Hand Colored Photography

Back in the day, photographers would "hand color" black and white photographs to give them dimension and interest.  A variety of methods was used - dyes, crayons (seriously?), water colors, oils. 

I am fortunate enough to have a number of these types of photographs. Some are pretty obvious that they've been colored (read: someone didn't color within the lines) and others are down right beautiful.

Ann Gladys Allen Stancil

Here's a colored photo of my mother. I suspect this was taken in Hawaii in early 1958. 

Stancil Family

This is the Stancil family. I suspect the photo was taken in Raleigh, NC since the family was living in Raleigh when my father was born and he is the youngest in the picture (colored in pink...the photographer must have through he was a girl).

The boy in blue is Macon McNair (little Joe) who died in his teens from diabetes.  The child on the right in pink is Edith. The three boys in the middle are Roland (killed in WW II), Eric, and Cecil. Grandma Lou Ada Johnson Stancil is in the back.

This is my maternal grandmother, Ethel Davis Allen. It's odd that there is a palm tree in the back ground since I'm not sure Ethel ever left the state of North Carolina. 











These are beautiful photographs and I am very pleased to have them. My next to-do is to research how best to preserve them. I'm open to ideas!