# Civil War Glass Photo



## logueb (Jun 19, 2007)

Here are items that were found years ago in a trunk on my grandmother's farm.  The trunk was sitting on a dirt floor, and you know the rest.  There was very little left that the termites and mice had not destroyed.  So much history lost. The photo (or negative) is on a glass plate.  I believe that is of a Confederate Soldier.  Also there was a amethyst perfume bottle crudely made , a small milk glass disk with aluminum screwtop lid,  and a Reed and Carnrick Peptenzyme bottle with ground lip and aluminum screw top.  I know all the items could have been collected and stored in the trunk over several years. Does anyone have the dates of when the glass photos were used?  There were a lot of letters, but none salvagable which were dated back in the 1800s.


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## cobaltbot (Jun 19, 2007)

Wow, family stuff is always valuable in my opinion.  That guy could be a relative, you need to get him identified.


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## capsoda (Jun 19, 2007)

I agree with Steve. Find out who he is and let us know. Take it to an expert and see what they can tell you and if it can be cleaned up some or restored.


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## logueb (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks Guys for looking, Cap the only thing I have ever been able to find out about the trunk is that it belonged to a great ( or great-great aunt).  Back in those days there were no Nursing  or Retirement Homes and apparently Aunt Dicey went from home to home staying with relatives.  Apparently she died while visiting the old home place .  This was an added on log cabin built in the 1800s.  Still standing the last time I was there.  So I guess her traveling trunk went out to the barn after her death.  I need to find out where she was buried to get the date she was born. The picture is on glass.  Sort of like a negative, but is actually a picture.  The perfume bottle leans when you try to stand it up.  You can see from the pic how uneven the base is.  The little metal thing is a tiny  milk glass screw top (salve?). And the Peptenzyme may be a sample size.  

 I almost forgot about the book.  The book is from a box of school books I also salvaged from the barn.  Note the 1904 print date. The top of the barn  was starting to leak when I removed them.  These were school books that were passed down through I believe 9 children.  Back then school books had to be bought by the parents. These kids went to a one room school. I know where the school was located, but sadly the land is posted.


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## LC (Jun 19, 2007)

My Grandfather Barker . Love this tintype, regardless of it condition. Have wanted to check into what it would cost to have it restored ( that is, if it can be ) But I have never gotten around to it. I believe the rifle is as big as he is .[/align]


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## LC (Jun 19, 2007)

OOPS ! Sorry for the over large picture.


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## OsiaBoyce (Jun 21, 2007)

Cool pic. Of a Confererate soldier? Not even going to try fake it on the pic. I got a buddy who deals in Confederate photos. There were first Degarutype- thats spelled wrong- ambrotype- tintype.This is I think a 1/8 ambrotype from around I'd guess 1862. ALL THIS IS A GUESS. From his dress it would appear from the type of hat and style worn he would have been in The Army of Mississippi in the early years of the war. And like I said it's just a guess from what I see.


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## OsiaBoyce (Jun 21, 2007)

Oh yea there should have been a folding case w/ usually a red velvet lining w/ this. The picture was usually framed in these.Lastly pics of soldiers were usually taken when they first joined ,so this them at their finest.


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## dirtmover (Jun 21, 2007)

I just dug up one of these but the one I found is broken in two and the glass photo is in bad shape from being buried so long. I believe these are called tintypes the one I found had a thin metal frame around it. It's a positive photo printed directly on a plate and varnished with a thin sensitized film. The place I'm digging is late 1800's and I'm not sure how long they used this method for photo's .-Karen


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## newtothebottleworld (Jun 26, 2007)

If the picture is glass,it is more than likely an ambrotype as osiaboyce said.Here is a link that will give you a little more info http http://www.floridamemory.com/OnlineClassroom/photographic-processes/ambrotype.cfm From my expieriance with ambrotypes,is it is best not to do anything to them unless you know what you are doing.Some ambrotypes can be restored though.


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