March 15th - Pink Flowers

1860s

Women's History Month Day 15

My husband, Karl, found this tintype in the Mid-Late 1980s in McHenry County, IL. Nothing is known of this young lady except she was dressed in what was probably her Sunday Best as modest as it may be.

Her dress doesn't appear to be poorly made, but it is not a difficult dress to sew and is too big on her. The bodice and skirt may not be from the same original outfit. Her bodice looks like it might be wool. She is wearing a snood and a has a cute, feminine hat with feathers and flowers. The bodice at least may be a hand-me-down --the gathering in the front is part of style but the looseness in the sleeves and around the waist indicates an improper fit. Tintypes were inexpensive and could be taken just about anywhere, so it hard to say if this is in a studio.

She is a charming young lady of modest means. Both Karl and I have wondered if she is of mixed race. Being this tintype was purchased from the Chicagoland area in the 1980s, there is a very good chance she was from the area although there is not any way to prove it (with the internet, antiques/artifacts are dispersed from area to area much more quickly then pre-internet).