Typesetter, Butcher, and Blacksmith with their Tools, circa 1880

Summary

Tintypes, the popular "instant photographs" of the 19th century, could be produced in a matter of minutes at a price most people could afford. Tintypes democratized photography. Beginning in the mid-1850s, they gave more people than ever before the chance to have a real likeness of themselves--capturing unique glimpses of how everyday Americans looked and lived.

Tintypes, the popular "instant photographs" of the 19th century, could be produced in a matter of minutes at a price most people could afford. Tintypes democratized photography. Beginning in the mid-1850s, they gave more people than ever before the chance to have a real likeness of themselves--capturing unique glimpses of how everyday Americans looked and lived.

Artifact

Tintype (Photograph)

Date Made

circa 1880

Subject Date

circa 1880

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

86.17.1.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Iron (Metal)

Technique

Tintype (Process)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 7 in

Width: 5 in

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