Posted 3 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
Here's a handsome older Gentleman posed for his formal portrait, now living in a sorta octagonal frame with curved/domed glass. (again, isn't there a proper word for that kind of glass?) He's about 12" wide, his frame is mostly black with gold accents and a blue colored tint to its flower decoration motif. The kraft paper backing is intact.
Once more I presume this has its origin as a photographic print of some sort, but it is different in that he has been "colorized" a little, especially his gold watch chain, vest clip, and lapel pin. I'm pretty sure there's a much more accurate name for *that* process too, but someone else will have to remind me what it is... <sigh>
I have wondered why older frames sometimes used convex glass instead of flat glass. Could it have been an early type of “shadow box” frame or memento frame?
It was hand - tinted. I have a couple of studio portraits of my mother as a teenager from the late 1940s using this method - black & white photos that were selectively hand painted to highlight details such as clothing or jewelry. An old school version of Photoshop!
This looks (possibly) earlier than the other two portraits you've posted, as the frame is more ornate in a slightly Victorian way for one thing.
His outfit is more in the style of the late 19th C - 1910s but that could be explained as him being a more mature fellow who preferred to stick to the clothes he was familiar with. A great piece of history in excellent condition!
I cannot say for certain what the exact reason for the convex frame would be...it certainly looks formal, & would have worked well with the interiors of the time, with their dark wooden furniture. Often these frames are oval or octagonal, & certainly from an aesthetic point of view, flat glass would not look so attractive combined with these shapes. Also - knowing this from having my own work (drawings) framed, it is best for the glass not to touch the artwork, which is often achieved via the use of a mat board around the artwork. In this case, there is no mat (or mount) board surrounding the photograph, so a raised convex frame would assist with keeping the glass well away from it.