Circa 1850s, Victorian Era Tintype of Mother and Child

This tintype, made out of iron as all tintypes were, is of a circa 1850s (based on dress), mother and chid. These were the earliest days of tintype production, which lasted until around 1900.

Please note the considerable crazing to the face of the tintype. If you decide to purchase this item, any restoration should be undertaken by a professional. The tintype is very delicate and can be further damaged, if one attempts to clean it.

A word about postmortem photos: The early days of photography saw postmortem photographs of family members with the posed deceased. It is tempting, as it is for me, to say, "Oh, that looks to be a postmortem" as these are highly coveted and rare. When I first saw this, I thought it could be a postmortem, but when examined closely, one can see the child's right hand is partially blurred, which suggests movement. One can't be 100% certain, of course, but one must also remember that early photographs sometimes took up to 30 minutes to process. Just imagine having to sit still for a half hour, especially if one were a child. This is why you don't see smiles in early photos as can you imagine having to hold a smile for up to a half hour?

Measurements are 3 ⅛" x 2 ⅝".

Thank you for looking.