Figure 1.--We have not yet found any tin-types from the 1840s. Historical data suggests that they first appeared in the mid-1850s about the same time as Ambrotypes which would make sense as the chemical processes are the same. Unfortunately very few tintypes are dated. We might have estimated the date here as the late-1840s, but as historical accounts all point to the mid-50s as the earliest tin-types, this seems to be the most likely date. Notice the tinting.

Thanks to Profesor Hamilton L. Smith, we begin to first see American tintype in the mid-1850s. Smith then sold the patent rights to Peter Neff Jr., one of his students. Neff despite the patent encountered competition. Victor Griswold, another student at Kenyon College was also interested in photography. He opened a company in Lancaster, Ohio. Griswold used a very similsar process. The primary difference was ahinner metal plate. He patented his process udsing the term tintype. The British adopted a similar term--ferrotype. 'Ferro' of course means iron. Griswold's process and thinner plates eventually won out. In Europe ferroplate became more common. Tintypes are very rarely dated because it is not possible to write on like a paper print. As far as we can tell, we do not begin to see tintypes in America until the mid-1850s. This is very hard to establish because virtully no tintypes are dated. The paper sleeves used during the 1860s-70s are of some use in dating as is the chocolate period. We can generally estimate the dates, but unfortuntely virtually no tintypes are actually dated. We have to rely on clothing and other clues like the studio set to date the images. And becaue we want to use the photogrphs to dsiscuss fashion and chrnological trends, this is not a vry satifactory situation for our website. As a result, the tintype is perhaps the least useful photographic format to be used as part of the photographic record. But monethess can not nor be ihgnored. nd in particular has vakue in assessing lower-income Americans, because after the 1860s most of the tin-types com from carnival and fairs and were more afordable than studio portaits. Thus we have a better look at low-income Americans than we get from studio portraits. We have found a few tintypes that seem to have been taken before the Civil War (1861-65). Most of the tintypes we have founs date to the 1860s-90s. They become les common un the 1890s and after the turn-of-the 20th century. They do not disappear, but we see far fewer in the 20th century. We continue to see them at fairs and carnivals into the early-20th century.

Technology

Thanks to Profesor Hamilton L. Smith, we begin to first see American tintype in the mid-1850s. Smith then sold the patent rights to Peter Neff Jr., one of his students. Neff despite the patent encountered competition. Victor Griswold, another student at Kenyon College was also interested in photography. He opened a company in Lancaster, Ohio. Griswold used a very similsar process. The primary difference was ahinner metal plate. He patented his process udsing the term tintype. The British adopted a similar term--ferrotype. 'Ferro' of course means iron. Griswold's process and thinner plates eventually won out. In Europe ferroplate became more common.

Dating

Tintypes are very rarely dated because it is not possible to write on like a paper print. As far as we can tell, we do not begin to see tintypes in America until the mid-1850s. This is very hard to establish because virtully no tintypes are dated. The paper sleeves used during the 1860s-70s are of some use in dating as is the chocolate period, but we see some 19th century-looking paper sleeves with clear 20yh centuttyh photographs. We can generally estimate the dates, but unfortuntely virtually no tintypes are actually dated. We have to rely on clothing and other clues like the studio set to date the images. And becaue we want to use the photogrphs to dsiscuss fashion and chrnological trends, this is not a vry satifactory situation for our website. As a result, the tintype is perhaps the least useful photographic format to be used as part of the photographic record. But nonethess can not nor be ignored.

Social Class

Tin-types in particular has vakue in assessing lower-income Americans, because after the 1860s most of the tin-types bein gi come from carnival and fairs and were more afordable than studio portaits. Thus we have a better look at low-income Americans than we get from studio portraits.

Examples

We have archived large numbers of tin-types in our HBC weebsitre. Most come from the 19th century. A few are cased examples from the 1850s. We have found a few tin-types that seem to have been taken before the Civil War (1861-65). Most of the tintypes we have found date to the 1860s-90s. They become les common un the 1890s and especially after the turn-of-the 20th century. They do not, however, disappear. But we see far fewer in the 20th century. We continue to see them at fairs and carnivals into the early-20th century. This was a reflection that they they were cheap to create and could be produced almost instantaneously--ncessary to be sold in carnivals and fairs. We have not yet linked many of these exmples here, but hope to eventully link many examples here.

The 19th century

Here we have one of the earlist tin-type portraits we have archived on HBC, probably dating to the mid-1850s (figure 1). Most of the 1850s tin-types were cased, like the Dags and Ambros at the time. This changed after the very-early 1860s as CDVs and cabinet cards appeared. Tin types began to be delivered in paper sleeves giving a kind of CDV look. A good exmple os a portrait of H.N. Miller, we think in the early-1870s. It came in an ornate sleeve.

The 20th century

We see far fewer tin-types in the 20th century, but we do see some taken at the basic photo concessions opertsating in fairs and carnivals. Andwe even notice a rate outdoor photograph of undentified siblings in the 1910s.

Created: 3:52 AM 7/3/2012
Last updated: 1:35 AM 10/17/2012