Sixth-Plate Ambrotype

Sixth-Plate Ambrotype (1855 - 1865), 19th century portrait, vintage Union Case, 2.75 x 3.25. 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.

Featured within one half of a vintage Union Case is a portrait of a young woman staring solemnly into the camera. Her dress features tinted gold highlights and her hands are crossed on her lap. The image is framed by an intricately embellished gold frame. Although the case is detached at the hinge, it still bears half of the original closure clasps.

Silvering around the edges of the image, a separation at the hinge and expected wear to the case, otherwise fine condition.