Topic: Any ideas about this???

[This-is-damion]

...I dont have much of an idea about old photographic techniques so could be a very simple/easy answer to this.

This is an old family photo, or at least we always presumed,  on the back it says "taken at Marsha(presume it says ll after this) in croydon"

Thought it was B&W print  but the image seems to be on glass and relies on being placed on a dark background.

So my first thought is glass negative, I just always presumed would have been printed onto paper.....


Sorry for pic, via my phone and im at my moms.....



[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[gary m]

Daggeurotype, maybe Ambrotype.

[Heather]

Probably more likely to be ambrotype. Dags are on silver/silverplated items, ambros are on glass. Positive/negative effect, you get a positive when it's darkbacked. And obviously looks like it's handpainted details Very cool.

[cmdrray]

Yes, this is an Ambrotype...I have some of these in my family photo box, too.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrotype

[Francois]

Yes, it is an Ambrotype. Also known as a wet plate colloidon.
The negatives were placed on a background of either black varnish or black velvet so that they appear as positive.

[This-is-damion]

here is a scan!



[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[Francois]

That was scanned using the reflective light and black background?

I must admit this must have been a somewhat deluxe edition with the addition of color.

[This-is-damion]

yeah it was my moms flatbed(non photo version)

[synj00]

Wow what a great photo to have in the family!