Smiling soldier tintype

[Salterr]

Oh ok that makes sense now. See that's not as bad as I thought because heck, they are both original,and after 160 years, things get moved around. I'm ok with that. I collect ww2 Usmc helmet covers and they are almost never on the original helmet they came with and they still command a premium.

WWII collecting is huge, the most highly collected war period I'd say and especially the USMC has to have its own nuances to navigate. I bet your collection is really impressive. It's good to focus on one area at a time with the civil war pieces. It can get overwhelming fast if you bounce from one relic to the next. I settled on officer insignia and shoulder boards but have a nice little collection of images too you might appreciate

 

[Injunben]

WWII collecting is huge, the most highly collected war period I'd say and especially the USMC has to have its own nuances to navigate. I bet your collection is really impressive. It's good to focus on one area at a time with the civil war pieces. It can get overwhelming fast if you bounce from one relic to the next. I settled on officer insignia and shoulder boards but have a nice little collection of images too you might appreciate

I agree, it gets overwhelming quick. Thanks again for your advice and expertise man. If you ever need any information on Native American artifacts, CW era Harper's weeklies or ww2 Usmc, give me a holler

 

[chubachus]

I would agree that the mat looks like it is from the late 1840s and that the tintype looks like it spent a few decades being knocked around unprotected in a drawer somewhere. So almost certainly a latter day marriage made by someone.

Portrait photos of smiling Civil War soldiers are pretty rare. I put together this compilation of smiling soldiers and civilians a while back:

 

[chubachus]

View attachment 531039This will help with cases. There are different types made of different materials. Same for the images themselves. You'll find tintypes, ambrotypes and daguerreotype images around this time period

I would also recommend Fixed in Time: http://fixedintimebook.blogspot.com/

 

[Old Soldier]

Old photos and smiling.

The best 'smiling' photos are those taken outside at this time. Why? Exposure times. HOLDING a smile is difficult for many. Outside, on a good sunny day, the exposure times were a matter of seconds - two or three for the best cameras or rather the mose sensitive emulsions. Emulsions were made on the spot and often developed immediately afterwards. Studio photo exposures were a matter of minutes - hence the need for stance props for practically all standing portraits, and head props for seated portraits.. Many smiles that do appear look faint or blurred because the pose could not be held for the full length of the exposure.

This applies to any movement, hence the blurred horses tails and legs or the blurred faces and heads in group photos and the rather wide bayonets. It also applies to the flags and standards - the wind does it's own thing! The instructions to the subject were 'stand as still as you can' or 'relax and stay that way' which is why the group photos all show troops at 'parade rest' - the easiest position to hold for a length of time.

As always - remember that photos like Brady's were negative prints and usually the right way around but tintype and Amro were direct mirror images (flip vertically). Coat fastening and rifle locks are a good indicator, but buttons, buckles and insignia were often 'tinted' or 'guilded' to hide the mirrored lettering and numbers.

c 1861 An infantry company at 'Parade Rest' (Brady)

 

[on again]

can the background back drop tell where this picture was taken?

 

[on again]

Old photos and smiling.

The best 'smiling' photos are those taken outside at this time. Why? Exposure times. HOLDING a smile is difficult for many. Outside, on a good sunny day, the exposure times were a matter of seconds - two or three for the best cameras or rather the mose sensitive emulsions. Emulsions were made on the spot and often developed immediately afterwards. Studio photo exposures were a matter of minutes - hence the need for stance props for practically all standing portraits, and head props for seated portraits.. Many smiles that do appear look faint or blurred because the pose could not be held for the full length of the exposure.

This applies to any movement, hence the blurred horses tails and legs or the blurred faces and heads in group photos and the rather wide bayonets. It also applies to the flags and standards - the wind does it's own thing! The instructions to the subject were 'stand as still as you can' or 'relax and stay that way' which is why the group photos all show troops at 'parade rest' - the easiest position to hold for a length of time.

As always - remember that photos like Brady's were negative prints and usually the right way around but tintype and Amro were direct mirror images (flip vertically). Coat fastening and rifle locks are a good indicator, but buttons, buckles and insignia were often 'tinted' or 'guilded' to hide the mirrored lettering and numbers.

View attachment 531395
c 1861 An infantry company at 'Parade Rest' (Brady)

22d NY Infnatry at Harpers Ferry?

 

[Injunben]

I would agree that the mat looks like it is from the late 1840s and that the tintype looks like it spent a few decades being knocked around unprotected in a drawer somewhere. So almost certainly a latter day marriage made by someone.

Portrait photos of smiling Civil War soldiers are pretty rare. I put together this compilation of smiling soldiers and civilians a while back:

I just watched your video the other day! Great stuff!

 

[Injunben]

Old photos and smiling.

The best 'smiling' photos are those taken outside at this time. Why? Exposure times. HOLDING a smile is difficult for many. Outside, on a good sunny day, the exposure times were a matter of seconds - two or three for the best cameras or rather the mose sensitive emulsions. Emulsions were made on the spot and often developed immediately afterwards. Studio photo exposures were a matter of minutes - hence the need for stance props for practically all standing portraits, and head props for seated portraits.. Many smiles that do appear look faint or blurred because the pose could not be held for the full length of the exposure.

This applies to any movement, hence the blurred horses tails and legs or the blurred faces and heads in group photos and the rather wide bayonets. It also applies to the flags and standards - the wind does it's own thing! The instructions to the subject were 'stand as still as you can' or 'relax and stay that way' which is why the group photos all show troops at 'parade rest' - the easiest position to hold for a length of time.

As always - remember that photos like Brady's were negative prints and usually the right way around but tintype and Amro were direct mirror images (flip vertically). Coat fastening and rifle locks are a good indicator, but buttons, buckles and insignia were often 'tinted' or 'guilded' to hide the mirrored lettering and numbers.

View attachment 531395
c 1861 An infantry company at 'Parade Rest' (Brady)

Thanks for that very informative reply sir! I learned alot just from reading that.

 

[Injunben]

can the background back drop tell where this picture was taken?

A gentleman replied on a Facebook group that I posted this picture on, it could be the background that a photographer used at warrenton and warrenton junction VA, in the winter of 1863-1864. Many 2nd division Calvary corps had this background used with their picture. But I'm new to the civil war photography world so I don't really know

can the background back drop tell where this picture was taken?

 

[Old Soldier]

22d NY Infnatry at Harpers Ferry?

Haven't a clue, it was from a collection of Brady's photos that had little info attached to them. I took the date from the more formal uniform. It may well be as you say. Anyone else got any ideas?

 

[bayonet]

$900 for a old pic of a smiling goof ball private. Heck you can get a ACW musket or pistol or sword for that much. Plus what's with him reaching down into his pants with both hands towards his crotch? On second thought forget I asked!