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Wonderful original late-19th-century Victorian family photograph album containing34 antique photographs, many originating from Wisconsin photographic studios.
The album itself is an impressive period piece, covered indeep red/crimson velvetwith rounded corners, a decorative metal clasp/closure andgilt/gold-edged pages. Inside are heavy black photograph album pages beautifully decorated with elaborate gold floral and scroll designs. The pages contain die-cut openings made specifically for the various sizes of Victorian photographs.
The photographs appear to represent several generations of the same family or related families and date primarily from approximately the1870s through 1890s.
Photographs included:approximately 34 original 19th-century photographs consisting of a mixture of cabinet-card-size portraits, smaller CDV/cartes-de-visite and card-mounted portraits, plussix tintype/ferrotype photographs, including three loose tintypes and three smaller examples displayed in decorative embossed paper mounts.
A particularly interesting feature of the collection is the large group of photographs by Wisconsin photographerJ. W. Winkle. Studio locations represented on his mounts includeWild Rose, Wautoma and Plainfield, Wisconsin. Several different Winkle studio backmarks and mount styles are represented.
Other identified Wisconsin photographers/studios include:
J. Fenner – Westfield, Wisconsin
J. E. Collett – Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
S. M. Taylor – Berlin, Wisconsin
Several cards retain elaborate period photographer advertisements/backmarks, including examples stating“Negatives Preserved.”The different studio locations, recurring individuals and range of ages strongly suggest this was a genuine Wisconsin family collection assembled over many years rather than a modern grouping of unrelated photographs.
The album includes portraits of men, women and children, ranging from formal head-and-shoulders studio portraits to full-length studio photographs and group portraits. Clothing, hairstyles, photographic mounts and studio markings provide an excellent representation of late-19th-century Wisconsin portrait photography.
Album condition:The album remains structurally intact with its original deep red/crimson velvet-covered boards, gilt/gold-edged pages, decorative interior photo mounts, and period metal clasp hardware. The velvet shows considerable age-related wear, fading/discoloration, rubbing, thinning and fraying, particularly around the edges, corners and spine.
Please note that the metal clasp/closure appears to be incomplete and is missing part(s) of the original closing mechanism. The remaining clasp hardware is still attached to the album, but the clasp should not be considered complete or fully functional.Please refer closely to the provided photographs showing both sides of the album and the remaining clasp hardware for exact condition.
The gilt page edges remain attractive with age-related wear. Interior pages show typical wear from age and use, including edge wear and some wear or damage around individual photograph openings. The album is well over 100 years old and is being offered inas-found antique condition. No attempt has been made to repair or restore the album or clasp.
Photograph condition:Photographs range from very good for their age to examples showing typical antique wear, toning, fading, spotting, edge/corner wear and other age-related imperfections. Some mounts have damage. The tintypes show surface wear and deterioration consistent with age. Nothing has been cleaned or restored.
All photographs shown are included and will be kept together with the album.The photographs will not be separated from the album.
An excellent original collection for collectors ofVictorian photography, Wisconsin history, cabinet cards, cartes-de-visite/CDVs, tintypes, ferrotypes, antique photograph albums, genealogy and 19th-century American social history.
Approximate period:1870s–1890s
Region:Wisconsin
Photographs:34 total
Album:Red velvet with metal clasp and gilt-edged pages
Photo types:Cabinet cards / card-mounted photographs / CDVs / tintypes
Notable photographer:J. W. Winkle – Wild Rose, Wautoma & Plainfield, Wisconsin
Other studios:J. Fenner, J. E. Collett and S. M. Taylor
Sold as anoriginal complete antique album and photographic collection, exactly as shown.
