Figure 1.-- This cabinet card portrait shows mom and dad and their four children. They look to be a well-to-do middle-class family. They are all fashionably, if somewhat plainly dressed. The girls in the back look like older teens, wearing identical hour-glass dresses. We might say the early-20s, but young women would be less likely to wear identical dresses. Their brother is much taller, but looks to be a teenager. He wears a vested sack suit with small lapels. Their little brother is much younger, perhaps 5 years old. He wears kilt suit with velvet trim and holds a doll. He has a center part, only slightly off center. Center parts are a good gender indicayor, usually indicating girls. Girls did not, however, wear kilt suits.

This cabinet card portrait shows mom and dad and their four children. They look to be a well-to-do middle-class family. They are all fashionably, if somewhat plainly dressed. The girls in the back look like older teens, wearing identical hour-glass dresses. We might say the early-20s, but young women would be less likely to wear identical dresses. Their brother is much taller, but looks to be a teenager. He wears a vested sack suit with small lapels. Their little brother is much younger, perhaps 5 years old. He wears kilt suit with velvet trim and holds a doll. He has a center part, only slightly off center. Center parts are a good gender indicayor, usually indicating girls. Girls did not, however, wear kilt suits. We believe that the portrait was taken in the 1870s, but we are not at all sure. The whicker furniture often inducates the 1890s, but the clothing dies not look rught to us for the 90s. The girls' dresses are probanly the besr indicator, but we are not well versed in faing desses. Perhaps reader will hve some insights into the chronology of dress styles. The studio was Leisenrings in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Created: 1:04 AM 2/10/2015
Last updated: 1:04 AM 2/10/2015