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Edith WOOD(?), circa 1865, of Watford July, 2015 |
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An Early Tinted Photograph by Frederick Downer
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Carte de Visite by Frederick Downer, High Street, Watford |
| This CDV recently came up for
sale on ebay and the back suggested that it was one of the early
photographs by Frederick Downer in the High Street. He opened
his studio in 1862 in a room at the back of his father's shop
where patrons could get portraits in oil, charcoal or as a carte de visite
photograph. Not only is this card tinted but it differs from his later portraits - which all carry a negative number for reference. Instead this one has a faintly written name (computer enhanced above) in tiny writing - suggesting that it was produced before he had taken enough photographs to justify having a numbering systems for the negatives. This suggest that it dated from 1862 to perhaps 1865. I read the above name as "Edith Wood" but other interpretations may be possible. So far have been unable to trace a suitable Edith Wood in Watford circa 1865.
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