Tintypes, dates please..and the 'rust'

[terry h]

Hi

I'd be obliged if anyone could give me dates for these two photos please. Also how could I contain the 'rusting', any advice gratefully received as I'm clueless. It only cost me 50p for the two of them but I'd hate to see them disappear.

Many thanks.

Terry

[PrueM]

Hi Terry

Nice tintypes 

Store them somewhere cool and dry, wrapped in a few layers of archival ("acid free") tissue, and inside a box or similar where they won't be disturbed.  They should last well like that.  Obviously the less handling the better, as the rusting goes under the emulsion layer and causes it to come off.

Cheers
Prue

[jim1]

The first thing I'd say is they're not British.The first one looks very ethnic in dress & looks post WW1.
The 2nd. looks 1880's,quite possibly USA.
you would need the advise from Prue,she's the conservator.
OK I see she's arrived
jim

[chinakay]

Agree with Jim on the dates.

Also, as tintypes are developed directly on the metal (actually iron, which is why they're rusting) without a negative, the images are reversed.

Cheers,
China

[terry h]

Jim and China,

Many thanks for the dates and info, I thought the first one wasn't British looking. When did they stop doing tintypes?

Prue,

I'll shall purchase the necessary and store them safely away, thank you for the advice.

Thanks again

Terry

[jim1]

Tintypes were popular in the Uk from 1865-75 for studio portraits but not as popular as the CdeV.1880's/90's Tintypes were in common use for itinerant photographers & seaside snappers.In the USA they continued to be used over a much longer period for studio portraits,well into the 20th.C.I believe this was due to the lack of good quality photographic paper but I may have that bit wrong.So an 1880's UK studio portrait is unheard of & that probably applies to the rest of Europe as well.

jim

[chinakay]

In the US at least tintypes continued to be produced until the 1940s. They were sturdy and could be mailed easily, and a lot of soldiers carried tintypes to war because they were more rugged than paper photos.

Cheers,
China

[terry h]

Jim and China,

Thank you again, that was all very interesting....I think I need to get myself a good book about old photography.

Many thanks

Terry

[Niksmum]

lovely photos terry...were they part of your Devon find

Irene