Ninth-Plate Ambrotype

Ninth-Plate Ambrotype (1855 - 1865), 19th century portrait, vintage Union Case, 2 x 2.5. Developed in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer, ambrotype, or amphitype, hails from the Greek words "immortal" and "impression." These images were impressed on glass through a variant of the wet plate collodion process. They required shorter exposure times than daguerreotypes and were more affordable to manufacture, two factors which contributed to their rise in popularity before the advent of the carte de visite in the early 1860s.

Enclosed within this embellished Union Case is a 19th century portrait of a young soldier in uniform, bordered by a floral-embellished oval gold frame. The case is adorned with a florid design. Although half of the front cover is missing, the case remains perfectly intact at the metal hinges.

In very good condition, with half of the front cover missing.