Grouping of three photographs, views include:
 

1. Half plate tintype "spirit" photograph. Velvet, silk, and brass frame. 

2. Sixth plate ambrotype half-length portrait of the same gentleman.. Thermoplastic case with geometric motif

3. Sixth plate tintype three-quarter length portrait of the same gentleman examining an unidentified item. Half leatherette case. 

Extraordinary group that features a rare example of 19th-century "spirit" photography, a genre that emerged in the wake of the American Civil War and gained popularity alongside the rise of Spiritualism. The image depicts a seated man with a solemn demeanor at a small, draped table, while behind him stands a faint, ethereal female figure - presumably meant to represent the spirit of a deceased loved one. The visual effect is accomplished through double exposure, a photographic manipulation technique used by spirit photographers to simulate ghostly presences.

[Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards]