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Invented by Frederick Scott Archer as a cheaper alternative to the daguerreotype, the ambrotype was popular from the 1850’s to 1890’s. The image is made as a negative on a piece of glass, then placed against a black background to make it look like a positive. Ambrotypes were also popular due to their appearance: unlike the shiny, easy-to-tarnish daguerreotypes, they made for a cleaner looking finish.
Show & Tell - Share Your Stuff!
1850s photos on glass using silver an…
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Great great Grandfather Dithridge und…
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» See all ambrotypes Show & Tells
Interviews & Articles
An Interview With 19th Century Photograph and Americana Collector Wes Cowan
I’ve always been interested in antiques. As a kid, I collected a variety of stuff – fossils, rocks, minerals, natural history stuf… [more]
Daile Kaplan of Swann Auction Galleries on Collecting 20th Century Photographs
Swann, which is New York City’s oldest specialty auction house, was founded in the late 1940s as an antiquarian book house. In the… [more]
An Interview With Antique Photograph and Camera Collectors Jack and Beverly Wilgus
We both come from families that had collections and we both had collections as children. Jack lost his when his grandmother threw … [more]
An Interview With Metropolitan Museum Curator Jeff Rosenheim On the Postcard Collection Of Walker Evans
In 1994, I had the great pleasure of acquiring the complete archive of Walker Evans for the Metropolitan Museum. The archive is qu… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
The Daguerreian Society
Explore the history, art, and science of antique daguerreotypes. Includes extensive galleries browsable by subject … [read review or visit site]
Art of the Photogravure
Photographer Mark Katzman's comprehensive and beautiful reference site and collection of Photogravure. A must for p… [read review or visit site]
Collection of Collections
Jack and Beverly Wilgus' personal collection website, of which the most interesting areas are: strongmen and strong… [read review or visit site]
Square America
If you like vernacular photographs of everyday 20th century life, you'll love Square America, a collection of onlin… [read review or visit site]
Wisconsin Historical Images
The Wisconsin Historical Society has really outdone themselves with these excellent galleries focused on the 1880s-… [read review or visit site]
Cliff House Project
Gary Stark’s encyclopedic website is dedicated to photos and historical information on San Francisco’s legendar… [read review or visit site]
Time Tales
An amazing compilation of found photographs divided up by era (pre-1930, 1930-1950, 1950-1970, 1970-1990, and 1990-… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Photographs
Other Great Reference Sites: Photographs
Top eBay Auctions
Triple Armed Ambrotype Civil War Soldier Knife Pistol And Musket With Bayonet
1/6 Plate Double Armed Union Private
Stark Post Mortem Ambrotype Dead Woman In White Dress Hauntingly Beautiful
Double Armed Confederate Soldier 1/6 Plate Ambrotype
Couple With Black Lab Dog 1/6 Plate Ambrotype
Union Case.half Plate Washington Monument,couple Ambrotype.rare!!!! Ex Cond.
15 Family Portrait Ambrotypes & Tintypes In Period Walnut Frame. Civil War Era!
1850s Full Plate 6"x8"ambrotype Photo Indiana With Id Woman Wears Ambro Brooch 
Civil War Era Ambrotype Of Girl By Black Photographer J.p. Ball, Cincinatti, O 
Great Tinted Ruby Ambrotype Of Sailor
Box Lot Antique Photos Photographs Ambrotype Tintype Goat Skin Case Parts
Pat. 1855 Gutta Percha Frame With Ambrotype Photograph Plate
Civil War Double Armed Cavalry Soldier W/ Pistol & Sword Ambrotype Photograph
Young Man Ruby Glass Ambrotype Patriotic Star Mat Hudson Ny Photo Studio Ad
Fantastic: Four 1/6 Th Plate Ambrotypes In Full Union Case
Gutta Percha Daguerreotype Union Case Octagon Ambrotype Photograph 6th Plate Six
Civil War Soldier 1/9th Plate Ambrotype
2 Daguerreotype/tintype Framed & Matted Of A Man And Woman; Husband And/wife?
Thermoplastic Ninth Plate Union Case Scroll Design With Ambrotype Of Man 
Gutta Percha Case Playing Checkers Daguerreotype & Ambrotype 
Antique Leather Bound Photo Album Containing Old Photographs Circa 1800's
Sgnd Richardson 1854 Antique ¼ Plate Sealed Rhode Island Ambrotype Photograph
Ambrotype 'young Girl W Doll' By: Perry's Waltham, Mass. Cor Main & Lexington
Antique Ambrotype Photo - Irish/scottish Brothers - Immigrants/navvies ?
Circa 1850 Ambrotype Women With Gold Border And Working Case
1/6 Plate Ambrotype Half Case Baby Portrait Photograph Batavia Ny 1853 Rochester
Antique Ambrotype Photo Young Girl & Boy Dressed In Victorian Clothes 1/6 Plate
Thermoplastic Sixteenth Plate Union Case With Tintype Of Young Boy
Cute Little Girl Fashion Bonnet Cape Lace Gloves Ninth Plate Ambrotype
Antique T.c. Doane Montreal Image In Case
Civil War Era 1/4 Plate, Ambrotype In Paper Case, Portrait Of Older Woman 
Rare Antique 1850s Mammoth Imperial Plate Ambrotype Portrait Photographs *nr*
Union Now And Forever--portrait Photograph With Leather Case--ambrotype
Original 1897 Mb Parkinson Famous Cupid Awake Asleep Print Photo Tin Oval Frame
A Victorian Glass Photograph Elderly Young Girl At Table Ambrotype
19th Century Ambrotype Photograph Of A Lady With Frame
Family Tinted Portrait Photograph With No Case-1850 Era-ambrotype
Mother & Baby Cdv - Tax Stamp / Possible Pm
Ambrotype Photos With Case...civil War Era....wiggins,barnes Photographers, 
Male-tinted Portrait Photograph With Ornate Case-1850's-ambrotype
Twin Tinted Portrait Photograph With Ornate Case-1850 Era-ambrotype
9th Plate Ambrotype Of Outlaw Looking Man
Victorian Framed Ambrotype Lady & Man Tinted Detail
Lot Of 4 Vintage Ambrotype Photographs
Ambrotype Framed Photo
Antique Ambrotype In Gilt Frame Stern Man With Bible ? Poss Daguerreotype
Daguerreotype -- Tough Toddler Dude - 9th Plate In Half Case
Collection Of 5 Cased Ambrotype 19th C Images, 4 Cases.
Antique 1895 Ambrotype Original Frame Photograph Mother & Child 
Folksy Husband & Wife Gold Pricked Jewelry Sixth Plate Ambrotype
Great Old Couple Loads Of Character Lightly Tinted Ambrotype Sixth Plate
Presidential Looking Gentleman W/ Blue Eyes Near Column Ambrotype Lightly Tinted
Very Rare C.1880's Ambrotype Slide-columns Of Palmyra By Archer & Sons England
Antique Ambrotype Photo Two Victorian Women Holding Hands Framed 1/6 Plate
Sixth Plate Ambrotype Of Mother Holding Her Baby
Ambrotype Of Sitting Woman - Sixth Plate- Lynchburg Virginia Estate - No Reserve
Antique Tinted Ambrotype In Gilt Frame 19c Young Boy
British Seaside Ambrotype: Turn Of The Century Lady + Dog ...st. Bernard Cross ?
Ambrotype: Lovely Painterly Portrait Of A Victorian Lady Circa 1850s Sixth Plate
6th Plate Ambrotype Of Kind Looking Family Matriarch
