Subject: Fwd: Interesting Article on Photos From: Jane Benson Date: June 30, 1999 DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Column > > APRIL 17, 1998 > > > > DECIPHERING AGE OF OLD PHOTOS > > > From: Maux > > DearMYRTLE, > Do you know, or have any idea how we can find out what > dates tintypes were popular? I have > one that has a name on it but we have a person by that > name in two different generations. > Thought if we knew when tintypes were in use it might help > us determine which is in the > picture. Thank you. > > DearMAUX, > There have been many responses to the book review on > Tuesday. Now Harold has got me > going on this photo-genealogy! He has several books on the > subject and helped me write > today's article. Guess I'll have to fix him a special > dinner tonight! Anyway, here is a brief > summary of the basic types of photographs created and the > time periods they were used: > > DAGUERREOTYPE- Began use in late 1830 gained popularity by > 1843 and continued in > popularity through 1861, and declined in use until > generally they stopped being produced in > 1868. - Involved mirror-silver followed by on-glass images. > > CALOTYPE - Popular 1845-1855. Involved exposing > light-sensitized paper in the large > camera box, then washing with developer, water rinse, > followed by hyposulfite to fix the > image. After drying, this paper negative was placed on > another sheet of light-sensitized > paper, so a positive image was produced. It also was > washed with developer, rinsed and > fixed. > > AMBROTYPE - Began use in 1850 gaining steady popularity > through 1958, followed by a > slow decline is usage which eventually dropped off by > about 1875. These are distinguished > by their heavy leather or wood frames with the black paper > placed behind the > collodion-based coated/exposed glass image. The images are > kept in a case to protect the > pieces from being separated. Typically an ambrotype > includes a decorative front plate, an > oval cut mat, the image on glass, the black paper, and a > wooden backing, which holds all > parts together. Ambrotypes are not as bright as > daguerotypes. > > TINTYPE - (also known as malainotypes and ferrotypes) The > image is created after the > manner of ambrotype glass plates, except that the > collodion emulsion coats thin metal. > Therefore, tintypes were lighter weight and less costly to > produce. > > Tintypes began to be produced about 1854, hitting a peak > time period of use in 1860, with a > long slow decline though 1898. Therefore, if you have old > family tintypes, you will need to > consider other clues in the photo when attempting to > determine the age of the photograph. > Clothing and women's hair styles will provide your > greatest clues. > > CARTE-DE-VISITE - Most popular 1860-1865 followed by a > long, slow decline in usage > ending about 1898. This process involved multiple portrait > exposures on a single plate, > typically 6 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. This was the first form > of mass-production of photos. After > developing, the thin albumen paper multi-print was cut > into individual images, which were > mounted on the cards with flour paste. > > CABINET CARD - 1865-1920. Typically four times larger than > the Carte de Visites. Because > of this increase in size, a skilled photographer could > "touch up" the photo to eliminate > blemishes. Cabinet card photos were typically presented in > elaborate padded photograph > albumns with compartments to hold one or four cainet cards > per page. They were also > displayed on mantles. Dating these photos involves looking > at card colors, borders and > corners. These differences are quite pronounced. > > The photo is mounted on a variety of card stocks for > backings as follows: > light weight white card stock 1866-1880 > different colors for front and back of card 1880-1890 > front: buff-colored, matte, back: light yellow, glossy > 1882-1888 > > The border of the card stock around the mounted photo > changed dramatically: > red or golden single or double lines 1866-1880 > wide golden 1884-1885 > golden beveled edge 1885-1892 > single line border with rounded corners 1889-1896 > metalic green or golden colored pressed border 1890-1892 > pressed outer border no color 1896 > > The corners bear distinctive markings: > square, straight-edged on lightweight card stock 1866-1880 > square, scalloped sides on heavyweight card stock 1880-1890 > > WET-PLATE PRINT - Began usage about 1853, very popular > during the Civil War then > slowly declining in popularity after 1885 until 1901. Sun > exposure to treated glass plates as > large as 18X22 inches. Typically one thinks of the great > Mathew Brady Civil War > photo-documentaries. Also popular were outdoor exposures > of some of the great points of > interest in the western wilderness, including the views > beside the railroad lines, the Grand > Canyon and Yosemite. Studio portraits made by this process > were less stilted, since the > exposure time was greatly reduced by the wet-plate > process. Prints were made and > mounted on heavyweight card stock. > > STEROGRAPH - This involved using the small carte-de-visite > type photos mounted in > tandem on a card backing. Because the photos are almost > identical, when viewed through > the optic lenses of the holder, the images blend to give a > 3-dimensional look. Harold and I > have one of these and about 25 sets of photos. My > grandchildren love looking at these > marvelous photos. Good bribery material! > > Here are some good books on the subject: > > Gernshiem, Helmut & Alison, The History of Photography, > 1685-1914. New York, > McGraw-Hill, 1969. > > Gilbert, George, Photography: The Early Years - a > Historical Guide for Collectors. New York, > Harper & Row, 1980. > > Shaw, Renata V., A Century of Photographs 1846-1946 - > Selected from the Collections of > the Library of Congress. Washington, Library of Congress, > 1980. > > Have fun climbing your family tree! > Myrt :) ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |