How to Identify Early 1900s Family Portraits

Look at the attire worn by the people in the photograph. In the early 1900s, men wore black or dark-colored suits and had an obvious part in their hair. Woman wore full-length dresses with capped sleeves. Ruffles were very popular in that time period. Women often curled or braided their hair and bows were also popular.

Children dressed much in the same way. The presence of a smile may give some information about when the photo was taken. In the early 1900s, it took a long time to take a picture because cameras were new and shutter speed was slow. Therefore people were often propped up with metal rods in their clothing, which was very uncomfortable. Holding a smile for a long period of time was also exhausting, so the family was often instructed not to smile.

Observe the arrangement of seating. Candid photography did not gain popularity until the late 1930s. A family photograph would be an arranged seated event. Some men and woman may stand in the back while others sat in the front. The backdrop of the image may present clues as well. Curtains with an obvious pattern can often be dated by the style.

Look for identifying marks or features on the photo. In the early 1900s, photographs were made from a silver gelatin process printed onto paper. Paper is coated with gelatin that contains light-sensitive silver salts.

These photos will have a stark black and white finish or soft sepia tones with a light blue or green overcast. Gelatin silver paper is also very thin, while the more modern double weight paper was not popularly introduced until around the 1930s.