I believe those artifacts at the top corners are thumbtacks used to hold the original photo on a board for the camera to take a picture of it so it can be reproduced.
Basically a picture of a picture.
Doesn't mean it's not vintage, just that it's not from the original negative.
A pretty common practice back in the day when the negative was not available.
I believe according the the recent PSA definitions this is a version of a Type III photograph. Though it could very easily be a Type IV based on their narrow definitions of age.
Without having it in hand I might also say it's a later generation 1920's photo developed from an earlier image.
Last edited by D. Bergin; 09-22-2009 at 10:16 PM.
|