Tintypes at Molly Brown House's Victorian Horrors

Sit for an Authentic 1850's Wet Plate Tintype :: October 13-28, 2023

WHAT IS A TINTYPE???

Invented in 1851 by sculptor Frederick Scott Archer, tintypes were the first prominent form of photography. One-of-a-kind, they are handmade by pouring light-sensitive chemistry onto metal plates before exposing them in antique cameras. The final product is an image made of pure silver that will last for centuries to come.

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Portraits Forged in Silver by Sunlight

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Photographs on Metal

At the dawn of photography in the 1850s photographers pulled darkroom wagons with teams of horses and made portraits of silver and tin so durable they continue to survive to this day.

Generational Heirlooms

Tintypes can last for centuries, if not millennia. Your children's children's children will get to look at these portraits and wonder what the heck you were wearing in 2023 and why.

Why No Smiles?

Historically, photographs required so much light that exposures were often 30 seconds. You try holding a natural smile for 30 seconds. Go on, try it in the mirror. You know you want to.

Why go home with a T-shirt when you can leave with an Heirloom?

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I Want a Tintype Portrait!

Sessions last 15 minutes & include one tintype portrait.
4x5 inch = $75 5x7 inch = $100
$25 Deposit required to book your session.
Singles, couples, very small families.
Reserve more than one session if you want multiple plates!
Dress up... textures, layers, patterns... blues get brighter, reds and yellows get darker. Be you at your most wonderfully unique!
Please arrive on time (else everyone after you suffers...)
Come early and watch!
Remember, your Victorian Horror tour will start on time and last for one hour, so please plan accordingly.
Finished plates will be available for pickup after one week at the Molly Brown store, or can be mailed to your home for $20.
A high-res scan will be available to download from this site.