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In the first part of this series, we looked how to identify the most common photographs from the 1800s. In this part, we look at photographs from the early 20th century, in particular, photographs made before 1920.
It is more difficult to judge the age of 20th century photographs. While most 19th century photographs are as out of date as horse-drawn carriages, the 20th century's most popular photographic process was used throughout the entire century. The average 1960 and 1910 photographs were made using the same process. Luckily, there are things the collector can look for that will identify photographs made before 1920.
As with the 1800s, there were a wide variety of photographic processes in the 1900s, but one dominant form. The vast majority of photographs made from 1900-60 are gelatin-silver prints. Gelatin-silver prints have a variety of tones, including a sepia color, but most are cold and steely black and white. Until about 1920, gelatin-silver prints were pasted to sheets of cardboard (mounts) in similar styles as the 1800s. Most, however, are unmounted.
Gelatin-silver prints could be made on many different papers. Most early photographic paper was of paper fiber and single weight. Single weight was a thin paper. Today's heavier double weight wasn't introduced until about 1940. This paper will usually now have toning and aging noticeable on the back. While single-weight, paper-fiber photographic paper is still available today, it doesn't have quite the same feel. Most of today's photographic paper is coated in a glossy substance and has a distinct plastic feel.
The key to determining that a gelatin-silver photograph was made before 1920 is looking for silvering. These early prints had a tendency to silver, especially at the edges. Silvering is when it appears as if the silver has come to surface. It is often more noticeable when viewed at a specific angle to the light. While not all early gelatin-silver photographs will have silver, if one does have authentic silvering it is almost certainly old.
The earliest photos of the 20th century are full-bleed, meaning that they do not have a white border surrounding the image as is popular today. The white border appearing on later images was a result of the photographic paper being held in a special holder during enlargement, and this technology was not commonly used until about the mid 1910s.
While judging the age of pre-1920 gelatin-silver prints is relatively straightforward, judging the age of later examples, especially from after World Ward II, is much more difficult. Realize that the most commonly reprinted and counterfeited photographs will depict famous people and events, such as Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe and U.S. presidents. Extra care should be taken when buying these kinds of photograph, in particular dealing with knowledgeable and honest sellers. As will be discussed in the third part of this series, a black light is useful when examining these types of photographs.
As with all art and collectibles, personal experience is important. By looking, handling and enjoying photographs, the collector gains an eye to quality and age.
NOTE: Part 1 of this series can be found online at http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/53/53.html#photos.
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