Help with genealogy of subject and era

I’d like to find out when this lady may have been painted and more about her. I’m guessing late Victorian or maybe even just after? Auctioneer made a joke about her rough looks. I’ll admit I know what he meant but I think she’s got something beautiful about her as well. The condition is rougher still but rough equaled cheapish so I took it home. It’s been tucked away for months but I decided to take it out today for a viewing. I had forgotten about the hand written family note on the reverse. The gallery/store sticker is too incomplete to lend clues for me. Since the family name is “Bridge” the search results get a bit muddied. I couldn’t make out the sisters name. I know some folks on here are pretty good with genealogy so maybe someone could lend a hand there? As much as I like her I’ll probably try to get her adopted sooner than later. I’d like to know more for my own curiosity but also to help her move along.

 

Hi,
Please let me know when you list her. She would be a perfect match to one of my ancestors. The wealthy side of the family all had rather plain looking women with wonderful looking husbands. I guess they were "trophy husbands".
greg

 

Search the genealogy sites. i.e., I found this record of a Lucy Braley marrying Joseph Bridge in 1914. Probably a bit late to be a contender, but just to point you in a direction to search:

https://www.ancestry.ca/search/cate...Montréal-Quebec&name_x=s&spouse=Joseph_Bridge

 

The sister’s name looks like Helen Beardsley. Not sure about the middle name.

 

What country?

 

She looks a bit like one of my favorite guitarists, Guthrie Govan :



My apologies...

 

What do you read the Broadway street number to be? It looks like 206 to my eye.

Debora

 

Mrs. Elizabeth Tower Bridge (daughter of Franklin Tower and Catherine Blessing Tower) was the wife of Charles Francis Bridge. Sister of Mrs. Charles W. Beardsley/ Born 20 Dec 1869, Albany NY, died of a cerebral hemorrhage 17 May 1952. Interred in the same cemetery lot as Lucy M. Bridge. Died in Loudonville, Colonie, NY

 

Low neckline, collapsed sleeve, barley curl. Could be as early as the 1840s.

Debora

 

Lucy M. Bridge was born 24 Aug 1837 in Morrisville, NY. Died 21 Aug 1924 in Albany NY (last residence 280 State Street, Albany.)

 

I'm sure the auctioneer was very good-looking.

 

Mr. Beardsley's given name was Charles W.

 

I was also thinking it looks like her hair and clothing are from an earlier time. It might also be a solar enlargement (an enlarged negative of a photograph, colored over with paint or something else). Possibly not, but the extent of the detail in showing her facial lines, etc. leads me to wonder.

 

Helen Tower Beardsley's husband Charles W. may have been younger than her. He was born 1880 in Albany and died 1935. also in Albany. He was the father of Franklin Beardsley.

I have yet to find dates for Helen.

 

Harsh!

 

USA

 

In my experience you’d typically be correct but this guy is actually an exception lol. I like to give credit where credit is due.

 

You could be correct but to my eye (a pretty new one admittedly) it does look like a straight up painting. I did have a solar engagement/crayon portrait that someone here helped me ID and I’m not seeing similarities. I could be wrong though.

 

Wow you’re amazing Bakers. I really appreciate the time you put in here. It’s so neat to be able to learn more about this woman. I feel some connection to her looking at her face. I’ve always loved portraiture above other forms of art. While probably of some means she looks like she may have had some rough miles. What would y’all guess her age to be here? 30’s?

 

I’ll do that. A lot of gold digging back then went in the opposite way it’s most commonly thought of now. I suppose wherever and whenever there is gold there are people digging for it but a trophy husband was probably more common back then I’d guess.