Buy this book on-line Original Ambrotype - William Winter and His Three Brothers, c. 1850s
Original ambrotype mounted in a copper frame. This is a group portrait photograph that shows William Winter as a young child and his three brothers. Each of the four boys wears formal attire and stands facing forward toward viewers. No date, circa 1850s (the ambrotype was first patented in 1854). 5 1/2" x 4 1/2." Ambrotype is very clean and intact except a few small surface chips to the black varnish painted on the back of the glass plate. Copper frame is very clean and intact except for some tarnishing on outer part of frame. A Very Good copy. William Winter (1836-1917) was an American author and drama critic. In addition to literary works about the theater, he wrote poetry, essays, and biographies. There is limited information about William's immediate family online and Charles Winter (1833-1928) is William's only confirmed brother through readily-accessible sources. Due to William being younger than Charles, William is one of the three younger children in the photo. The ambrotype, also known as a collodion positive, is a type of photo that uses the wet plate collodion process on a glass plate. The ambrotype's predecessor, the daguerreotype, and successor, the tintype, both use a metal plate. The ambrotype is made by coating one side of the glass plate with a thin layer of iodized collodion and then with silver nitrate solution. While the plate is still wet, it is placed in the camera and exposed. The plate is then developed and fixed. The resulting negative actually appears to be a positive image because the unexposed portions appear clear (later to be darkened) and the exposed portions appear to be a silvery-white color. The final step is to make the clear portions of the plate appear dark which is achieved by backing or coating the back of the plate with a black or dark-colored material. Common ways to darken the back of the plate are backing it with black velvet, using a dark red-colored glass plate, or coating the back with black varnish. This photo appears to use the lattermost method.. Photographic Image. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: No Binding Click here for full details of this book, to ask a question or to buy it on-line. Bibliophile Bookbase probably offers multiple copies of Original Ambrotype - William Winter and His Three Brothers, c. 1850s. Click here to select from a complete list of available copies of this book. Bibliophile Bookbase lists over 5 million books, maps and prints including out-of-print books, rare books, incunabula, used books and fine bindings. Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints. |