Dating pictures

[Barmaid]

My parents showed me a picture today of a young boy in a sailor suit. Unfortunately, Dad can't remember whether it is one of "his" or whether he just found it in the attic (the attic has been the source of many a treasure!). I didn't have too much time to spend with it because I had a whole carrier bag of deeds to read and my step children to supervise. However, I've got a good mental picture of the boy and I am hoping that mum will get the opportunity to take it out the frame and see if there is anything on the back. In the meantime, can anyone recommend a good site for dating pics? All I can say is that the boy is about 8 and is wearing a white sailor outfit with knee length pantaloons and shoes with a bar and button on them. My immediate reaction was the pic is about 1910.

[dothawkes31]

It does sound edwardian, bearing in mind that having a photo taken was a luxury to most people, there is usually a life event that prompted it. I don't think it was very common for children to be photographed individually either. It could well be that there was a family wedding at the time though and he was dressed up for that, certainly the sailer suit was the Sunday Best outfit in a middle class family.
This site is very detailed but you will need the info from the reverse of the photo.
http://www.cartes.freeuk.com/time/date.htm
The key info is the phtographers address on the reverse as this links it to a particular line in your tree,.

[Barmaid]

Lol Dot, I've just spent the last half and hour on there!! But thanks anyway.

I might post a family wedding later and see what everyone puts as the date on that - I have my own ideas as to when it was taken, but I would be interested to see what everyone else thinks.

[dothawkes31]

Oh the other thing I thought of was what sort of frame was it? Could the frame have been contemporary with the photo?

[Barmaid]

tbh I didn't take too much notice of the frame because there wasn't much left of it! Plus it was filthy. I'll try and get over again next weekend, because I am intrigued by the "boy in the attic".

In the meantime, I'll see if I can get mum or dad to do the dirty work in getting the thing out of its frame. The picture itself is in very good condition - but then its spent the last 40 years in a dark cupboard in my parents' attic!