Ambrotypes

Introduced 1854 Popular Years 1857-1859 Decreasing usage 1861 Last Issue 1870?

66. Early, Cutting process ambrotype of young man. 1/4 plate. Explanation in case and on mat by photographer: I. (Isaac) Rehn, American Gallery of Photography, No. 126 Arch St., Philadelphia. Patented July 4th and 11th, 1854. Brass preserver, mat (double glass ambrotype). Book style leather and wood case, red velvet, photographer ad pasted under ambrotype, on case. Isaac Rehn was a partner of Bostonian James Cutting who took out three patents on the ambrotype in July of 1854. In Cutting's patented process, a thin negative, on glass, was sealed to another sheet of glass with balsa gum. A coat of black varnish was then applied to the back of the "sandwich" plate. A preserver and mat was then added and a daguerreotype case was generally used.

67. Ambrotype of young woman with lace collar. 1/6 plate. Case is "common" leather on wood frame style with embossed geometric and floral design. Brass preserver, nonpareil mat stamped "B. W. Stevenson" (Photographer?) .

99. Ambrotype of young woman with lace collar in quilt like, frilled, plaid dress. 1/6 size, single glass plate. Embossed oval mat, stamped on reverse, "Holmes Booth & Haydens" (Israel Holmes, John Booth, Henry Hayden; Waterbury, Conn. and New York City. One of the largest photographic supply houses in the US. Began to produce daguerreotype plates in 1853.) Thermoplastic case depicting (Bible?) scene of woman giving a man a drink of water at an oasis. Palm trees, camels, (man a prisoner? hands tied?). Single pressure clasp, dual hinges. Scroll motif embossed on red velvet cover pad.

100. Ambrotype of man with hand tinted cheeks and gold jewelry. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Stamped octagonal, oval mat. Thermoplastic (chipped and cracked) octagonal Union case depicting intricate floral motif. Single pressure clasp, dual hinges. Scroll motif embossed on red velvet cover pad. Under black backing velvet, pasted to case bottom is "Littlefield, Parsons & Co. Manufacturers of Daguerreotype Cases. L. P. & Co. are the sole proprietors and only legal manufacturers of Union Cases, with the Embracing Riveted Hinge. Patented October 14, 1856, and April 23, 1857".

101. Ambrotype of man. 1/9 size, double glass plate, cover glass broken. Oval mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp.

105. Ambrotype of woman, pink cheeks. 1/6 size, double glass. Nonpareil mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, single clasp, red silk cover pad.

106. Ambrotype of boy. 1/9 size, double glass. Nonpareil mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, broken spine, red velvet.

108. Ambrotype of child. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat, velvet backed. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, single clasp.

109. Ambrotype of child. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval Scalloped Acorn styled mat, white paper backed ambrotype (plus black). Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, single clasp.

110. Ambrotype of young man. 1/9 size, double glass plate, image is backed on "Ruby" glass. Nonpareil mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp.

111. Ambrotype of young man. 1/6 size, double glass plate, nonpareil mat. Image plates taped together in Dag fashion. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, double clasp.

112. Ambrotype of baby. 1/9 size, double glass plate, image is backed on "Ruby" glass. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, peach color velvet.

113. Ambrotype of child. 1/9 size, double glass plate. Oval mat, white backed ambrotype (plus black). Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp.

115. Ambrotype of man 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat, white backed ambrotype (plus black). No case.

116. Ambrotype of woman in lace dress. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat. No case.

119. Ambrotype of young man. 1/6 size, double glass plate, oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, red velvet.

120. Ambrotype of man, Uncle John Garniss, uncle of Mrs. Cox. 1/6 size, double glass plate, oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed "trophy" design, double clasp, purple velvet.

121. Ambrotype of woman. 1/6 size, double glass plate, oval mat. Broken case is "common", leather in book style, on wood frame

122. Ambrotype of young woman. 1/6 size, double glass plate, oval mat. This ambrotype is backed with a blank daguerreotype plate, A. Gaudin, France, hallmark, popular plate used during the early 1850's. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, single clasp.

123. Ambrotype of two young women. 1/6 size, double glass plate, double elliptical mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, single clasp.

126. Ambrotype of woman. 1/6 size, double glass plate, 2nd glass plate is "Ruby" glass. Oval mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, single clasp.

127. Ambrotype of woman. 1/9 size, double glass plate. Oval mat. No case.

128. Ambrotype of woman and child. 1/9 size, double glass plate. Elliptical mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp.

129. Ambrotype of child. 1/9 size, double glass plate, 2nd glass plate is "Ruby" glass. Nonpareil mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, red velvet.

131. Ambrotype of young lady with a brooch, hand tinted cheeks and brooch. 1/6 size, double glass plate, 2nd glass plate is "Ruby" glass. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed bird and geometric design, single clasp, red silk.

132. Ambrotype of woman. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed trophy and geometric design, double clasp, red velvet.

133. Ambrotype of woman with a polka dot dress (Same woman as # 136). Hand tinted cheeks and jewelry. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design (Star of David?), single clasp, blue velvet.

134. Ambrotype of child, hand tinted cheeks and necklace. 1/6 size, double glass plate, 2nd glass plate is "Ruby" glass. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, red velvet.

135. Ambrotype of child. (Charles Byron, Manchester, 1860), 1/9 size, double glass plate. Nonpareil mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, red velvet. Embossed on velvet cover pad is "Schoonmakers, 222 River St. Troy N. Y."

136. Ambrotype of woman (Same woman as # 133). Hand tinted cheeks and jewelry. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design (Star of David?), single clasp, red velvet.

137. Ambrotype of businessman with papers. Hand tinted cheeks. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Double elliptical mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed bouquet design, double clasp, red velvet.

140. Ambrotype of boy. 1/9 size, double glass plate. Nonpareil mat. No case.

141. Ambrotype of woman. Hand tinted jewelry. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Oval mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, double clasp, gold color velvet.

142. Ambrotype of woman. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Elliptical mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp.

143. Ambrotype of woman and man. (wedding picture?) 1/4 size, double glass plate. Elliptical mat. Broken half case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, double clasp.

144. Ambrotype of soldier. 1/6 size, double glass plate. Stamped oval mat with "Scovill Mfg. Co, Superior, Waterbury Conn. No 823" stamped on outer edge. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, red velvet.

146. Ambrotype of family. 1/2 plate size. Nonpareil mat. Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed floral design, double clasp. Cracked, no disassembly attempted. Missing cover pad.

151. Ambrotype of older woman. 1/9 plate size, no dark back plate or dark varnish. Oval civil war mat (US side). Case is "common", leather on wood frame with embossed geometric design, single clasp, broken spine.