Date and restore tintype please may be 3rd G-Grandmother Neeltje Louwes Smith

[carylwood1978]

I believe this tintype may be my 3rd G-Grandmother Neeltje Louwes Smit Halsema who died Aug 27, 1859 in Eijerland, Texel, Netherlands.  It has a hole punched in the top with a red stringed price tag (hidden in the scan) labeled Louie's Mother.  Any help with dating and clean up would be greatly appreciated. Thank You, carylwood1978

[McGroger]

Hi carylwood, welcome to Rootschat.
Couple of tries from me: a rough rinse off, then a cleanup and new paint job.
Peter

[carylwood1978]

Thanks so much McGroger for taking the time to help me, now I can actually see what she looks like.
Great job!
carylwood1978

[pablo59]

66665777767755

[jim1]

Not 1859 I'm afraid as tintypes didn't arrive until the mid 60's.
This lady's dress style is typical of the 1870's.
Tintypes by nature of the medium used are in reverse. In this you can now see her wedding ring on display & she's holding a letter in her other hand.
We've seen similar many times & I've always had the view these were "thinking of you" type photos with the letter writer getting this in return.

[carylwood1978]

Thanks Pablo59 for the great restore and to Jim 1 for the reverse and tintype info.  It looks like I need to keep searching for her identity.  I had this photo looked at by a famous photo expert when she was in town and she said her age was about 48, blue eyes, no teeth, and she wasn't wearing an American bonnet.  I was always concerned that tintypes came out after her death, maybe someone labeled the photo wrong many years later.
Thanks again everyone,
Carylwood1978