When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Antique Ruby Ambrotype Portrait — Mid-19th Century
Offered here is a beautiful antique ambrotype photograph on ruby (red-tinted) glass, housed in its original ornate gilt/brass mat and case. The image depicts a young man with center-parted hair, wearing a dark frock coat, white shirt, and wide bow-tie style cravat — clothing and grooming typical of the late 1850s to mid-1860s.
Ruby glass ambrotypes are a distinct sub-type of this early photographic process, using red-tinted glass instead of the earlier black-backed clear glass. This technique was introduced around 1858, helping narrow the likely date range for this process: Ambrotype (wet plate collodion on glass)
Glass type: Ruby (red-tinted) glassEstimated date: Late 1850s–mid 1860sCase/mat: Ornate scrolled gilt brass mat, leather case material with two hooksSubject: Unidentified young manPlate size: sixth plate, approx. 2.75" x 3.25"Markings/inscriptions: None visibleCondition:Sold as an antique item, over 150 years old. Please examine all photos closely. The 1/2 case shows expected age-appropriate wear.
Provenance:Unidentified sitter — no name or inscription accompanies this piece. Sold as found from an estate/collection.
Shipping:Will be carefully packed to protect the glass plate and case. Shipping to the United States only
Please note: As with all antique photography, exact dating and attribution are based on visual/stylistic evidence (clothing, hairstyle, glass type, case style) rather than a maker's mark, so buyers should factor that into their own research.
Feel free to fill in the bracketed details (exact measurements, case material, and condition notes) once you have the piece in hand — accurate condition disclosure matters a lot for buyer trust and dispute protection on .
