Name/Title
Tintype with Gutta Percha CaseEntry/Object ID
2025.93.9Description
A tintype photograph in a red, round, 1.75" diameter case made of gutta-percha. Tintype photographs were patented in 1856 and were actually printed on iron rather than tin. They were durable and provided a clean and clear image. This photograph is of a white woman with dark hair in a dark dress with one hand in her lap and the other resting on something next to her. The photo is rimmed with a gold beaded border.
The case is made from gutta percha, a thermoplastic made from the gutta-percha tree native to Southeast Asia. Often compared to rubber, gutta percha was used in quite a number of ways, including the coating of electrical cables, walking canes, golf balls, and dental fillings for root canals (still in use today).
The lid of this case is cracked and broken but the rest of the case is in good condition.Context
Found in Elks' Choice Cigar Box 2025.93.7Collection
General CollectionLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term
TintypeNomenclature Secondary Object Term
Positive, DirectNomenclature Primary Object Term
PhotographNomenclature Sub-Class
Graphic DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsLocation
Location
* Untyped Location
Archives U1-C-6Category
PermanentDate
September 14, 2025Provenance
Provenance Detail
Found ObjectCreated By
Kearney, QuinlanCreate Date
September 14, 2025Updated By
Kearney, QuinlanUpdate Date
September 14, 2025