Types of Antique Photos and How to Identify Them

Identifying types of antique photos can be difficult and mind-boggling at best. Antique photos such as cyanotypes and tintypes are much easier than most of the others. Generally, when you check antique photo identification websites, they can be tedious to read and lack actual photo examples of the types of antique photos.

I put this antique photo identification guide together with brief explanations to give you a general idea of the phototypes, the periods of their popularity, and ways to identify them. For more information on antique photos, please visit rosetree-media.com where I have posted a blog with more details.

Daguerreotypes
Dates: 1839 to c. 1860

Not all antique photos were created on paper. These were created on a thin plate of copper. There was a silver coat on the copper plate which creates a mirror-like appearance. They were placed behind glass to protect them. It was common to put them in hinged, wood cases with a covering of leather or paper.

The surface is polished and highly reflective which can make them difficult to see. If you slowly rock it right and the left until it becomes clear. This will identify it as a daguerreotype.

Ambrotypes
Dates: 1851 to c. 1880

The ambrotype is a negative image printed on glass. When a background of black paper is put behind it then the positive image appears. If you take it out of the case be extremely careful not to touch the image on the glass.

Salt Paper Prints:
Dates: 1839 to c. 1860

When you see an antique photo that is a monochrome reddish-brown (untoned)or a purplish brown, it could be a Salt Paper Print. When faded they may have a yellowish-brown or greenish appearance.
Salt Paper Prints have a matte surface and you can usually see the fibers from the paper. It is common for them to fade to a very pale yellowish color.

Platinotypes
Dates: 1880 to c. 1930 for Platinotypes and 1916 to c. 1930 for the Palladiotypes

These antique photos are printed on uncoated paper with a matte texture with the paper fibers visible. They are more stable than some of the other antique photo papers but still fade and get a silvering appearance along with discoloring. During WWI all available platinum was being used by the war efforts and also became expensive. So, the cheaper palladium which gave similar results came into use.

Cyanotype
Dates: c. 1880 to c. 1910

As mentioned in the introduction, this is one of the easiest types among antique photos to identify because of its blue tint. Also, they have a matte texture and you can see the fibers.

Albumen Prints
Dates: 1851 to c. 1900s

These antique photos are printed on thin paper with an albumen coating and a semi-gloss surface appearance. You will see these on heavy card stock such as Cabinet Cards. Highlights fade to a yellowish appearance. There is a crackle texture appearance.

Carbon Prints
Dates: 1855 to the 1930

These are antique photos that could be any color. You can see the paper fibers in the highlight areas. They tend to crack in areas that have a dark tone.

Collodion Prints
Dates: 1880s to the 1920s with a glossy appearance and 1984 to the 1920s with a matte appearance.

These are fairly stable antique photos and are less likely to fade. Usually mounted on heavy card stock. You most likely will not be able to see the paper fibers. They have a gloss surface of sulfur sepia and gold tones with a purple color. They also come with a matte surface that has gold or platinum tones. If you hold them under a fluorescent light, you will often see a subtle rainbow effect.

Gelatin Print (Silver Chloride)
Dates: c. 1880 to c. 1910

There are antique photos that have a glossy appearance. Those with a brown or purplish hue can fall into the Gelatin Print category. You will most often see them faded to yellow and will not see the paper fibers.

Gelatin Print (Silver Bromide)
Dates: c. 1880 to present

Gelatin prints generally have a black and white appearance unless they have deteriorated like the example above. They can be glossy, textured, or matte with the paper’s fibers not visible.

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