I am looking for sources of information that would help me use (1) Clothing/Styles (2) Home Furnishings (3) Automobiles and other forms of transportation, to date photographs. I assume that nobody has actually compiled material for this purpose so we are talking about other fields, right? Any suggestions??

This book may be of interest. It identifies period clothing. I purchased this title on Amazon 1 of: Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900...

Hey Bill, thanks for the tip. I didn't look at amazon because I didn't expect there would be a photography book on the subject. I just ordered it.

Glad I could help. It is large book with many illustrations. Good reference.

Bill

Dressed for the Photographer is an excellent resource, and if you can afford your own copy you'd be crazy not to buy one. Joan Severa was a costume curator at the Wisconsin Historical Society for many years. The entire book is arranged by decade and includes hard to find examples such as maternity dresses and everyday work clothes. Joan explains in detail how 19th C. styles changed decade by decade -- that includes not only costume but accessories and hair styles as well.

Another helpful book is Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs by Maureen Taylor. Maureen is probably best known as The Photo Detective. If you get completely stumped with a dating question, she is available for hire. http://www.photodetective.com

I also highly recommend Tara Maginnis' Costumer's Manifesto website for free info. http://www.costumes.org

Have fun with the photo detecting!

-Sally