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 a full-length portrait of a young couple, seated and lovingly leaning into each other. Both are clad in traditional period dress, with the man wearing a top hat and the woman a beautiful bonnet, each featuring pink-tinted cheeks. The image is bordered in a gold frame, and the interior of the front cover is lined in red velvet, embellished with an intricate floral design and bearing a small note pinned to the surface, identifying the couple as "Julius Dutton & Wife." 

The image is in fine condition, with some light silvering and surface marks. The case is in very good condition, with a separation at the hinge and moderate wear.