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Types of Early Photographs
Daguerreotypes (ca 1839)
Photography arrived in the United States in 1839 thanks to Samuel F. B. Morse, an American artist and inventor.
Morse visited Daguerre in Paris in March 1839 and observed a demonstration of the daguerreotype process. He returned to the United States to spread the news, and by the end of 1839 some larger cities on the East Coast had very successful portrait studios.
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6th plate Daguerreotype taken ca 1854
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Ambrotypes (circa 1854)
The ambrotype was a glass negative backed with black material, which enabled it to appear as a positive image. Patented in 1854, the ambrotype was made, packaged, and sold in portrait studios as the daguerreotype had been, but at a lower cost. The ambrotype produced a single image on glass.
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9th plate Ambrotype ca 1858 |
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6th plate Ambrotype 1861 |
Tintypes (circa 1855)
The Ferrotype process (tintypes) was introduced in the United States in 1855. It substituted an iron plate for glass and was even cheaper than the ambrotype. Because tintypes were placed in albums along with CDVs, they were often trimmed at the sides and corners. Tintypes were produced in various sizes
- Full plate 6 1/2" x 8 1/2"
- Half plate 4 1/2" x 51/2"
- 1/4 plate 3 1/8" x 4 1/8"
- 1/6 plate 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
- 1/9 plate 2" x 2 ½"
- Gem approximately 1/2" x 1"
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| Gem tintype ca 1860s. A Gem tintype could be 3/4" to 1" wide. Carte de visite sized card mounts (2½"x4") enclosed the gem and the finished item was known as a carte de visite tintype or ferrotype |
9th plate ( 2 x 2.5) tintype in matte. Civil War Soldier |
6th plate (2.5 x 3.5) tintype. |
Carte de Visite or CDVs (ca 1859)
CDV stands for carte de visite, a photographic calling card. The CDV process, which began in France in 1854, involved a special camera that produced eight poses on one negative. The CDV quickly replaced the old glass images of the ambrotypes, producing a card the size of the then standard calling card, around 2.5 by 4".
The CDV’s albumen process produced a negative from which any number of prints could be made - and on early CDVs it was important for the photographer to note that more prints were always available.
CDVs arrived in the United States around 1859, on the eve of the Civil War (1861-1865) during which demand skyrocketed as soldiers and their loved ones sought an affordable image remembrance. Many people began collecting portraits of political figures, actors and actresses, Civil War generals, as well as family and friends. Special photo albums were designed especially for cartes-de-visite.
In the United States, the carte-de-visite played second fiddle to cheaper variations on the daguerreotype theme. Thus the early CDVs are rather uncommon.
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| CDV with square corners pre 1872 |
CDV with rounded corners after 1872. Jemima Van Slyke |
CDV with corners cut to fit album. You must use fashion clues, revenue stamps or photographer logo or name to date the photograph |
Cabinet Cards (circa 1870)
CDV’s were eventually replaced in the 1870s by the larger Cabinet Cards which used the same photographic process but were on a larger 4 by 6" card.
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| Cabinet Card 1877 |
Cabinet Card 1882 |
Cabinet Card ca 1900 |
View Ancestor Photo Albums | Identify Ancestor Photos: Types of Early Photographs | Hints for Dating Old Photographs | Dating Old Photographs through Clothing & Hairstyle | How Revenue Stamps Can Date Ancestor Photos
Wishing you had an ancestor photograph? See the 1800s photographs and ancestor photo albums on Lost Faces. There are over 2,500 photos in this growing genealogy collection
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