Bidspirit auction | A Collection of Nineteenth Century

A Collection of Nineteenth Century Daguerreotype, Ambrotype, and Tintype Portraits - A collection of nineteenth-century photographs featuring various early photographic processes, including daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes. The subject matter is comprised of Victorian-era portraiture, including men, women, infants, and young children in formal attire. The images are housed in a variety of contemporary mounts, including embossed leather-covered wooden cases and thermoplastic Union cases. Interior components include decorative brass mats with stamped floral and scrollwork designs, glass covers, and silk or velvet cushions. One portrait of a child includes a small paper slip with cursive ink handwriting reading Samuel Hill (image 9). Several plates are loose or reside in partial cases missing their lids. One ambrotype is a loose glass plate that has lost its original black lacquer backing (image 11). The collection spans approximately 17 inches in width as laid out (image 10). Individual cased images range from approximately 2.5 by 3 inches to 3.75 by 4.75 inches (image 10). The collection shows significant wear and deterioration consistent with age and storage. Multiple cases have broken or missing hinges, and several covers are detached or missing entirely (images 1, 7, 9). The ambrotype plate shown in image 11 exhibits extensive flaking and loss to the black lacquer backing. Brass mats throughout the collection show varying degrees of verdigris (green copper corrosion) and surface oxidation (images 4, 5, 7). The photographic plates display surface dust, fine scratches, and oxidation, with silver mirroring visible at the perimeters of the daguerreotypes (images 2, 8). The glass plate in image 11 shows minor chipping at the edges. Velvet and silk case linings are faded, frayed, and show general wear (images 7, 9).