Assignment 1: Historical Processes: Tintype

Creation and Process:

·      Discovered in France in 1853 by Adolphe Alexandre Martin [3]

·      Patented in 1856 by an American professor at Kenyon College, Hamilton L. Smith [3]

o   The patent was taken over by William and Peter Neff, who called the product a melainotype, and by Victor M. Griswold, who called it a ferrotype (because of its use of iron); it was later that it became known as a tintype

·      Like the daguerreotype, it was created using a varnished metal plate (iron instead of copper) and then coated with black lacquer and sensitized collodion. [3]

·      The process only took about five minutes to create.

·      Could make multiple images: a large metal plate was placed in the camera that had 4, 8, 12, or 24 small lenses. Each projected a separate image on a part of the plate. A sliding shutter panel opened and covered all of the lenses at the same time. [4]

·      In 1891, a dry tintype process (using gelatin) was introduced. [3]

·      1852-1946; the peak of their popularity was in the 1860s

o   became popular again around the turn of the century as more of a novelty photograph [5]

Associated Artists/Uses:

·      One of the cheapest methods; helped perpetuate the availability of photographs to working class people [6]

·      Valued because of their durability and light weight, especially during the Civil War when they were at their most common [1]

Image of boy during Civil War; artist unknown

o   Could be sent through the mail during wars, attached to tombstones, or kept on a soldier’s person while fighting

·      Around the turn of the century, tintypes became popular again for their novelty

o   Traveling tintype photographers set up booths at fairs, beaches, carnivals, and boardwalks [4]

§  Francis Benjamin Johnston, an early documentary photographer, was one such as these [4]

Tintype of two girls in front of a painted background of the Cliff House and Seal Rocks in San Francisco, c. 1900

·      As with daguerreotypes, colorists also painted tintypes [4]

o   Tintypes are less fragile than daguerreotypes, so this was easier to do

Identification Tips:

·      Dull gray in tone, unlike the mirrorlike daguerreotype

·      Many were made of soldiers/loved ones during civil war- look for soldiers, battle camps, etc.

·      SMALL- only 2 1/2 to 4 in.

·      Use context clues- clothing styles since most were portraits of people

o   only very popular for a specific date range -1850s-1870s

·      Most were found without cases (unlike the popularity of cases for daguerreotypes) [2]

·      Look for trimmed corners (because of the sharpness of the iron) [2]

·      Cased tintypes hard to distinguish from cased ambrotypes. [2]

o   Weight can help, but use a magnet (to identify the iron support) to know for sure!

Preservation Concerns:

·      Most significant risk is exposure to water and high humidity, which will lead to oxidation and rusting [2]

o    this will cause blistering, flaking, and loss.

·      If placed on paper or in a sleeve, rust may stain the back side. [2]

·      Most tintypes are loose, and so may be dented, bent, or scratched. [2]

·      The collodion and varnishes are light sensitive, so yellow discoloring will appear if under high light exposure. [2]

·      Storage recommendations: under moderate light, in envelopes with archival cardboard inside [2]

[1] Orvell, Miles. Oxford History of Art: American Photography. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

[2] “Preservation Self Assessment Program (beta), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.” www.illinois.edu. Accessed September 18, 2015. https://psap.library.illinois.edu/format-id-guide/directimage

[3] Rosenblum, Naomi. A World History of Photography, 4^th edition. Abbeville Press, 2007 
[4] Sandler, Martin W. Photography: An Illustrated History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

[5] “Tintype Photographs.” Last modified December 29, 2008. http://www.family-lore.com/tintype-photographs/

[6] Wells, Liz. Photography: A Critical Introduction, 2^nd edition. New York: Routledge, 2000.

 *Fun Fact! There is an exhibit at Phillips Exeter Academy's Lamont Gallery of a current artist, Keliy Anderson-Staley, who does portraits using the tintype process. Check out her gorgeous work on her website here!

 

Helen, 2009. Keliy Anderson-Staley