2 Antique Victorian Oval Tiger Wood Frame Convex Glass Portraits Chicago 25"

Description

Pair of matching antique early 20th century portraits of a man and a woman in painted “Tiger Wood” oval frames under convex glass. Made and Sold by Chicago Portrait Company.

“The Chicago Portrait Studio’s modus operandi was to have salesmen go to rural Americans and send ordinary photographs of people both living and dead to Chicago, where they were enlarged and turned into impressive-looking portraits. The portraits were printed on curved card stock and were not suitable to be framed in ordinary flat frames. Typically, the photographs were also enhanced with watercolor, India ink, oil paint, pastels or crayons. They were said to be hand-painted but were not. When the newly enlarged and tinted portraits were returned to the customer, the picture was routinely housed in a striped frame that looked something like burled wood and had bubble glass over the image. The customer was presented with the choice of just getting the portrait and paying a few dollars or paying significantly more for photograph and frame. The Chicago Portrait Company was in business from 1893 to the early 1940s, and the description above is what happened during much of the company’s history.”

Condition

Good Overall - Some dings to frames; slight damage to pictures

Dimensions

18.5” x 1.5” x 25” (Width x Depth x Height)