Featured Small Sepia Portrait in Period Sterling Frame; When an' Where?

The frame is 4" by 3", its window is 3 1/8" by 2 3/16". The rear panel an' its stand were once covered in mohair or simply red velvet, now reduced to the bare fabric except where protected; it was for its time a moderately costly item. The maker's logo is a wavy pennant on a staff with the characters F&B within; pattern #2684 after Sterling.
The woman wears a hairstyle an' dark garment that may point to a fairly specific period; last quarter of the 19th C would be my guess, an' I'll risk assuming of American rather than European origin.
Her gaze, though not directed towards the viewer, is uncommonly bland, but apparently serene...hard to read, remote.
An ID of the frame maker would be sweet, an' all of your other observations an' comments are most welcome...thanks for lookin'!

 

The mark is: Foster & Bailey, 1878-1898, Providence, RI

 

Foster & Bailey is the frame's maker, you can find their info here:
https://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_F2.html

Have you taken the photo out of the frame? Something may be written on the back.

 

Not yet, Marie...but soon, as I want to polish the silver.
If found, I'll post a pic!

 

Frame contemporary with the portrait. 1880s-1890s evidenced by the fringe.

Debora

 

Thanks, Debora...What fringe?

 

Her bangs. Those curly bangs were popularized by Alexandra, Princess of Wales in the 1880s.

Debora

 

Ahh...Got it, Debora...Thanks!

 

Personally, doubt the frame is as old as the picture, plain flat frames like this one are more typically from around the 1910s and later - the 'F&B' flag mark was also used for decades by Foster & Bailey's successor Theodore W. Foster & Bro., from 1898 until 1951.

~Cheryl

 

I can accept that, Cheryl...Thanks!