Relics of the American West: 1850-1920
Lot 2049:
Description
This diverse 19th-century photographic assembly is anchored by a large, regal studio portrait of a bearded man in a traditional fur hat and heavy overcoat, housed in a rare period frame featuring vibrant purple velvet and original wooden tension slats. The collection is further enriched by five loose tintypes (melainotypes) that offer a deep look into Victorian-era social strata and studio aesthetics. Notable among these is a fragile family group showing a man in a military-style forage cap and women in high-collared mourning or formal attire, exhibiting significant age-related “crazing” and emulsion loss. Other plates include a young boy posed with an ornate photographer’s “posing chair” against a rustic backdrop, a woman in a delicate floral patterned dress, and two men in formal waistcoats—one wearing a worker’s style conductor cap and the other posed before a hand-painted cloud-effect backdrop. The tintypes show various period modifications, such as clipped corners for case fitting, and physical characteristics of 1870s-1880s production. Condition is varied: the framed portrait remains well-preserved with minor velvet fraying; the loose plates show scattered oxidation, surface scratching, and flaking of the protective asphaltum varnish, particularly on the group portrait. H 11.5″, W 9.5″, D 1″ (Frame); H 3.25″, W 4.25″ (Largest Tintype); H 3.25″, W 1.88″ (Smallest Tintype). Please see photos for condition.
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