Photos

[hpotter]

I have been searching the threads and different websites, but afraid I'm looking in the wrong place. Does anyone have any sites that have period photos of civilian men and women?

[motozulli]

Hi Heath,

Ebay is still my favorite source for original photos, but you have to know what you're looking for.


My site- mostly women, with approximate dates: http://www.gothampatterns.com/photos.html

more women:
http://www.sensibility.com/vintageimages/index.htm

A good close look at a photo with several men:
http://home.earthlink.net/~gchristen/collect.html

That's all I can find at the moment. Hopefully someone else can contribute more photos of men.

-Alaina Zulli

[Justin Runyon]

Alaina is right, Ebay rocks for finding such photos, most never before seen and all for free. I also recall enjoying flipping through a book at one time, if memory serves it was called Dressed for the Camera or something along those lines. I'm sure there are some other good photo collections that some of our fine civilians will direct you to.

[Matt Caldwell]

http://daguerre.org/gallindex.php

[motozulli]

Ah, Justin, thank you for reminding us. Books. It's so easy to forget, but they can be useful too.

Severa, Joan. Dressed for the Photographer

Dalrymple. American Victorian Costume in early Photographs

Gernsheim, Alison Victorian and Edwardian Fashion: A photographic survey

That's just a start, but a good start. All of those have excellent images and some solid supporting text.

-Alaina Zulli

[Virginia Mescher]

This is Virginia's spouse doing this post.

If you use photos from ebay there are two elements that you have to consider.

The first is that not all the sellers accurately date their pictures. We have seen 1880's attire labeled as Civil War (I know, they were just ahead of their time in establishing fashion trends!). One thing vendors have learned is that "Civil War sells."

The second element is what you are going to do with the pictures. If you are just going to use them for your own reference (keeping in mind point #1), copying the images from the sale pages might be considered reasonable use. But if you intend to use them in a presentation, article, or book, you certainly would need to purchase the picture or get permission from the seller and successful bidder.

In general, I've found the quality of the images posted on ebay are okay as long as you aren't after detail. If you try to enlarge them much, they dissolve into a mass of pixels. If you purchase the picture, you can put it under magnification to examine details -- and don't have to worry about seeking permission to use the picture.

Michael Mescher

[Virginia Mescher]

I'm back.

I forgot to mention that, of course, you should get permission before using images from books, magazines, or museums if you are going to use it for a presentation, display, or anything you are writing.

Michael Mescher

[nastt]

Try http://www.picturehistory.com/
and eBay is great too, try just typing in CDV.

nastt
Michael Farnsley