Figure 1.--This German tintype shows a father and son. The boys wears a peaked cap and knee pants sailor suit with black long stockings and strap shoes. Ut was prbably taken about 1905. Note the very rudimentary backdrop. The umbrella the boy is holding is probanly a studio prop rather than something the boy was actually carrying about.

We know very little about German tintypes / ferrotypes at this time. They appeared in the United States during the mid-1850s. We assume this is about when they also appeared in Germany. We have, however, found relarively few German t19th century tintypes while there are countless CDVs and cabinet cards. Germany generally imported photoraphic technology and was not a pioneer in the development of photographic processes in the 19th century. We assume that this was the case of tintypes. Photographic technology spread very quickly in Europe and North America. Most of the information on the internet about tintypes refers to America, at least Rnglish-lsnguage sites. And we have found very few German tintypes. Our assessment is based largely on internet sales postings which is not a perfect indicator, bur probanly a reasonable indicator of relative abundance--at least until we are able to find more definitive information. In America, tintypes werr relatively inexpensive and often produced at low-cost. This is apparent from the often rudimentary studios. This appears to be the case in Germany as well. We see tintypes into the early 20th century, but not commonly after World War I. The last ones we have found are from the 1920s.

Terminology

We know very little about German tintypes / ferrotypes at this time. The German terms were Ferrotypie or Blechfotographie. Blech means sheet metal.

Origins

They appeared in the United States during the mid-1850s. We assume this is about when they also appeared in Germany. We have, however, found relarively few German t19th century tintypes while there are countless CDVs and cabinet cards. Germany generally imported photoraphic technology and was not a pioneer in the development of photographic processes in the 19th century. We assume that this was the case of tintypes. Photographic technology spread very quickly in Europe and North America. Most of the information on the internet about tintypes refers to America, at least English-language sites. Of course the German contribution to photogrphy was very substatisal in the 20th century, but the 19h century contribution was limited.

Popularity

We have found very few German tintypes. Our assessment is based largely on internet sales postings which is not a perfect indicator, bur probanly a reasonable indicator of relative abundance--at least until we are able to find more definitive information In America, tintypes werr relatively inexpensive and often produced at low-cost. This is apparent from the often rudimentary studios. This appears to be the case in Germany as well.

Chronology

We are not sure when the first German titypes were made. We suspect it was the mid-1850s, but can not yet confirm this. Tis was at a time with Daguerreotypes were popular, but rather expensive. It was alo when ambrotypes also appeared. All of these early processes seem much less common in Germany than in he United States. Certainly tintypes were being made by the 1860s. They seem most common by the 1890s-1900s, but that is only a prelinary assessment. Our archive of German tintypes is so limited that it is difficult to draw ay firm chronological assessments yet. We see German tintypes into the early 20th century, but not commonly after World War I. The last ones we have found are from the 1920s.

Created: 1:25 AM 10/8/2008
Last updated: 10:43 PM 11/18/2009