1888s TINTYPE PHOTO Handsome Man Holding Watch Chain Fob Tinted 2 1/2 x 3 1/2
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1888s TINTYPE PHOTO Handsome Man Holding Watch Chain Fob Tinted 2 1/2 x 3 1/2:
$44.00
This is an absolutely stellar portrait! It has a ton of specific details that collectors look for, making it a highly desirable plate. Individual portraits of sharp-dressed young men with prominent accessories often out-perform standard group portraits if marketed correctly.
Here is the historical breakdown and what makes this image stand out:
The Watch Chain and Fob: This is the absolute biggest selling point of the image. The young man is deliberately holding onto his watch chain, drawing the viewer's eye to it. Hanging from his vest is a distinct watch fob. Collectors of horology (watch) history, historical jewelry, and men's fashion love images where the chain and fob are prominently featured and sharply in focus like this.
The Necktie and Collar: He is wearing a wide, textured necktie—likely an early puff tie or a neatly knotted cravat—tucked under a low, stiff standing collar.
The Suit: He's sporting a matching patterned three-piece suit consisting of a sack coat, a high-button vest, and trousers. The subtle vertical striping or texture in the fabric is exceptionally clear.
Cheek Tinting: If you look closely at his cheeks, you can see a faint, soft pink blush. This was a premium service offered by Victorian photographers who would manually apply a touch of red pigment to the finished metal plate to give the subject a more "lifelike" appearance.
This image sits beautifully right at the turn of the decade, circa 1888–1892:
The Backdrop: The background features a very busy, typical late-Victorian damask or wallpaper pattern backdrop, paired with a painted faux architectural frame on the far left.
The Haircut: His hair is cropped short on the sides with a distinct, short, textured fringe/bangs combed forward on top, which was incredibly popular for young men of the late 1880s and early 1890s.
The Prop: He is resting his left hand on a heavy, ornate studio pedestal or column, a classic stabilizing prop used to keep subjects perfectly still during the data-path-to-node="7">
1888s TINTYPE PHOTO Handsome Man Holding Watch Chain Fob Tinted 2 1/2 x 3 1/2:
$44.00
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1888s TINTYPE PHOTO Handsome Man Holding Watch Chain Fob Tinted 2 1/2 x 3 1/2
$44.00
