Small Treasures

Several years before my mother died, she came into possession of this little photo album. It had been found in a relative's basement with other old family treasures, exposed to the dirt and damp, and starting to fall apart.

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It's small, about 4x5 inches, but heavy with thick cardboard pages. It is bound in leather and has a metal clasp.

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Inside are 51 very old photographs, many of which are tintypes.

My dad now has possession of the book, but I asked to borrow it so I can scan the old photos before they decay any further.

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So far I've scanned 23 of the 51 photos. Just 28 more to go!

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Look at the fine detail! The edges of the pages are beautifully embossed.
This is a view of the inside of the book. Many of the pages are torn and many are falling out. The binding has completely disintegrated.

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The photos themselves aren't in horrible shape, although some are scratched or bent.

Most of the pictures are slid directly into the pages, like the two above, but others were first placed in paper sheaths before being slid into place.

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The embossed sheath at right is the only one of its kind in the book. The sheath below is more typical of those used.
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A few of the photos were printed on cardboard, almost like a baseball card. These identify the photographer as "Indiana College of Fine Arts and Photography" or "Indiana College Studio," both of Wabash, Indiana.

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Other than that, nothing is labeled. I assume the people portrayed in these photos are ancestors and/or distant relatives, but I have no idea who they are.

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Time for some detective work!

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I discovered that tintype photography began to be used in 1856, but it was only popular for about 40 years because the more convenient use of film began in 1884.

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Based on the range of photography methods used and the period clothing worn by the subjects, I'm placing the dates of the pictures between about 1860 and 1900. It appears that many generations of family members are pictured, and I'm sure at least a few of them were the same persons photographed at different ages.

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How I wish I knew who they were!

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The reason these items always found their way to Mom was because everyone knew she loved genealogy. So I turned to her old pedigree charts and found a clue. Now I may know who this family is.

Last night while I was on the computer, Dylan decided to fix up my hair. He liked the finished product so much he just had to capture it on film, and I just had to share it.
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At least he got my best side!

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Oh, sorry...Did you want to know whose family album this is?

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When I'm done scanning in the remaining pictures, I'll tell you about their possible identities and share all these great old photos in 3-4 posts.

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Meanwhile, stay tuned!