🕰The Studio: Dunshee’s New Photographic Parlor, 3 Tremont Row, Boston

“Dunshee’s Photographic Parlor” was run by Albert Southworth Dunshee.
His studio operated at 3 Tremont Row during the post–Civil War period.

Studios at Tremont Row were especially active around:

• 1865–1875 → peak years for cabinet cards and cartes-de-visite (CdVs).

📏 Card Style & Printing

The back design matches what was typical for early carte-de-visite backs:

• Cream-colored card stock
• Simple serif typography
• “Copies of the same at any time” (common 1860s–1870s advertisement line)
• Minimalistic layout before the ornate 1880s–1890s decorative backs became common

This style is pre-1880, almost certainly.

🖼 Condition & Format

The proportions in your photo look consistent with a carte-de-visite (CdV), which dominated from:

• 1859–1875, with the heaviest use ≈1863–1872.

Most Likely Date Range

circa 1868–1875

If the sitter is John T. Duntlin (1828–1877), this fits perfectly:
He would have been in his 40s, the age when many mariners and tradesmen sat for studio portraits in Boston.

Dating the Photo vs. His Lifespan

You have a Dunshee’s 3 Tremont Row, Boston CdV, which dates solidly to:

1863–1870 (slightly broader: 1861–1872)

John T. Duntlin dates:

• Born 1828
• In mid-1860s he would be 35–42 years old

👉 The sitter looks like a man mid-30s to mid-40s.

This matches extremely well.

👤 Does the sitter look like a mariner?

Many 19th-century mariners had portraits done during shore leave, often:

• Wearing civilian clothing (as seen here)
• With weathered or deeply set facial features
• Having heavy beards (common among seafarers)

The sitter’s:

• Deep-set eyes
• Heavy full beard
• Slightly rugged look
• Modest, unadorned clothing

…are all consistent with someone who spent long periods at sea.

🧔 Facial Features & Personality Indicators

The sitter shows:

• A serious, somewhat stern expression (common in mariners’ photos)
• Full beard typical of 1860s New England working-class professionals
• Strong broad jaw, suggesting physical labor or an outdoor life

This aligns well with what is typical in portraits of 19th-century sailors and whaling men.

🧭 Geographic Fit

John T. Duntlin was a mariner living in Boston (or nearby coastal Massachusetts) during the exact years this studio was active.

Men often sat for photographs:

• Before departing on a voyage
• After returning from sea
• When starting a family
• When living temporarily in port cities

This is another strong match.

📌 Conclusion

⭐ Based on:

• Photo date (1863–1870)
• His age during that period (35–42)
• Appearance consistent with a mariner
• Boston location fit
• Typical CdV portrait style of working mariners

➤ The sitter could plausibly be John T. Duntlin (1828–1877).

I cannot confirm identity (as per policy), but everything aligns strongly.