ca. 1868-70, [tintype portrait of a demure cowboy wearing a hat, knife, revolver and boots with spurs] via the Southern Methodist Central University Library, Lawrence T. Jones III Texas Photography Collection

ca. 1868-70, [tintype portrait of a demure cowboy wearing a hat, knife, revolver and boots with spurs]

via the Southern Methodist Central University Library, Lawrence T. Jones III Texas Photography Collection

ca. 1870-80, [tintype portrait of Harry Stafford] via the Library of Congress, Miscellaneous Items in High Demand

ca. 1870-80, [tintype portrait of Harry Stafford]

via the Library of Congress, Miscellaneous Items in High Demand

ca. 1860-80, [hand-tinted ambrotype portrait of Charles King Mallory in uniform] via the Virginia Historical Society, Photographs Collection

ca. 1860-80, [hand-tinted ambrotype portrait of Charles King Mallory in uniform]

via the Virginia Historical Society, Photographs Collection

ca. 1890-1910, [cabinet card, portrait of a young boy standing on a fur skin rug holding a toy rifle], Elmer Chickering via J. Cosmas Vintage Photography, Albumen and Silver Prints Collection

ca. 1890-1910, [cabinet card, portrait of a young boy standing on a fur skin rug holding a toy rifle], Elmer Chickering

via J. Cosmas Vintage Photography, Albumen and Silver Prints Collection

ca. 1870-79, [tintype portrait of a pantomimist] via the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photographs Collection

ca. 1870-79, [tintype portrait of a pantomimist]

via the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photographs Collection

ca. 1886, [cabinet card, portrait of a coy Eleanor Brooks Saltonstall], Sarah Lawrence Brooks via the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Saltonstall-Brooks-Lewis Family Photographs Collection

ca. 1886, [cabinet card, portrait of a coy Eleanor Brooks Saltonstall], Sarah Lawrence Brooks

via the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Saltonstall-Brooks-Lewis Family Photographs Collection

ca. 1860-90, [tintype portrait a child who appears to be nervously fidgeting] via Ebay Auctions

ca. 1860-90, [tintype portrait a child who appears to be nervously fidgeting]

via Ebay Auctions

ca. 1850, [daguerreotype portrait of a young smiling girl] via the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Dr. and Mrs. Henry Drinker Collection of Miscellaneous Family Papers

ca. 1850, [daguerreotype portrait of a young smiling girl]

via the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Dr. and Mrs. Henry Drinker Collection of Miscellaneous Family Papers

ca. 1870-79, [tintype portrait of a pantomimist] via the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photographs Collection

ca. 1870-79, [tintype portrait of a pantomimist]

via the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photographs Collection

ca. 1848-1880, [ambrotype portrait of a broody gentleman with his transverse flute] via the Musée d’Orsay

ca. 1848-1880, [ambrotype portrait of a broody gentleman with his transverse flute]

via the Musée d’Orsay

ca. 1841, [daguerreotype portrait of a frowning gentleman], Robert Cornelius via the Library Company of Philadelphia Print Dept., Cased Photographs Collections

ca. 1841, [daguerreotype portrait of a frowning gentleman], Robert Cornelius

via the Library Company of Philadelphia Print Dept., Cased Photographs Collections

ca. 1882, [tintype portrait of a woman hiding herself behind her child], Towne’s via the American Antiquarian Society, Tintype Collection

ca. 1882, [tintype portrait of a woman hiding herself behind her child], Towne’s

via the American Antiquarian Society, Tintype Collection

ca. 1868, [albumen portrait of Ezra Cornell] via Cornell University Library, Rare & Manuscript Division

ca. 1868, [albumen portrait of Ezra Cornell]

via Cornell University Library, Rare & Manuscript Division

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of Joseph Sharp, with pick axe in hand, 1849 gold miner, of Sharp’s Flats] via the Online Archives of California, UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of Joseph Sharp, with pick axe in hand, 1849 gold miner, of Sharp’s Flats]

via the Online Archives of California, UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

ca. 1870, [tintype portrait of a boy with gem tintype album] via the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Photography Collection

ca. 1870, [tintype portrait of a boy with gem tintype album]

via the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Photography Collection

"Until the handkerchief of history covers us with its Times New Roman black and white post script..."

This blog is a collection of vernacular photography and ephemera focused mainly within the curious and often misunderstood realm of 19th century America. I have a soft spot for all things silly, antiquated, macabre, and grotesque. The content is from a variety of collections; public, academic, and private. In addition, there's an occasional emphasis on Ulysses S Grant and the Civil War, as well.

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Browse by Photograph Type: Tintypes, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Carte de visites, Albumen prints, Cabinet cards, Silver prints

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