BaseBall Tintypes Portfolio

Who would guess that it was a lowly piece of tin was an elemental turning point in the history of photography. The new and inexpensive form of photograph, invented in 1859, radically changed the economics of the industry. The daguerreotype had gone out of use for the most part before the start of the Civil War in the U.S. in 1860, and ambrotype, a photo on glass, had lasted only about five years before being overtaken by the inexpensive and popular tintype. Images on tin were made in a one step process, quick and simple, using a sheet of prepared tin, approximately 8” x 1-0.” From there the sheet could be cut into half plate, quarter plate, sixth or ninth plate sizes.Many consider the tintype an unsightly form of photography, but the range of colors available in tintypes, from golden brown to purple, from sienna to magenta, is greater in the metallic image than any other format. The alternative format for personal photography was the carte-de-visite, which was considerably more expensive to produce, and as a result, was primarily a visual vehicle for the upper classes.Baseball players did not come from the upper classes, outside of a few rare instances. The fraternity had been in a social class so that they grew up with the tintype. It is then not surprising that players would stop into a photo studio, without a lot of preparation, to have a quick shot made to send home. Tintypes were mostly personal items to be shared with family and friends and teammates. Some larger tintypes were made as an official visual record, such as the team photos featured in this Portfolio of baseball tintypes.Contact The Rucker Archive or call 303-494-6715 to learn more about or view the entire Edition.Price: $495/ea including shipping.