How to Date Your Old Photos

Two young men stare out at me from a small old photograph. On the back, in my grandmother's handwriting, is written "Grandpa King's brothers."

At least I've got some information to work with, but I'm eager to learn more: When was the picture taken? Where? Which two of my great-grandfather's brothers are these? Michael and Peter? Peter and Timothy? Michael and Timothy? Time to log on to the computer!

See also: Safely store, display your old family photographs. 

You may not think to look on the Internet for help in dating old photographs, but actually it's the best place to go. A variety of websites offer tips and tools, and they have the great advantage of being able to provide visual aids.

Type of photograph

To learn more about my mystery photo, I checked examples of photos in the collections of Andrew J. Morris and Robert Vaughn. Both websites detail the history of photography, including samples of various types of photography, such as daguerreotype, cabinet card and tintype. Another extensive online resource is the Library of Congress. Enter a photo type into its search engine and you will see many examples that may turn out to be similar to the photograph you are researching.

Based on its size and composition, I confirmed that my picture was a tintype, a photographic technique that came into use in the mid-1850s and lasted until the turn of the century.

Knowing the type of photo can still leave a large time period, but if you know the subject of the photo, your genealogical research should be able to help you narrow that. When was the subject born? Did he live in a city or a small town? What work did he do?

Both the men in my photo are young, but one appears to be older than the other, and he has arm slung around his younger brother's shoulders. Both are holding cigars. The elder is wearing a watch chain and a pinky ring. Sadly, the age difference doesn't help me much. Michael was seven years older than Peter, who was seven years older than Timothy. But it does help me rule out a pairing of Michael and Timothy.

Fashionable clues

I now turn to fashion to see if what these men are wearing can help me narrow the date range of the photo. Close examination of sleeves and collars can provide valuable information. Other things to look for on women are the presence and size of a bustle and the fullness of the skirt. For men, look at vests, neckties, the fit of a jacket (loose or fitted) and how it is buttoned.

Next: How to identify different types of photographs. »