exposed to light), and on January 7, 1839, Daguerre announced his new invention the “daguerrotype”.

The photographs pictured in this blog are portraits from an early photo album in our collection. Based on the dresses and the hair styles of many of these people pictures, these photos can be dated from 1860- 1880, however, it is difficult to obtain accurate dates due to there being no dates on the photos themselves. Most of these portraits were taken from the shoulders up, however there are quite a few that are full body photos. Some of these photos are still the negatives of the photo where some of the photos are the fully developed images.

These photos were all taken by photography companies in New England (i.e. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, etc.). Some companies are as follows:

• R. H Dewey photography company
• F. Kindler photography company
• C.L. Howe Photography company
• B.F. Childs photography company
• D.A Henry photography company
  

Here’s how you can tell if you have Victorian photos in your own collection!

1. Analyze the background and props used in the photograph. Professional photographs of the Victorian period portray subjects in studio settings with painted backdrops, drapes, furniture, and architectural forms such as columns and pedestals. Accessories within the photos were used to signify wealth, so further information can be inferred from the quailty of the children’s toys. Adults were often portrayed holding books, implying the literacy of the subject.
2. Check out the name of the photography company on the back of the photo. Some quick research shows when these photography companies were in operation.
3. Observe the positioning of the subjects. Daguerrotypes of the 1840s and 50s generally depicted subjects seated at cloth covered tables. Photographs from the 1860s often portray subjects full-length either standing posed with one hand resting on piece of furniture or or sitting at a cloth-covered table. The 1870s and 80s saw the camera move in toward the subject again for half or three-quarter length views, and the subject was often posed in a relaxed manner with an elbow across a chair back.
4. Find out more on photo compositions at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/help/family-photos-composition-and-studio-setting