Featured Miss Dignity and Thread?

I would be happy to take a picture outside. I live in Seattle and we have mostly clouds and rain in Fall/Winter, so I will have to wait until the weather improves.

 

I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on her ethnicity. To me she doesn't fully look Caucasian, African American, or Asian. I'm thinking Caucasian but I could believe otherwise as well.

 

I'm interested in her expression because I've studied silent film over the last 10 years and it's interesting how different those people often look than people 20 years later. Cultural Anthropology was my first choice of major and then I eventually got enough credits for a minor in Art History. People are very different from one another based on how they were raised and what influences they came under. Her expressions seem fairly rare to me.

 

Oh, that's interesting. Well, for what it's worth... if I had to describe her expression I'd describe it as "dignified." St. Mary's wasn't established until 1844 and according to the county history: "by [sic] 1871, the county had been settled by almost equal amounts of English, Irish, Scottish and German immigrants."

Debora

 

I managed to take another picture and get the glare off the person.

 

A scan might provide a better quality reproduction.

Debora

 

Are you cropping the image? I ask because the proportion doesn't look right.

Debora

 

St. Mary's has a museum with an online photograph collection. You may wish to contact them.

https://images.ourontario.ca/stmarys/search

Debora

 

Here you can find other photographs by Leary.

https://images.ourontario.ca/stmarys/results?q=leary&st=kw

Debora

 

This looks like the same chair. Certainly same era.

Debora

 

And here it is again.

Debora

 

Ah, yes, you're right. I didn't notice that. I did crop it. I will scan it. Good suggestion.

 

In the future, do know that when asking for help re dating it's helpful to include a photograph of the entire, uncropped card. That's because the card's design can be used for dating.

Debora

 

Oh, yes, I usually do that with all objects I photograph. I took that one with my cell phone which I usually never do.

 

Looks like she is wearing a watch on chain at the side of her waist.

 

Exactly right. The dark colored and glossy card mount (usually green, brown, or black) with gold lettering is a dead giveaway for 1880s. Sometimes VERY early 1890s. But in this case, her dress is an 1880s style, not 1890s.