Tintype (Ferrotype)
Direct-positive photographs on lacquered iron — cheap, durable, and iconic.
Antique Sixth Plate Tintype Civil War Soldier Standing Musket Bayonet Slouch Hat
Sixth Plate Tintype Civil War Soldier And Cowboy Holding Revolver Handgun
Antique Tintype Two Men Tandem Bicycle Straw Hats Studio Portrait
Antique Tintype Three Men Humorous Bonnet Bonneted Man Crossdress
Antique Tintype Tinted Woman Gold Jewelry Victorian Paper Frame Portrait
Antique Tintype Standing Victorian Woman Paper Sleeve Frame Belted Gown Photo
Antique Tintype Two Victorian Women Studio Portrait Hammock Backdrop Fashion
Antique Tintype Seated Handsome Man Striped Shirt Vest Mustache in Paper Sleeve
Antique Tintype Seated Gentleman Bowtie Suit Handsome Man Cut Corners Portrait
Antique Circa 1870s 1/6th Plate Tintype Handsome Man Suit Bowtie Hand-Tinted
Antique Tintype Young Woman Leaning On Pedestal Studio
Antique Tintype Tax Stamp Civil War Era Man Portrait Paper Sleeve Mount
Antique Circa 1870s 1/6th Plate Tintype Three Handsome Men Three-Piece Suits
Antique Circa 1870s 1/6th Plate Tintype Photo Standing Boy in Vest Suit Studio
Antique Circa 1880s 1/6th Plate Tintype Two Women Victorian Dresses Studio
Antique Circa 1870s 1/6th Plate Tintype Victorian Woman Standing Long Dress
Antique Circa 1870s 1/6th Plate Tintype Standing Man Three Piece Suit Watch
Antique Tintype Three Victorian Women Stylish Hats Long Dresses Studio Portrait
Antique Tintype Young Couple Standing Man Seated Victorian Woman Studio Portrait
Antique Tintype Bearded Man Plaid Coat 2c Tax Stamp CDV Sleeve
Antique 1/9 Plate Tintype Victorian Couple Standing Woman Parasol Seated Man
Antique Tintype Two Young Boys Military Style Jackets High Chair Studio Photo
Antique Tintype Two Men Wearing Hats Suits Studio Portrait Victorian Men Photo
Antique 1.5x2in Tintype VictorianBlack Woman Dark Dress White Collar Clipped
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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