My First Tintype - And a Warning!

I could kick myself over an image like this - I once saw at my favorite fiea market a similar tintype of a cavalryman, holding a Volcanic across his chest! ( In case you're not up on handguns, that's a very rare and desirable one that looks like a baby Winchester, for which it was a prototype! ) But it similarly had a big chip out of the emulsion to one side of the fellow's head, somewhat like in my photo at top. I waited and hoped the asking price would go down, but as with things like this, waited a bit too long; it disappeared from the table. I saw it again only a month later in the next issue of Military Images magazine, obviously retouched to cover the missing emulsion!

****... I hate it when that happens. Light years ago I found a mint ambrotype with gutta percha case of a stunning girl probably in her late teens or early twenties. The image was crystal clear, just flawless. The girl had dark hair in curly locks and a beautiful white dress with patterns. She look so happy, just a slight slim perhaps. $28.00 and the dealer said she could do $25.00, I said I'll think about it. I believe it was a 1/4 plate. Anyway, I decided not to buy it because it wasn't a military image. Well, the image just haunted me.... I thought about it and thought about it. Finally, I had enough so I drove two hours the following week to add it to my collection. ****, if it hadn't sold.... and I still think about that image... my sad loss.
 
This was a big point in my story too; and that this fellow was no fly-by-night rube who'd never handled something like this before - I trusted him.

Reminds me of a visit I made to the Eisenhower museum in Kansas a few years ago. They have a speech that he wrote about the landings in Normandy. During his time in the White House someone thought it would be a good idea to preserve the original document and put it in a clear Lucite block. Now the thing is about an inch thick, turning yellow and there is no way to get it out.
 
I have this image which has a lot of crazing, and the emulsion is starting to lift. I have had it for a couple of years and it seems to be stable. I have never removed it from the case, don't even know if it's id'd inside. A friend and fellow collector told me he uses Archival Spray Adhesive on images like this.
http://www.dickblick.com/products/krylon-spray-adhesive/
I have never tried it myself.

That would be a very bad idea.
 
Reminds me of a visit I made to the Eisenhower museum in Kansas a few years ago. They have a speech that he wrote about the landings in Normandy. During his time in the White House someone thought it would be a good idea to preserve the original document and put it in a clear Lucite block. Now the thing is about an inch thick, turning yellow and there is no way to get it out.
dixie.jpg


This is MY idiot equavalent of that: When I was a kid, my Uncle gave me this worn-out 1864-issue Confederate $10. Back around 1960, what could I possibly do to protect and preserve this priceless relic? I know, I'll laminate it! So now it's sealed "forever", stuck on both sides to this stupid plastic sheeting; glad it was only a common note.

dixie 001.jpg
 
View attachment 22088

This is MY idiot equavalent of that: When I was a kid, my Uncle gave me this worn-out 1864-issue Confederate $10. Back around 1960, what could I possibly do to protect and preserve this priceless relic? I know, I'll laminate it! So now it's sealed "forever", stuck on both sides to this stupid plastic sheeting; glad it was only a common note.

View attachment 22089

I was in a guy's office at work and he had a Virginia Confederate note sealed in plastic on his desk..... you didn't. :banghead:
 
I found about 5 or 6 tintypes in pretty good condition while cleaning out my late mothers house last year. I have them in sealable plastic bags and locked in a safe. I have dessicant in that safe because I have some of my guns in there as well.

will that dessicant do anything to them?
 
I found about 5 or 6 tintypes in pretty good condition while cleaning out my late mothers house last year. I have them in sealable plastic bags and locked in a safe. I have dessicant in that safe because I have some of my guns in there as well.

will that dessicant do anything to them?

Not sure... I have a golden rod in my safe. I would be more concerned about the plastic bags.
 
This is MY idiot equavalent of that: When I was a kid, my Uncle gave me this worn-out 1864-issue Confederate $10. Back around 1960, what could I possibly do to protect and preserve this priceless relic? I know, I'll laminate it! So now it's sealed "forever", stuck on both sides to this stupid plastic sheeting; glad it was only a common note.

All I can say is "Ouch!"

In my travels in the 3D community I have met several store owners (and had tales told of dozens more) that took Civil War (and other era) stereo cards and cut them in half so that they could sell 2 images instead of one! Often a generic CW stereo card will sell for $200+ and top of the line for $1,500+. I can't imagine that a 1/2 a card would sell for more than $5, loses all of it's function. They seemed really happy though since it doubled the number of items they had to sell.
 
what will the plastic bags do? and is there something else I can store them in?

Jay - I'm no expert in this area, but from what I know the real problem is that plastic bags tend to not allow the object to "breath" this causes any condensation, heat, humidity, etc. to stay with the object on the inside of the bag. I believe that there are specific types of plastic that will allow it to breath, but at the very least the bag should not be sealed air tight.

I'm sure someone with more knowledge and experience can jump in, but I just remember it being described as sort of a "body bag" for antiques.
 
Jay - I'm no expert in this area, but from what I know the real problem is that plastic bags tend to not allow the object to "breath" this causes any condensation, heat, humidity, etc. to stay with the object on the inside of the bag. I believe that there are specific types of plastic that will allow it to breath, but at the very least the bag should not be sealed air tight.

I'm sure someone with more knowledge and experience can jump in, but I just remember it being described as sort of a "body bag" for antiques.

thank you man, I'll unseal them now. The reason I put them in the bags is that I live in the Pacific Northwest and it gets pretty darned wet up here
 
All I can say is "Ouch!"

In my travels in the 3D community I have met several store owners (and had tales told of dozens more) that took Civil War (and other era) stereo cards and cut them in half so that they could sell 2 images instead of one! Often a generic CW stereo card will sell for $200+ and top of the line for $1,500+. I can't imagine that a 1/2 a card would sell for more than $5, loses all of it's function. They seemed really happy though since it doubled the number of items they had to sell.

Relic of the Iron Clad Merrimac.JPG
At least I only paid fifty cents for this one I found at a flea market! Another damaged example, it for some unknown reason has been folded in half.
 
It's just not an archival method of storage. I would call or check out Light Impressions and find a small acid free album or box. They should be able to give you some better solutions.

thank you, much appreciated. And judging by your handle, I should say thank you for your service to our country as well.
 
View attachment 22109 At least I only paid fifty cents for this one I found at a flea market! Another damaged example, it for some unknown reason has been folded in half.

BTW, I can tell from looking at the image you posted that this is one that was mostly likely not printed during the Civil War. That is not to say that it is not a period image, but the orange cards and the arch tops are typical of the 1890's. During the 25th anniversary of the war these orange cards became very popular. The yellow cards, especially ones with the tax stamp are the most valuable ones to have.

That said your 50 cent card may be worth $150-200 (marked down mostly due to the damage of the left image). That is primarily due to the fact that it has the gun of the Merrimac (CSS Virginia) as the subject. Otherwise it would have been in the $75-100 range. These are just my opinions, so please don't run out buy a lottery ticket based on this.

I did look at your other posting about this card and looked up the Kilburn brothers (who produced the card) and it appears that they did photography in 1865. When I searched the LOC collection, I did not see this card specifically, but did find ones like this produced (according to the LOC) from 1890-1900:

10652v.jpg


This helps to support my theory on the date of the card.

Here is a Kilburn from the 1870's showing the common yellow card and an unusual arch top.

11553v.jpg


P.S. I did have a look at your card with a stereo viewer. Looks very nice, wish that the original negative still existed.

I did a search on the gun itself and it appears that it does survive. I found this image of it:

2174158658_efc48aed6b_o.jpg


and another after it was recently moved inside of the Mariners Museum

Expired Image Removed
 
BTW, I can tell from looking at the image you posted that this is one that was mostly likely not printed during the Civil War. That is not to say that it is not a period image, but the orange cards and the arch tops are typical of the 1890's...That said your 50 cent card may be worth $150-200 (marked down mostly due to the damage of the left image). That is primarily due to the fact that it has the gun of the Merrimac (CSS Virginia) as the subject...

P.S. I did have a look at your card with a stereo viewer. Looks very nice, wish that the original negative still existed.

I did a search on the gun itself and it appears that it does survive...

Thanks especially for the info on the gun! You may recall I questioned the accuracy of its description as being from the Merrimac/Virginia; I'm glad to see it was correctly identified after all. It's also nice to know that it still "works" as a stereopticon slide!

Since you looked at the thread where I first posted this and its "companion" Fort Hell, Petersburg, then you saw the information about the Kilborn's there; I agree mine are postwar examples. But they're the only related stereoviews I own, and this one's another good example of the abuse some items like this have incurred over the past century-and-a-half.
 
Thanks especially for the info on the gun! You may recall I questioned the accuracy of its description as being from the Merrimac/Virginia; I'm glad to see it was correctly identified after all. It's also nice to know that it still "works" as a stereopticon slide!

Since you looked at the thread where I first posted this and its "companion" Fort Hell, Petersburg, then you saw the information about the Kilborn's there; I agree mine are postwar examples. But they're the only related stereoviews I own, and this one's another good example of the abuse some items like this have incurred over the past century-and-a-half.

Do you have a stereo viewer for your cards? Not much fun if you can't see them in 3D! If you need one, let me know, we carry those as well.

A few notes on stereo cards:

Civil War stereo cards were produced up until the 50th anniversary. Most of the ones appeared in the 1890's and all of these are considered "1st generation" since it was principally produced by either the original photographer or the studio (i.e. Brady Studios) that the photographer worked for. The early "yellow" ones produced between 1861-1870 command the most money due to the rarity. During the 25th anniversary large sets were produced and this is where most "period" Civil War stereo cards came from today. These are still VERY desirable, but since there is a larger number they don't command the premium of the yellow cards.

Since that time the cards have been reproduced periodically. I know of a large number of reproduction cards produced in the 1970's, some of these are available today on eBay. These typically go in the $5.00 range as the quality was only fair with much of the images being 2nd or 3rd or more generation prints. Many of the cards have been produced in book form most notably with Bob Zeller's "Civil War In Depth Volume I & II". These books were printed in the late 1990's.

Today we offer a selection of reproduction cards here. Ours typically run $19.95 - $29.95 per card, with discounts for members and new items. Our reproduction cards are very high quality from the original negatives and are commercially produced one at a time. We have contracted with a company to add individually add a matte backing board to each image and then cut it to the proper size. These are really the only commercially produced individual stereo cards available anywhere in the world today. They have had all damage cleaned and repaired and then colorized, so you get a really crisp 3D image that is actually much stronger than the period cards available at 10x the price. We do offer then in B&W as well as Sepia, but almost all of our sales are for colorized images.

If we had sufficient interest for a large run we could probably drive the cost way down. For now they remain a premium card primarily for collectors looking to fill a high value card that is missing from their collection, or as a "working" copy of one they have so they can handle the card without fear of damage. I am also hoping to be able to get interest in having a book made of some of our images to help make an affordable set available.
 
I hope it's ok to ask a question on this thread, since there are so many solid experts here. I have one photo in particular I would love to know if it is possible to have copied? Nothing done to the original card, but an image created from it, so you can have a clearer idea of what this person looked like?

I should of course explain, as well as provide the pic. It's JPK Huson, 126th New York, died at Gettysbug, my grgrgruncle. We only have one image, and from doing research, he's also wearing the uniform shirt of that unit- very happy to have this. The image is terribly, terribly flat, either had faded horribly or never was very good in the first place. I keep it in a dry, old metal box, paper only, in a massive old trunk, in the dryest place in the house- no idea what else to do with these. His features are so indistinct, that if it's possible to bring his face to light, only an expert could do it. Perhaps even then, it'd be guesswork, unless there are techniques a little like forensics use, where one feature is built onto another, more science than art? I also have a decent amount of photos of his siblings, one in particular who must have looked an awful lot like he did- my grgrgrandfather, actually.

It's such a treasure to me- do not who to trust with letting this out of my hands, you know? Yellow pages? Just no. Does anyone here know of anyone, or do yo think this is even possible? I'd say thank you in advance, seems presumptuous. :smile:

I can't remember if this scan is one I'd fooled around with already or not- I just now swiped it back from Ancestry ( do not have it on this computer ), so it's a second-hand image regardless- seems to me the color is off, the real photo features a blush painted on his cheeks.

cw jpk huson.jpg
 
Back
Top