Around the world, there are innumerable photographs of people, of ancestors, who are unidentified by name and date. Whether on a desk, in a drawer or closet, stuffed in envelopes, photo albums or stacked in a box, these images are waiting to be identified. Gary Clark of PhotoTree.com has been busy. He seems to be on a one-man mission to provide every detail a genealogist will need to identify, date, and restore old photographs of virtually every type and in a way to make the process as easy as possible. This is a lot of ground to cover, but Gary seems well on his way. So far his books and guides include:
Three KwikGuide Books:
- The Photo Restoration KwikGuide™ – A Step‐by‐Step Guide for Repairing Photographs with Photoshop Elements®
- 19th Century Card Photos KwikGuide: A Step-by-Step Guide to Identifying and Dating Cartes de Visite and Cabinet Cards
- Real Photo Postcards KwikGuide: A Guide to Identifying and Dating Real Photo Postcards of the 20th Century
And, Three KwikTips Laminated guides:
- KwikTips: Daguerreotype, Ambrotype, And Tintype Photographs
- KwikTips: Carte De Visite And Cabinet Card Photographs
- KwikTips: Back Imprint For Cartes De Visite And Cabinet Cards
Now, he has added a fourth book, Cased Images & Tintypes KwikGuide: A Guide to Identifying and Dating Dauerreotypes, Ambrotypes, and Tintypes.
Like his other books, Clark provides a brief history to the time and place these image types were in use, you learn about and how to date images, and you get a detailed coverage of the various image types. Topics include:
- Daguerreotype Case Styles
- Ambrotype Glass Types
- Cased Tintype Images
- Paper Sleeves and Mounts
- Background and Studio Props
- Fashion and Style
Above all other types of images, these reflect the true origins of commercial photography. These images are becoming increasingly rare with age; yet, many can still find photos of ancestors locked away in attics, basements and boxes the world over. These images are treasures for both their increase rarity and for their personal value to the family historian.
Learning to identify and date card photos may just be the skill you need to bringing your ancestors to life, and into your life.
About the Author
Gary Clark is a professional photographer, restorer, and genealogist who has merged these skills with his passion for collecting photographs. His 30 years of experience in digital imaging brings a unique and thorough understanding of photograph problems and how to solve them. Clark introduced PhotoTree.com to genealogists and collectors in 2000, and he continually expands the free information with a gallery of over 1,000 images, weekly case studies, and historical information about 19th century photographs.
Order Cased Images & Tintypes KwikGuide: A Guide to Identifying and Dating Dauerreotypes, Ambrotypes, and Tintypes from Family Roots Publishing for $17.59 a copy.
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 ~ A Brief History
The War Years
Exposure Time of Early Photographs
Paper Photographs
Chapter 2 ~ Dating a Cased Image
Establishing a Cased Image Date
Determining the Type of Photograph
Un-Cased Tintypes
Chapter 3 ~ Case Characteristics
Case Construction
Case Liners: Silk or Velvet, Plain or Embossed
Chapter 4 ~ Brass Mats
Mats: Functional & Artistic
Mat Texture and Weight
Chapter 5 ~ Preservers
Preserver Evolution
Chapter 6 ~ Daguerreotypes
Examining the Plate for Date Clues
Plate Characteristicss
Plate Scars from Preparation
Daguerreotype Gallery
Chapter 7 ~ Ambrotypes
Historical Review
Dating the Ambrotype
Dating Ambrotypes Glass Characteristics
Ambrotype Gallery
Chapter 8 ~ Cased Tintypes
Dating the Cased Tintypes
Cased Tintype Gallery
Chapter 9 ~ Un-Cased Tintypes
Dating an Un-cased Tintype
Gem Tintypes
Albums
Carnival Era
Un-Cased Tintype Gallery
Chapter 10 ~ Fashion and Style
1840s Style
1850s Style
1860s Style
1880s and Beyond
Chapter 11 ~ Studio Props
Studio Props in Cased Images
The Simple Tintype Studio: 1860s
Appendix A ~ Common Plate Sizes
Appendix B ~ Hallmark Designs
Appendix C ~ Glossary
Notes
Index