Bidspirit auction | Civil War Sixth-Plate Tin Type

Civil War Sixth-Plate Tin Type of a Union Army Officer - This is a Civil War-era sixth-plate tin type, or ferrotype, depicting a Union Army officer in a seated three-quarter length portrait. The subject is dressed in a dark wool coat featuring a single row of brass buttons. Identifying officer characteristics include rectangular shoulder straps on each shoulder and a waist sash. The photograph shows evidence of period hand-tinting, specifically gold-toned pigment on the buttons and shoulder straps, as well as a reddish-purple tint to the sash. The image is mounted in a decorative gilt-brass mat and protector frame with embossed floral rosettes in the corners and foliate patterns throughout. The reverse of the iron plate is visible and shows typical period characteristics. 3.75 inches by 2.5 inches. The tintype is in good condition with clear imagery and good contrast. Minor surface wear is present, including light scratches and small spots of oxidation, with one notable dark spot located above the subjects head. The iron plate on the reverse shows age-appropriate oxidation and darkening. The brass frame has some minor bending at the edges from the original crimping process.