Outstanding English half-plate occupational ambrotype of a surveyor. He’s obviously proud of his instrument, which the former owner thought might be a Wurdemann Theodolite model. It dominates this portrait, mounted on a large impressive tripod, while the man stands in the background looking on in awe. He is wearing lose fitted clothing and holds a pith helmet, suggesting that he might possibly be on assignment in India. A rolled document is visible in his other hand. A makeshift plain white background with a throw rug on the ground might also signify that this was done on location. The ambrotype is in very good plus condition with a few scattered spots along with light discoloration at the top. The image is contained in a full plain leather case. Thanks to a note from an advanced collector of surveying images we have discovered this would not be a Wurdemann Theodolite, but possibly a Troughton & Simms model.

Spectacular half-plate Irish ambrotype of a gentleman dressed in a fabulous fur-lined robe. Our first assumption was this was an actor. However, there has been further speculation that this man might be an elected official or involved in the judicial system. Whatever the occupation, this is quite a commanding portrait. There is no doubt who owns this portrait and it was not the photographer, although we give him credit for capturing this impressive force! The photographer is identified on the back of the case in a gilded crest for Lauder Bros. 45 Lower Sackville St. Dublin. The image is in very good condition with nice tones and contrast. With magnification there are some small spots visible on the man’s face and hands, but these are not a distraction in our opinion. It is housed in half of a leather case.

Outstanding quarter-plate English ambrotype of a man and his dog. Dressed in winter attire and wearing an interesting wool hat, the man is posed with his faithful companion upon his lap. A chin-rub from his master helps this regal creature sit perfectly still. Clearly, who is in charge could easily be debated. The image is in very good condition with a few small spots where the black backing is missing on the perimeter. This is only noticed when removed from the case. There is also a label on the back of the plate which identifies the man as John Shepley from Cheetham. There are a few light lines seen on the bottom of the plate in the man’s legs. This is an endearing ambrotype contained in a used, hanging half case.

Moving quarter-plate English ambrotype of a young mother and her baby. At first glance we might surmise this is a post mortem, but it is also quite possible that this is a sleeping child. The mother has a bewildered look on her face but the child’s pose suggests the possibility of a sleeping baby. The viewers will have to determine for themselves. The image was originally contained in a white passe-partout presentation which had some past moisture related problems to the reverse painting. We have since housed this in a plain English leather case which in our opinion provides a much more attractive and sharp presentation. The image is in excellent condition with some light tinting to their faces and gold gilding added to the mother’s cameo broach. There are some light lines to the black backing and we have placed a dark archival sheet of paper behind for contrast support.

Great full length sixth-plate ambrotype of a sailor in a self-assured pose, his chest pumped out and his thumbs in his pockets. The image does have a brass mat; however, the full window presentation is a much more enjoyable format. We see the small space of the photographer’s studio, which looks to most likely be that of a traveling itinerant. A headrest is also seen to the left. The image is in very good condition with some light tinting to the man’s face. It is housed in a pressed paper case, Eagle in Flight (Berg 4-25). The hinge has been replaced with pneumatic leather.

Interesting sixth-plate occupational ambrotype of a man posed next to a door in his work shop. Possibly a plumber or a mechanic by trade, we see a myriad of tools which include a number of large wrenches in various styles scattered on the floor. A hand drill, a hammer and a hacksaw are also visible. We are not sure what it is that he is holding in his hand, but it may possibly be some type of pipe cutter or pipe threader. There are a couple of unidentified small items on the desk next to the man as well. The image is quite dark and has some spotting, but it is still a nice example with a large number of early tools. The ambrotype is housed in half of a pressed paper case.

Sixth-plate occupational ambrotype of a house painter holding his bucket and brush. His shirt has a light blue hue. The image is clear with some scrapes seen on his legs, chest and below his chin, along with a few mat marks on the perimeter. There are multiple pencil ID’s behind the image which read Milo Howell, painter, Groton. There are a number of cities with the name Groton in the US. The image is housed in half of a pressed paper case.

Adorable, hand-tinted sixth-plate English ambrotype of what appears to be a young boy. He wears a dress with beautiful blue stripes. The image is in very good condition and is in a passe-partout style presentation. There are flesh tones added along with some white highlights on his dress. The plate appears to retain all of its original seals; it mostly likely has never been opened since the day it was made.

Rare sixth-plate multiple image tintype of a woman. These could have been cut to make four sixteenth-plates or perhaps used in a piece of jewelry. However, this is a much more interesting and exciting presentation. The young woman wears a slightly off-the-shoulder dress with an unusual gold gilded pin and a gilded pair of earrings. The tintype is in excellent condition with nice tonal qualities. There are two extremely small scratches on the bottom left portrait. The image is housed in a full pressed paper case.

Sweet sixteenth-plate oval tintype of a young soldier or cadet. The image is housed in a brown thermoplastic case, Vase with Fruit (Berg 2-114). Someone created a hole on the top of the back cover and another on the top of the same rail so this could be worn as a pendant. It’s possible this was done to wear while the young man was at war or maybe at school. The image is very sharp with some light hand tinting to his face. There is one dark line on his face that is visible in the scan. At an angle we can also see a little bubbling in the emulsion on the top right perimeter. This seems quite stable, however, with no signs of flaking. Beside the two holes there is one small nick on the top of the cover by the rail. The clasp is slightly out of alignment, but with some effort this could be repaired. The glass was missing so we have replaced it with an oval piece of archival plastic.

Unique sixth-plate cased occupational tintype of a man wearing a light blue work shirt and a great hat. Most interesting is the flag on the table that is decorated with gold gilded stars. Under magnification some bunching of the material is noticeable on the left side. This seems to indicate that this was a flag and not a tablecloth. And while it might appear that the stars were just added with gilding, closer inspection of the material under the man’s hand shows that they are actually sewn on the material. Was he someone who was soon to be off to the Civil War? He was most certainly a true patriot. While not marked, this is an early, heavy plate in excellent condition. We have left the original cover glass in place as it is slightly convex which creates an extremely pleasing effect. The image is housed in a full pressed paper case.

Great cdv-size tintype of two firemen. One sits on a large bench while the other leans on a large rock. CFD is embroidered on their shirts, but there is no other identification to pinpoint their location. These seem to be dress uniforms as the men have white gloves tucked in their belt. The image is in very good plus condition with some light wear. It measures 2 ½” x 3 5/8” with the corners cut at an angle. There is a brighter area on the right side that appears original to the process and is more prevalent in the scan.

opening bid: $75

current bid $75

Wonderful, occupational cdv-size tintype of a textile worker or a seamstress. Dressed in a simple work dress she wears a long apron possibly to keep her dress free of any dyes or chemicals. She holds a pair of scissors and a large spool of thread which leads us to believe she is more likely a factory worker than a single entrepreneur working out of her house. The image is in excellent condition with two clipped corners and in raking light some extremely light typical surface wear. There is also one small spot on the far left perimeter visible in the scan. The tintype measures 2 3/8” x 3 5/8”.

opening bid: $80

current bid $80

Spooky yet fascinating tintype of a baby who sits upon his mother lap. She is eerily draped in black fabric, and we can assume this is the mother as we can see evidence of her black patterned dress at the bottom. A very light oval mat line is slightly visible on the left which apparently matted out the mother at one time. However, this is a much more amusing presentation in our opinion. The image is in excellent condition with some very light typical surface wear including one light line under the child’s nose. There is a very small bubble of emulsion on the top right which is very tight and should not be a problem in the future. The image measures 2 ½” x 4 1/8”.

opening bid: $55

current bid $85

Fantastic tintype of two cool dudes who are looking for trouble. The one on the right chomps a large cigar and is sporting a great hat. We have a feeling if there is trouble to be had he will be the instigator! He holds a whisky glass while his buddy pours from a half empty bottle. The image is contained in a paper sleeve and has a wonderful identification on the back for F. Hartwell, Tintype and Ferrotype Gallery, Milford, Ills., Tintypes, 25 Cents Per Dozen. Cabinets and other large Pictures taken very Cheap. The image is in outstanding condition, one of the nicest you will fine. The top corners of the paper mat are clipped at an angle and it measures 2 ½”x 4.”

opening bid: $45

current bid $45

Delightful cdv-size tintype of two women in a contemplative pose, with each leaning on a large dinning room table. The woman on the right rests her head against her hands in deep thought, while the woman on the left ponders a reading from her open book. The image is in excellent condition, much better than the scan can represent. There are two clipped corners on the left side and it measures 2 ½”x 3 ½”.

 

opening bid: $40

current bid $

Lovely cdv-size tintype of a girl proudly posed with her fashionably-dressed large doll. The girl is posed quite upright and formal and wears an interesting outfit with a locket hanging from her neck. The image is in very good condition with nice tones and some light tinting to her cheeks. There are a few shallow bends and some light typical surface wear that don’t disturb. The image measures 2 1/4 “x 3 3/8”.

opening bid: $55

current bid $65

Neat cdv-size tintype of a young man posed with his invention. We are not certain, but it appears to be some type of rollaway bed. The image is in very good condition with some typical surface wear, light shallow bends and some small spots seen under magnification. The plate has been trimmed on the right side at sometime in the past and we can see a small section of the photographer’s reflecting screen on the bottom right. The tintype measures, 2 3/16”x 3 ¾.”

opening bid: $20

current bid $20

Amusing cdv-size tintype of a woman and two men posed with their bikes. The worker on the left has an ominous stare and his coat is wrapped around the front of the handlebars. There is also a towel wrapped around his hand on the left side. We immediately notice that the men are either small in stature or the woman is rather tall as she stands above them. The image is in very good condition with a little wear on the right edge and a few extremely light bends visible only when viewed at an angle. It measures 2 3/8” x 3 5/8.”

opening bid: $40

current bid $