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Author Topic: is this an ambrotype?  (Read 1083 times)

Offline BENS

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is this an ambrotype?
« on: Tuesday 20 March 12 21:42 GMT (UK) »
Hi
hAVE THIS PIC OF WHAT GRANDMA TOLD ME WAS HER FATHER BORN 1879. In the pic he loks 20ish, so around 1900 I thought. But it seems to be an ambrotype - its glass in a small wooden case - and I thought ambrotypes were long gone by 1900? Any ideas?

Offline Seoras

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Re: is this an ambrotyle?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 21 March 12 00:52 GMT (UK) »
Just pushing this back up the board really BENS,my thoughts are it's a photo from around 1900 in an older frame.
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Offline JDJames89

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Re: is this an ambrotyle?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 21 March 12 08:43 GMT (UK) »
Hmm...I think Seoras might be on to something.

I don't think this can be possibly be an ambrotype if the man in it was born in 1879. Ambrotypes were generally replaced by tintypes by 1870. I believe tintypes were also put in similar gilt cases, but I would imagine by 1900 (which I would say would make sense as the man in the photo does look to be around 20) were largely replaced by card stock mounts. I think the frame is probably older or at least fashioned after an older style.

ADDITION:

I didn't think to look the first time around, but the buttons on the man's vest show that the image isn't reversed in this photo which means it definitely isn't an ambrotype. And, if it's a tintype, it's one of the rarer ones that were shot with a correcting lens as a finished tintype was generally reversed due to the photographic process.

Offline PrueM

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Re: is this an ambrotyle?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 21 March 12 09:20 GMT (UK) »
Do the magnet test - hold a magnet against the back of the case, and if it attracts, it's a tintype  ;)

As the others have said, though, not likely to be an Ambrotype at this late a date.  Could be a tintype, put into an older case (in which case where is the photo that would have originally been in the case! :o ), but lack of reversal of the image pretty much rules that out.  Also, there's what looks like a ring of deterioration on the photo where it meets the oval passepartout, which I would not expect to see on a tintype because of the binder used.

The case looks to be in poor condition, so it should be an easy enough matter to open up the image package and have a look inside to see what you have.  Just be careful opening out the soft metal frame as it can split along the folds if you're not gentle with it. 
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