Tintype (Ferrotype)
Direct-positive photographs on lacquered iron — cheap, durable, and iconic.
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Three Sisters Young Girls Toddler Lace Collar
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Handsome Young Man Formal Suit Vest Lapel Studio
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Young Girl Frilly Dress Ring Jewelry Curled Hair
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Seated Woman Hand Tinted Cheeks Lace Collar Books
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Woman Plaid Dress Bonnet Studio Prop Chair Photo
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Young Boy Suit Seated Carved Chair Portrait Photo
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Portrait Baby Infant White Dress Sash Bonnet Chair
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Family Group Portrait Plaid Dress Bow Ties Studio
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Young Boy Seated Chair Suit Knee Pants Urn Backdrop
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Man Suit Standing Leaning Upholstered Chair Backdrop
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Young Man Seated Holding Bowler Derby Hat Suit
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Young Man Suit Bow Tie Standing Carved Table Studio
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Two Men Bowler Hats Suits Wicker Chair Studio
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Three Women Sitting Studio Portrait Fence Backdrop
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Two Women Seated Wooden Bench Big Feather Hat White
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Stern Woman Ruffled Collar Earrings Fringed Armrest
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Two Victorian Women Hats Fringe Scarf Seated Photo
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Mother & Baby Child Studio Portrait Victorian Dress
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Seated Couple Fancy Dress Top Knot Hair Purse
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Four Women Sitting Standing Fancy Hats Dresses
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Four Men Women Victorian Fashion Hats Suits Dresses
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Hidden Mother Holding Baby Plaid Blanket Dress
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Young Man & Woman Studio Portrait Victorian Suit
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Portrait Family Group Sitting Straw Hats Dress
Tintypes (also called ferrotypes) are direct-positive photographs made on a thin sheet of lacquered iron. Cheap to produce and nearly indestructible, they were a fixture of itinerant photographers, fairgrounds, and seaside boardwalks from the American Civil War well into the 20th century — the longest production run of any 19th-century photo format.
HistoryOrigin & era
Invented in 1853 by Adolphe Alexandre Martin in Paris and patented in the United States by Hamilton Smith in 1856, the tintype shared its plate-size family with the daguerreotype and ambrotype — they were all made on the same camera plates. Unlike a CDV, every tintype is a unique direct-positive: there is no negative. Most are dark and slightly muddy because the image sits on a black-japanned iron base. They're heavier than they look — a magnet will stick to the back. Peak use was the 1860s–70s; street and boardwalk photographers were still making them into the 1930s.
IdentificationHow to spot a Tintype
- Magnetic — a small magnet sticks to the back. (Definitive test.)
- Slightly heavier than paper or glass photographs of the same size.
- Image often slightly dark, slate-grey, with a thin lacquer sheen.
- Edges sometimes show rust or japanning chips.
- Frequently found in paper sleeves, leather cases, or unmounted.
Tintype sizes
Tintypes share the standard American "plate" sizes with daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, plus a few formats unique to the cheaper itinerant trade.
| Format | Inches | Millimeters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole plate | 6½ × 8½ in | 165 × 216 mm | Rare; mostly studio formal portraits. |
| Half plate | 4¼ × 5½ in | 108 × 140 mm | Uncommon; usually couples or small groups. |
| Quarter plate | 3¼ × 4¼ in | 83 × 108 mm | Common for higher-end portraits. |
| Sixth plate | 2¾ × 3¼ in | 70 × 83 mm | By far the most common size — the default. |
| Ninth plate | 2 × 2½ in | 51 × 64 mm | Often in small leather cases or lockets. |
| Sixteenth plate | 1⅜ × 1⅝ in | 35 × 41 mm | Tiny — sometimes set into jewelry. |
| Bon-ton | 2⅜ × 3½ in | 60 × 89 mm | Late-19th-century portrait format. |
| Gem tintype | ⅞ × 1 in | 22 × 25 mm | Tiny portraits set into albums or jewelry. |
| Card-mounted (CDV-style) | 2½ × 4 in | 64 × 100 mm | Tintype trimmed and pasted onto a CDV mount. |
Common questions
What is a tintype?
A tintype (also called a ferrotype) is a direct-positive photograph made on a thin sheet of lacquered iron. Each tintype is a unique one-of-a-kind image — there is no negative. Invented by Adolphe Martin in 1853 and patented in the U.S. by Hamilton Smith in 1856, tintypes were the cheapest form of photography of their day and stayed in use at fairs and boardwalks into the 1930s.
How can I tell if a photo is a tintype?
The definitive test is a magnet — it will stick to the back of a tintype because the base is iron. Tintypes are also noticeably heavier than paper photographs of the same size, slightly dark and slate-grey in tone, and often show a thin lacquer sheen on the surface.
Are tintypes valuable?
Most common 19th-century tintypes are modest in value ($10–$40) because they were produced cheaply by the millions. Cased tintypes, occupational portraits, outdoor scenes, Civil War soldiers, identified subjects, and large-plate (half- and whole-plate) examples can fetch hundreds to thousands of dollars.
What plate sizes did tintypes come in?
Tintypes used the same plate-size family as daguerreotypes — whole, half, quarter, sixth, ninth, and sixteenth plate — plus a few unique formats. The sixth plate (about 2¾ × 3¼ inches) is by far the most common. Tiny ‘gem’ tintypes (about an inch square) and card-mounted tintypes in CDV-style mounts are also frequently encountered.
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