Antique photo, circa 1890s – 1910. Size: 3 and 3/4 x 6 and 3/4″
Price: $7.00
An old photo, perhaps from the 1890s or early 1900s showing a young girl wearing a warm-looking winter coat, gloves, and hat. Our subject looks to be maybe eight to ten or eleven years old, is posed standing at an angle to the camera, with her head turned a little toward the photographer but without a direct gaze. She has a bit of a thoughtful look, a little off to one side. In general, for photographing people the angled pose is considered to be flattering, so this photo may have been taken by a professional photographer, or at least someone who knew a little about photography. And it appears to have been taken outside if what we are seeing in the background are leaves, but it’s dark and hard to discern. We can’t make out her legs as whatever she is wearing there blends in. The coat is a light color, of a plush material, falling maybe at or just above the knee, and has a somewhat wide, flat-laid collar. The coat must be fastened from the inside as the front shows three braided rope decorations where the buttons or fasteners would normally be. Her hat is another story altogether, and looks like something normally worn in spring or summer. Maybe this photo was taken at Eastertime or for an occasion like a confirmation or first communion. But anyway, the hat is a pillbox type with a large decorative flower off to the side. The girl’s blond hair is pulled back by a large white or light-colored bow.
This photo has the look of another on this website under the title of “Mystery Building” just in the feel of the photographic paper and the condition, and this is the main reason why I think this photo may be from around the turn of the century. Searching online for similar coats and hats is not yielding any definite clues at this time.
Incidentally, the origin of the word “plush” is from the French peluche. From Wikipedia, the description for plush is “a textile having a cut nap or pile, the same as fustian or velvet” and was originally made from mohair or worsted yarn.
Source: Plush. n.d. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plush. (accessed November 6, 2014).