Ninth-plate tintype beneath an oval-aperture brass mat with stamped foliate preserver. N.p., ca. 1860s. Intact full embossed leatherette case with velvet facing pad.

Originally found in Nashville, Tennessee, this striking and dignifying Civil War–era portraitdepicts an African American woman, posed half-length facing slightly toward the viewer. The sitter is fashionably attired in a tailored dark dress featuring a white lace collar, a fitted bodice trimmed at the waist with patterned ribbon, and a matching band descending the center of her skirt. A delicate drop earring and an ornate neck brooch with an attached watch chain have been meticulously hand-accented in gilt by the photographer. Antebellum and Civil War–era cased images of African Americans, particularly women preserved in fine domestic studio portraiture, remain scarce and historically significant records of 19th-century Black self-representation.

[Tintype, Ferrotype, Ninth Plate, African Americana, Black History, African American Woman, Gilt Accents, Jewelry, Civil War Era, Cased Image, 19th Century Photography, Portraiture]

Very good condition. The plate retains strong contrast and sharp focus, with only light, scattered pinpoint dusting beneath the glass.