Blog Anniversary - New Tintypes

Today is the two year anniversary of my blog. No fanfare because I forgot! When I looked up the anniversary date last night, I was surprised to see that it is today and that it has been two years already.

I bought these tintype photographs on Ebay a couple of days ago, and they were in my mailbox today. I have projects in mind for these little treasures. And since there isn't any information about any of them, I'll just have to make something up.


This website has interesting facts about women's clothes in tintype photographs during the Civil War era.
http://www.geocities.com/myrtleavenueclothiers/OGCivilWarWomen.html

The women in my tintypes seem to have different hair styles and somewhat different dresses. Any of you have any information to uncover the clues?

Old Tintypes and Photos

I found these photos at the Pomona Antique Fair in May. The top two are studio type photos, and the bottom two are tintypes.

Thomas is the name I have given the man in the tintype on the bottom right. I am currently working on an original piece with his tintype, and have created a short narrative for him as well.

The two women in the tintype on the bottom left look so prim and proper don't they? And the young woman in the upper right is lovely.

Tintype Woman - Sarah's Story Revealed

I wrote a story and incorporated it into a wall hanging for Sarah the tintype woman. Thank you to everyone who commented not only with suggested names for this woman, but also for ideas on her story. Some thought Sarah suited her as I did, so Sarah she is.

The background for the wall hanging is a vintage faded feedsack. I used the original tintype picture of 'Sarah' which is sewn to part of a sleeve from an antique dress. Also attached to the sleeve is a piece of polka dot fabric embellished with three mother of pearl shank buttons. Next to her picture is an antique metal button with an intricate pattern. Below her picture is her fictional story. I printed the story on thick brown paper, affixed it to fabric with matte gel medium, and then stitched it to the sleeve. Behind the sleeve is a piece of red and cream ticking. At the top of the wall hanging I used a transfer of an altered photo of a log cabin that I took this summer. To either side of the cabin are appliques of flowers cut from a vintage cotton print. At the very bottom, the floral border is the edge of a vintage hanky. The wall hanging measures 15" x 25".

Sarah's Story

Sarah’s thoughts drifted as she remained dutifully motionless like the photographer directed. She was well pleased with the dress she sewed carefully for days. The material was bought with part of the egg money she had saved for a year, and the buttons were salvaged from her own mother’s dress that had years ago deteriorated. Her freshly washed hair was pulled back from her face, and secured with her only comb. The ribbon necklace placed around her slender neck had been a wedding gift from her father. She wondered how long it would be before William would hold this picture. It was difficult to be apart with only letters to keep them close, and she hoped the picture would help him. Oddly, she felt that her picture in William’s pocket would somehow make her feel closer to him. Working the farm was hard without him, but did not compare to her hunger for his embrace. Her children helped her with the drudgeries. They missed their father nearly as much as she missed her husband.

She silently prayed, "Oh please God, end this war soon."

© 2009 Threads In Time by Pallas

Help Me Name This Woman

As I was saying in my last post, I like to buy photographs of people I don't know. I bought this little tin type today because I thought it would be perfect for a project. It measures 1.75" x 3". It isn't in the best shape, but the price was right. From what I understand, tin types were used from the 1850s until the early 1900s. Taking ones photo was certainly a planned event - no digital snap shots there!

I want to include a name for her in my project and thought perhaps 'Sarah' would fit. She probably is wearing her best polka dot dress. I wonder, did she make it, or was it 'store bought'? She looks groomed without fuss, and her hands look as if they were used to doing work. Was she married with children, and where did she live? What is 'Sarah's' story? Can you help me name her?