Re: Watercolor age determination
Balanced View
> Hi Folks ! Long time no see.... Having trouble finding reference material
> on clothing styles to date this watercolor. Any guesses ? Late 18th early
> 19th maybe ? Hey Ronnie ! Care to give an opinion ????
>
> David http://ayersauctions.com/anniebruggles1.jpg
Hi David,
I was beginning to think you had taken that last bus to the auction ;~)
here's some stuff to get you started, enjoy.
http://www.18cnewenglandlife.org/
http://www.ushist.com/19th_century_clothing.htm
http://www.siue.edu/COSTUMES/COSTUME15_INDEX.HTML
Balanced View
Hi David,
Mike Wilcox
Janice Hudnall
"oxshuneer" <da...@ayersauctions.com> wrote in message
news:Xns98F7B15DE4034da...@216.196.97.136...
> Hi Folks ! Long time no see.... Having trouble finding reference material
> on clothing styles to date this watercolor. Any guesses ? Late 18th early
> 19th maybe ? Hey Ronnie ! Care to give an opinion ????
>
> David http://ayersauctions.com/anniebruggles1.jpg
The blue frock coat and yellow waistcoat shrieks Restoration (1815-1820).
Not so sure about the red pin striped trousers. Some variations of the
frock coat lasted until the American Civil War, but that yellow vest pretty
much nails it. Unless what you have is a watercolor of a school master
that's 'fashion challenged' and 20 years out of date. The children aren't
much help, but that one little girl seems to have an off the shoulder dress
that would mimic adult fashion of that period.
There's not alot of detail in the watercolor- if we had buttons ,fasteners,
jewelry I could be more accurate.
Thanks for a fun post.
janice
"I have shoes in my closet older than my doctor".
Ronnie McKinley
> Hi Folks ! Long time no see.... Having trouble finding reference material
> on clothing styles to date this watercolor. Any guesses ? Late 18th early
> 19th maybe ? Hey Ronnie ! Care to give an opinion ????
>
> David http://ayersauctions.com/anniebruggles1.jpg
I'd say [painting style] c1820-30s, there abouts.
A cartoonish style, which may be attempting to make some social or
political comment [of the day] or may just be a simple piece of
"Americana" in a naïve, primitive or childlike art style.
However, I'd be chasing down on the artist, or looking for an
appropriate social/political context rather than worrying too much on
the finer line between late 18thC or early 19thC dress fashion, if
indeed there was even such a marked difference. Merely being 1790 or
1820 alone, what ha'p'orth of difference would that make? Of course,
[needless to say] you'd first better make sure it is indeed a "period
watercolour" [a bit mucky so could be gouache} and not just some later
or modern reproduction painted in an "18thC" primitive Americana style.
--
Ronnie
oxshuneer
news:45fe6e16$0$32016$fa0f...@news.zen.co.uk:
Hi Ronnie, Janice, Mike et all ! Many thanks for your insight and
opinions. Annie is a distant relative of mine who I have been trying to
nail down in some register or other. This originally belonged to my
Grandmother who married into the Ruggles family of Hardwick, MA. She was
in the antiques business for about 60 years so she could have come
across this anywhere. I think I'm going to have to find the register for
the Boston Ruggles's and see if she appears there. She did have much
material at one time that belonged to Brigadier Gen. Timothy Ruggles of
Boston so it could have been one of his daughters. The hunt is on ! Best
to all and thanks again ! David
Marie Forjan
the results! Marie
Andy Dingley
wrote:
>Hi Folks ! Long time no see.... Having trouble finding reference material
>on clothing styles to date this watercolor.
Mid 19th. The shallow collar says 1860s-1870s. The large flare to the
skirts suggests earlier, 1850s - 1860s. It's not 1820s or the lapel
revers would be far broader.
The earliest date I can suggest for this is a single-breasted frock coat
of 1835 (Illustration G9 in Davis' "Mens' garments 1830-1900") This
also has similar trousers: straight legged and with no strap under the
shoe. G24 in the same book is a double breasted of 1856, which is the
latest I can find for a frock coat with a comparable amount of skirt.
Waistcoats (vests) were indeed brighter in the earlier period (before
1850) but they were also more likely to have a large roll or shawl
collar, which I can't make out in the image. A small step collar would
suggest 1850 or later and it's more likely to see a bright colour after
this date than a small collar before.