Sixth-Plate Ambrotype

Sixth-Plate Ambrotype (1855 - 1865), 19th century portrait, vintage 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.

Pictured within this vintage case is an exemplary half-length portrait of a gentleman clad in freemason regalia, including a feathered headpiece, sash and tasseled lap blanket. The bearded man, whose cheeks are tinted pink, is solemnly posing with his right hand placed on top of the blanket. The image is framed by an embellished oval gold frame and remains perfectly attached at the metal hinges.

In fine condition.