Identifying 19th-Century Photographs

Identifying 19th-Century Photographs Marcy Silver* W HEN WAS THAT TINTYPE of Great-grandmother taken? For that matter, is it really a "tintype"? This year marks the sesquicentennial anniversary of the birth of photography. After 150 years, photographs play an integral role in illustrating the past visually. They can highlight research in a variety of fields, including genealogy, history, and historic preservation. A general understanding of the chronological development of photographic techniques and formats can provide clues to the date of an otherwise unidentified photograph and perhaps to the identity of its subject as well. The photographic technique is the process used to create the image, while the format is the style in which it is packaged. Below, the most widely used nineteenth-century photographic processes and formats are described by their physical composition and general characteristics. The date spans provided for their periods of use are approximations based on their popularity in the United States. Direct Image Photographs Daguerreotypes (1839-1860) Daguerreotypes are made by exposing a chemically treated silver coated copper plate to light. The resulting image is an original, one of a kind piece; no negative is used to make the positive image. Daguerreotypes are generally housed in small cases made of leather or molded thermoplastic. They are most easily recognized by their *Editor's Note: The author is Mellon Graphics Project curator at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. She received an M.A. degree in American Civilization from George Washington University in 1983 and was previously the Prints and Photographs Librarian at the Maryland Historical Society. 16 Identifying 191h-Century Photographs 17 mirror-like surface, which led to their nickname "the mirror with a memory." Generally, daguerreotypes are difficult to see clearly from all viewing angles; when examined at some angles the negative image becomes apparent. Ambrotypes (mid 1850s mid 1860s) Ambrotypes are composed of collodion emulsion on glass plates. They are backed with a dark substance (usually cloth, paper, or varnish) which makes them appear as positive images. Like daguerreotypes, ambrotypes are direct image photographs that do not have negatives. Without the dark backing, the image would appear in its negative form. Ambrotypes are usually packaged in a case. They can be identified by the presence of the black background (deterioration in this background is seen in the form of chipping or other losses), or the use of a glass plate as the support for the image instead of metal or paper. Tintypes (mid 1850s mid 1860s; some as recent as the 1930s) Tintypes are composed of collodion emulsion on an iron sheet. Many times they are confused with ambrotypes because they have a similar appearance, especially when stored in a case. Tintypes are also found packaged in paper mounts or without any enclosure at all. Many deteriorating tintypes can be recognized by the presence of rust on the iron. Testing the metal sheet with a magnet to see if there is a positive attraction is one method of identifying a tintype. Paper Photoprints Salted Paper Prints (1839 1860s) Salted paper prints are made by developing the negative onto a thin paper that has been treated with salt and other chemicals. The resulting image is composed of silver particles that are ingrained within the paper instead of resting on its surface. Image tone ranges from sepia to brown to purple. Salted paper prints are usually mounted on thick paper boards. Albumen Photoprints (1850s-1890s) This was the most popular photographic process used in the latter half of the nineteenth century and is commonly found in most nineteenth-century collections. Albumen photoprints are composed of silver suspended in egg white. Unlike the salted paper photoprint, 18 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine the emulsion can be seen resting on top of the supporting layer of paper. Albumen photoprints are generally on thin paper with a tonal range from sepia to yellow. Like the salted paper photoprint, they tend to be mounted on thicker paper or board. Many times the emulsion of an albumen photoprint exhibits tiny cracks and appears yellow and faded due to deterioration. Silver Gelatin Photoprints (1880s—present) This image is composed of silver suspended in gelatin. It is a very popular and versatile process that remains in use by photographers today. Silver gelatin photoprints exhibit a variety of tones, most notably the traditional black and white print which is so familiar today. Silver gelatin photoprints are usually found without a secondary support but sometimes are matted or mounted on boards or other materials. Negatives Collodion Wet and Dry Plates (1850s 1880s) These negatives are made of glass plates on which the emulsion is coated by hand before exposure. An emulsion with uneven flow lines at the edges of the plate are evidence of this type of negative. Also, since the plate is coated by hand, many times one corner is not coated with emulsion at all. This is the corner that the photographer held while coating the plate. In many cases, the edges of the glass plate are rough and the size of the plate is irregular because these plates were not manufactured in a standardized way. Gelatin Dry Plate Negatives (1880s-1920s) Dry plate negatives are on thinner glass plate than most collodion negatives. The emulsion is spread evenly across the plate because it is coated by machine. These glass plate negatives have smooth edges because they are manufactured. They are generally created in standard sizes; 4" x 5", 5" x 7", and 8" x 10" are the most commonly used. The emulsion of these negatives is black, and sometimes appears to be foggy. Formats Photograph Cases (1840s-1860s) Photograph cases are commonly made of leather or thermoplastic and are lined on the inside cover with fabric or paper. Case exteriors Identifying 19th-Century Photographs 19 range in decoration from plain and unadorned to highly elaborate embellishment. Thermoplastic cases, also called Union cases, are molded and were introduced in 1854. Contents of the case include the image, cover glass, and a preserver, which is usually decorative. Cases were manufactured in standard sizes to correspond with the standard sizes of the images, ranging from a whole plate (81h" x WA") to a sixteenth plate (13A" x 15/8"). In most cases, they are used to house daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes, but at times other images are found in a case. Stereographs (1850s 1920s) A stereograph is made by pairing two nearly identical images and mounting them side by side. When seen through a special viewer called a stereoscope, a single three-dimensional image is perceived. Stercographs generally are made with paper photoprints (albumen or silver gelatin are the most popular), but at times daguerreotypes and other processes are used to create the effect. The mount is a paper board in a standard size ranging between 31/4" x 7" and 5" x 7". Carte de Visite (1859-1920s) A carte de visite is a card photograph with a standard size mount that is roughly 4" x 214". Carte de visite photographs usually are portrait photographs. They were most popular before the 1880s; during this period they were usually made with albumen photoprints. Many times the card mount contains valuable information regarding the photographer and his studio. Tax stamps were placed on the back of these and other photoprints that were sent through the mail between 1 September 1864 and 1 August 1866. Generally portraits that are small vignettes of the sitter were produced in the 1860s, white images with a painted background scene were made between 1860 and 1880. In the 1880s artificial furniture was used in the composition. Cabinet Card (1866-1900s) Like the carte de visite, the cabinet card is a standard-sized card photograph. This format is larger than the carte de visite, measuring 61h" x 41h". Like cartes de visite, cabinet card photographs also featured painted backdrops and artificial furniture. They can be found with images made of albumen or silver gelatin photoprints. 20 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Knowledge of these basic photographic processes and formats in use during the nineteenth century should be of some help in identifying those old photographs from Grandma's attic. Works listed in the following select bibliography can provide more information on the techniques discussed as well as details about less common photographic practices. Select Bibliography Coe, Brian. Color Photography: The First Hundred Years, 1840 1940. London: Ash & Grant, Ltd., 1978. , and Mark Haworth-Booth. A Guide to Early Photographic Processes. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. Crawford, William. Keepers of Light: A History and Working Guide to Early Photographic Processes. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Morgan & Morgan, 1979. Darrah, William C. Cartes de Visites in Nineteenth Century Photography. Gettysburg, Pa.: William C. Darrah, 1981. .Stereo Views: A History of Stereographs in America and Their Collection, Gettysburg, Pa.: Times and News Publishing Co., 1964. . The World of Stereographs. Gettysburg, Pa.: William C. Darrah, 1977. Eder, Josef Maria. History of Photography. Translated by Edward Epstean. New York: Columbia University Press, 1945. Reprint, Dover Publications, 1972. Gernsheim, Helmut, and Alison Gernsheim. The History of Photography from the Camera Obscura to the Modern Era. New York: McGrawHill, 1969. Jenkins, Reese V. Images and Enterprise: Technology and the American Photographic Industry, 1839-1925. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1975. McCullough, Lou W. Card Photographs. Exton, Pa.: Schiffer, 1981. Newhall, Beaumont. The Daguerreotype in America. Greenwich, Conn.: New York Graphic Society, 1968 (revised edition). _ The History of Photography from 1839 to the Present Day. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1982. Reilly, James M. The Albumen and Salted Paper Book: The History and Practice of Photographic Printing, 1840-1895. Rochester, N.Y.: Light Impressions Corp., 1980. Identifying 19th-Century Photographs 21 . Photographic Prints of the Nineteenth Century: Care and identification. Rochester, N.Y.: Eastman Kodak Co., 1986. Rempel, Siegfried. The Care of Black and White Photographic Collections: Identification of Processes. Canadian Conservation Institute Technical Bulletin 6. Ottawa: Canadian Conservation Institute, 1979. Rinhart, Flody, and Marion Rinhart. The American Daguerreotype. Athens, Ga.: University of Georgia Press, 1981. . American Daguerrian Art. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1967. _. .American Miniature Case Art. New York: Barnes, 1969. Rudisill, Richard. Mirror Image: The Influence of the Daguerreotype on American Society. Albuquerque, N.M.: University of New Mexico Press, 1971. Taft, Robert. Photography and the American Scene: A Social History, 1839-1889. New York: Macmillan, 1938. Reprint. Dover Publications, 1964. Weinstein, Robert A., and Larry Booth. Collection, Use, and Care of Historical Photographs. Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, 1977. Welling, William. Collector's Guide to Nineteenth Century Photographs. New York: Collier Books, 1976. Photography in America: The Formative Years, 1839-1900. New York: Crowd!, 1978.