Overview
A large-format outdoor cabinet card depicting a family of eleven posed before a rustic split-rail fence.
1Identify
Preliminary identification
Late Victorian Rural Family Portrait Cabinet Card, c. 1885-1895
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Story
The presence of the 'Ishpeming' steamship photograph in the background strongly suggests this family hailed from the rugged Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a land defined by iron ore and deep woods.
Maker / Origin
While the specific photographer is uncredited, this work is characteristic of an itinerant 'view artist' who traveled rural circuits with a portable darkroom.
Condition & Value
The photograph shows significant 'silvering' in the darker areas, a natural chemical reaction where silver ions migrate to the surface over time. While family portraits of unidentified sitters are common, the large family size, the outdoor setting, and the regional connection to the Great Lakes shipping industry…
Research
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