Photo Restoration of Which Man is It

Maureen — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:56:34 GMT

Last week I discussed the details in Lois O'Malley's photo of a crayon portrait and asked if someone could try to digitally restore it. I love the genealogy community! A woman named Shirley volunteered to see if she could restore the picture.

Here's version three of the process. You can see the before and after in this photo. On the right is the damaged side of the picture and on the left is the restored side.

This poor photo is covered in mold and has visible water-damage and abrasive damage. A project like this requires time and patience.

Shirley and I have discussed the clothing details. In a photo as badly damaged as this one, it's easy to interpret certain details incorrectly. Shirley is being very careful.

She asked whether or not this man's shirt has a collar. I replied that his shirt has a collar and that the tie is wrapped around the neck under it.

There is a lot of shading around his mouth. It doesn't look like a mustache or does it? I think it's either shading or some sort of paper deterioration. We'll know more as the restoration proceeds.

A big thank you to Shirley for tackling this picture!

Solve your family photo mysteries with these books by Maureen A. Taylor:

Fashionable Folks: Bonnets and Hats 1840-1900

Preserving Your Family Photographs

Fashionable Folks: Hairstyles 1840-1900

Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album

Identifying an Old Crayon Portrait

Diane — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:51:54 GMT

This crayon portrait passed from Geri Diehl’s grandmother to her mother, and ultimately came to be in her own collection. She asks, "Could this be the wedding picture of Elizabeth Goza and William Harrington who married in 1846?"