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 this vintage Union Case is a haunting portrait of a small child seated in a chair, featuring pink-tinted accents on the child's cheeks, hat and outfit. A gold frame borders the image, and although the front cover is missing, the back panel still bears half of the original closure clasp. 

In very good condition, with the front cover missing, moderate dark edges around the image and adhesive from previous mounting on verso of the back panel.