Tintypes

Tintypes, also called ferrotypes, were a type of photograph popular from 1855 until the early 20th century, although they were still being made up to the 1950s. However, the ones in our collection are from the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. Adolphe-Alexandre Martin mentioned the process in 1853 but it wouldn't be patented until 1857 when it was patented by Daniel Jones and Willian Kloen from England and Hamilton Smith from the US. Tintypes are made of a piece of thin iron and for display purposes would be mounted in cheap cases or paper or cardboard frames.

References

• Harding, Colin. “How to Spot a Ferrotype, Also Known as a Tintype (1855–1940s).” National Science and Media Museum blog. Science Museum Group, May 25, 2013. https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/find-out-when-a-photo-was-taken-identify-ferrotype-tintype/.