Does anyone here know anything about old photographs? I collect antiques, and on my trip to the local antique store I aquired some very old photographs. They appear to be "cabinet cards"--meaning the photo is applied to a hard stock (paper board) backing with some decorative embossing.

I'm having a hell of a time with one photograph. It's a family photo and appears to be taken at the end of the 19th century (most likely 1880's or 1890's). The clothing of the individuals seems to support this as well. However the photo is odd. When looking at it straight on the image is not a "high gloss" type image. If you turn it ever so slightly (at an angle) it then appears as if the image is a "negative".

Anyone know of this photo type or developmental process?

Thanks,
Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 06-17-2006).]

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 06-17-2006).]

Squeak...I'm digging back into photography history, but in the mid-to late 1800's surfaces to be printed on (images exposed) were hand-coated with a silver oxide surface. A brush was used. The phot sensitive surface was thick enough that, when looked at at an angle, you could see the layers as the image was exposed at differewnt levels (darker was deeper). Seeing the image would help, but I'm not really a historical expert, even though we're a fairly large regional photography house.


russ