What we sell @ Ancestorville 1: Genealogy Antiques, Lost Family Photos

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What we Sell, Ancestorville is a Vintage Antique Photography Dealer Site:

...and click here to view 1000's of antique ID'd family photos on Ancestorville.

Ann Ware Daguerreotype, GGGrandmother to Winifred on Baboo's (Jenkins) side.

Daguerreotype Photographs c. 1839-1860's

The first photographs, daguerreotypes caused a world sensation. "Dag" images were made on a highly polished plate, and are the only antique photographs to have a silver mirror finish. They require a case, and are most likely found housed in them. The dag to the right, has a gold brass matte and small sheet of protective glass over the image, as most do. They often are not identified, unless by paper slipped between the daguerreotype and case, or sewn into the velvet pad. The Ann Ware family "dag" has a paper enclosed with identification, an unusual occurrence.

Tintype Photo of Martin Wise, c. 1850-60's. Found in MA.

Tintype Photographs
c. 1850-1930's
Tintypes, also known as Ferrotypes, were produced on a very thin plate of iron. It is unusual to find them identified because of their format, and the inability to write on the surface. We occasionally find early family names handwritten on the decorative paper mats. We do have tin types for sale on our site that are identified, as in the 1860's Martin Wise tintype to right. Read an article on tintypes here.

Ambrotype photo of Maria Judd's eldest Sons c. 1850-60's. Found in together in NYS with a photo of their Mother.

Ambrotype Photographs
c. Late 1850-1860's
Ambrotypes were produced on glass plates, with a black varnished or painted backing. Because of the glass format, they required cases, often decorative, as seen above. It is unusual to find them identified. The Judd family ambro shown to right has a slip of paper with Judd family identification sewn onto the early red velvet case pad. Read an Ancestorville article on Ambrotype Photos.

CDV hand tinted Carte de Visite photograph of Evelyn Benedict c. 1860-70. Taken in Brooklyn, New York NY. Found in Onondaga County, NYS.

CDV Carte De Visite Photographs
c. 1850's-1890's
A CDV is a small albumen print which is mounted to a card measuring about 2 1/2 to 4 inches. The earlier CDV's generally have square corners, and become more elaborate and on heavier stock with rounded corners and fancier backmarks as time proceeded. Introduced by the French, they became standard Victorian fare as calling cards and extremely popular. They became highly collectible, even in their time. Photographer's names and advertising are often printed on the back, called a "backmark". The beautiful CDV to right is of a young girl, Evelyn Benedict, and is wonderfully hand colored or hand tinted. Read an article on CDV photos.

1870-80's Cabinet Photo of Jane Crittenden. England UK. Found in NH.

Cabinet Card Photographs
late 1860's-early 1900's
Cabinet cards are a larger paper albumen (egg white) print measuring about 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, glued to a cardboard mount. Photographer backmarks can be beautiful and ornate, with high Victorian advertising. Many we see are not identified, and many have been removed from old family albums, which were also a Victorian rage. They were most popular after the Civil war era, in the 1880-90's. Read an article on Cab Cards.

1870's Stereoview of John Farnsworth Home and Residence, taken in Saxtons River in Windham County, Vermont VT. Found in New England.

Stereoview Photographs
1850's-1910
A Stereoview is a pair of identical albumen photos mounted on a card for 3D viewing in a hand held stereoscope, also a Victorian era rage. We look for stereoviews of identified gravesites, cemetery markers, homesteads, architecture, storefronts, advertising signs and signage and identified people. It is uncommon to find them family identified. Read an article on Stereoscopic photos.

c. 1880-90's Photo of Kenneth Crawford. Found in Franklin County, MA.

Other Photographs-Dry Mount
1880's-1940's
We have many dry plate, gelatin, or dry mount photographs and snapshots on the ancestorville site, of different and varying sizes, papers, printing processes and tones. They were in use from the late 1800's and into the 20th century. This wonderful photo of baby Kenneth Crawford sitting in a porcelain wash basin (from an old pitcher and bowl set) is one of our favorites!

1890-1900's: 4 Generations of the Brown Lane, Robinson family. Found in NYS.

Paper Film & Snapshots

1890's-1950's

In 1880 George Eastman, age 24, set up the Eastman Dry Plate Company in Rochester, NY. In 1888, the first Kodak camera, containing a 20-foot roll of paper, enough for 100 2.5-inch diameter circular pictures was introduced. In 1889, an Improved Kodak camera with an actual roll of film inside was introduced. This was the first time the public could take their own photographs. As they say, and the rest is history...!

Debra Clifford, Ancestorville

Read an archives.com article on Genealogy antiques here

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