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This leather family photographic album is a good example of the albums that appeared in American parlors during the 1860s. This one is a front side latch closing book. It had about 25 pages showing two images on each facing page. Te album measures 9" x 8" x 3". Some albums were larger and showed four photographs on a page. This family album contains a collecton of tin-types and a few CDVs of many different family members, including many of the children. One portrait is identified Anna and Emily Schlesinger. Another page has a different name that we cannot make out, perhaps cousins. We thus assume the photographs are all of the Schesinger, but the other portraits are not specifically identified. The clothing suggests that the portraits came from the 1860s. One portrait is dated 1863. There seem to be some images of men wearing uniforms, but this is a little indestinct. We do not know where the Schlesingers lived, but we think New York is a distinct possibility because the album was being sold in upstate New York.
This leather family photographic album is a good example of the albums that appeared in American parlors during the 1860s. We do not notice them in the 1850s although there may habe been some. We notice many in the 1860s. Ibassumevthe idea was imported from Europe, but doi not know this for a fact. This one is a front side latch closing book. It had about 25 pages showing two images on each facing page. The stiff pages were structured so that the portraits could easily be slipped in prepared slots. The album measures 9" x 8" x 3". Some albums were larger and showed four photographs on a page.
This family album contains a collecton of tin-types and a few CDVs of many different family members, including many of the children. Both wre positive types that could be shown off in albums like the one here. This was something that could not be done with dags and ambros. With the CDVs, copies could be made so family members could share portraits.
The clothing suggests that the portraits came from the 1860s. One portrait is dated 1863. There seem to be some images of men wearing uniforms, but this is a little indestinct. We can't see the backs of the portraits to see if any had revenue stamps.
We do not know where the Schlesingers lived, but we think New York is a drstinct possibility because the album was being sold in upstate New York.
We note one boy who is not identified. He wears a plaid dress. Notice he wears a belt to make it look more like a tunic. There is no collar but the dress wraps tightly around the neck. The dress has what looks like diagogobal styling and buttoning. Plaid was especially popular for boy dresses. He has white long stockings which were common in the 60s. He has short hair. The photograph next to this one looks to the same boy a couple years earlier. He is wearing a white dress with a low neckline. He is pictured in a baby varriage with large wheels. It is an interesting image because it shows an outdoor scene. Unfortunately we do not know how this boy connects to the family or his name. We guess that he is Anna's and Emily's brother.
One portrait is identified Anna and Emily Schlesinger. And it is dates--1863. We thus assume the photographs are all of the Schesingers, but the other portraits are not specifically identified. The portraitvis very interesting because it shows not only the girls' beplumed hats, but their overcoatrs as well. Plumes in the late 19th and early 20th century were wudely used for hats and some bord specieces were adversely affected. The dresses unlike their hats were still very simple. They look to be some sort of plaid pattern. They look to be about 5-7 years old.
Here we have one of the Schleslinger girls, probably Anna, with an unidentified boy. While the children are unidentified, we know it is one of the Scjlesinger girls because of the facial resemblance and the fact that she is wearin the same dress as in the portrait with Emily. The portrait was probably takeb the same day, meaning that we know this portrait was taken in 1863 as well. The boy is almost surely her brother. The age seems correct and their pose close together suggesrs siblings. He wears a collar buttoning long pants suit with a small shite collar and cross tie. He looks to be about 8-years old. We think he may tbe the same unidentified boy photographed in the baby carriage and sitting in the chair, but here we are not sure..
Here is another unidentified boy. We do not know who he is. It is interesting especially because of the clear depiction of the boy's straw hat. Also we see a nice pooch that does not seem to be a studio prop. The boy has longish hair. It is a rare portrait of a boy on the floor rather than sitting in a chair or standing up. This was presumably done to bring the dog into the photograph. As this was a rare pose, we suspect it was done because the bvoy wanted it rather than suggested by the photographer. The portrait style clearly dates it to the 1860s. He looks to be about 10 years old.
Here is another unidentified boy. We do not know who he is. It is interesting because of the boy's outfit. We havevnot seen anything quite like it in other 1860s portraits. The boy wears a shirt or jacket rather like the button-on outfits that were quite common at the time. Note the small ruffled collar. The sleeves blouse at the wrist cuffs. These were almost always one of these shirts buttoning on the pants. This boy, however, wears an usual skirt. Part of the skirt matches the shirt, but it is also trimmed in a check or ginham pattern. He also wears pantalettes and white long stockings. The boy looks to be about 3-4 years old.
Another page has a different name that we cannot make out, perhaps cousins.
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