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 half-length portrait of a gentleman clad in traditional vest and period shirt, holding a small dog on his lap. His cheeks and shirt sleeves are tinted pink, and he appears to be wearing his hat backwards. The image is framed by an embellished gold frame, and the interior of the front cover features an intricately embellished design in red felt. Although the front cover is separated at the hinge, the original closure clasp remains intact.

In fine condition, with a missing front cover and some trivial surface marks.