Victorian Tintype Photo Painter Tradesman...

Updated September 26, 2026

This auction ended on September 29, 2026. See upcoming auctions from Period Americana or current antiques & furniture auctions.
Lot number58
Estimate35.00 - 60.00 USD
CategoryAntiques & Furniture
AuctionSale 260929
DateSeptember 29, 2026 at 10:00 PM EDT
Auction housePeriod Americana
LocationBoston, Massachusetts

Workwear Cigar Studio Backdrop 1/6 Plate. This original 19th-century Victorian tintype (ferrotype) photograph captures a rare occupational or tradesman portrait, depicting a man in striped workwear coveralls and a bowler hat, holding a cigar in one hand and posing alongside a painted studio garden backdrop. Dating to circa 1880s–1890s, occupational tintypes featuring candid working-class attire or prop usage carry strong collector appeal within early photography and American social history markets. Unbranded/maker unknown, c. 1880s-1890s, wet-collodion process on lacquered iron plate, unmarked, measures approximately Sixth Plate size (2.5 x 3.5 inches). Shows expected signs of age including edge wear along the clipped corners, minor surface crazing to the emulsion layer, light oxidation/tarnishing to the plate perimeter, and faint scuffing, though the central figure remains clear with strong contrast; no major bent plate or severe loss observed. See photos for close-up details.

Victorian Tintype Photo Painter Tradesman...

More lots in this auction

See all lots in Sale 260929 →