Description
Rare mid 19th century tintype photograph of a Canadian soldier. No identification as to the photographer or sitter. Clear image with excellent toning and contrast. His lips are gently tinted pink. Trimmed to have originally fit in a paper sleeve. Insignia and hat badge are clearly visible
1.75 x 2.625
A tintype, also known as a melanotype or ferrotype, was introduced in the mid-19th century. Essentially it’s a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal, colloquially called ‘tin’, coated with a dark lacquer or enamel and used as the support for the photographic emulsion. The tintype, was essentially a variation on the ambrotype, which was a unique image made on glass, instead of metal. Often Tintypes are described by their ‘plate’ size based on the following standard sizes: Imperial or Mammoth Plate – Larger than 6.5 x 8.5 inches, Whole Plate – 6.5 x 8.5 inches, Half Plate – 4.25 x 5.5 inches, Quarter Plate – 3.25 x 4.25 inches, Sixth Plate (the most common in cased images) – 2.75 x 3.25 inches, Ninth Plate – 2 x 2.5 inches, Sixteenth Plate (often referred to as a Gem tintype)- 1.5 x 1.75 inches.
