RARE MID-19TH CENTURY AMERICAN ANTIQUE OCCUPATIONAL DIMINUTIVE GEM TINTYPE RAILROAD CONDUCTOR in ORIGINAL LEATHER 

& SCARLET VELVET HINGED CASE, with 

PRESSED TIN ORNATE, DECORATIVE 

GOLD TIN FRAMED LINER

[Leather case spine previously reinforced 

with brown fabric tape]

(Circa 1860-1875)

 Mid-19th century American occupational railroadiana photographs & gem tintypes

DIMENSIONS: 

  1 ¾" Width x 2" Height x ½" Depth 

  

 DESCRIPTION:

Estate fresh. Completely, absolutely original and untouched. This wonderful and unaltered photographic time capsule in the form of a mid-19th century, US Civil war era, diminutive black and white gem tintype photograph of a rather young American railroad conductor, is in its original period stamped, hinged brown leather, gilt decorated case, with a scarlet red velvet inset sleeve. The railroad conductor is clothed in period occupational dress and wears a familiar railroad conductor's cloak or heavy lapeled wool coat, as well as a distinctive, visored railroad conductor's cap. The tradition of hand-coloring the sitter's cheeks with applied blush or faint red coloring, was to give the black and white figurative portrait more 'life' and make it appear the person was in fact a living, breathing thing of warm flesh and not a cool, posthumous black and white, with ashen mid-tone grays, photograph of a person locked in a death struggle, where the warmth of their blood and the ensuing color in their cheeks, would have both dissipated. The gem tintype photograph hasn't been removed from its frame and remains untouched and as it was originally constituted under glass. There's no inscription, handwritten or otherwise on the front of the tintype. The photographic quality is quite good, with the image of the young American railroad conductor being remarkably clear and quite crisp and a revealing photographic portrait of a young American man proud of his work and wanting to commemorate his specific and particular occupation, with this at the time, fairly inexpensive small gem-sized tintype studio photograph. Great expression, human presence and great period costume, all surrounded in its original mid-19th century antique frame presentation. Only the scarlet red velvet on the interior sleeve of the leather case is now slightly diminished and unevenly faded, perhaps after being displayed open for at least some of the 170 years since it was initially taken. A simply magnificent piece of early American railroadiana and photographic record of early American railroad history, during or slightly after the conclusion of the US Civil War. Outstanding. Rare. Fresh.

CONDITION:

Very Good to Excellent overall vintage condition. A piece of sepia brown colored fabric tape was previously applied to what may have been a broken or partially torn spine hinge, where the leather boxed case opens and closes. The case was found in the estate as it is now and was left in 'as-is' condition. This appears to be the only and singular condition and issue, that's not original to the cased gem tintype photograph. Splendid.