Figure 1.--This English Ambrotype was offered for sale described only as 'children with cart'. Tere is no location or date given. It was not a cased Ambro, but one with a hanging screw at the top, Overall size approximately 3 3/4 X 3 1/4 inches (9.5 x 8 cm). Most Ambros were made in the late-1850s and early-60s. The boys clothes, however, suggest a much later date. The sailor suit, shaort cut knee pants, and black long stockings here look to us very much like outfits worn in the 1890s or late-80s. Notice the eye-screw on a hanging frame.

Most Ambros we have been found in America are cased, just like Daguerreotypes. The Dag metal plate needed to be protected and the Ambro glass negtive was even more vulnerable to damage. Almost all the American Dags and Ambros we have found are cased. We have a smuch smaller English archive. But quite a few of the English ambros were not cased. Some had an eye screw for hanging imsages in a case-like display. We also see Ambros with much more elsborate frames. This is something we do not see to any extent in America. These Ambros were hung for display in the family parlor or other room. We do not have a large enough archive to assess how common this was, but we have found several English examples. But it is safe to see it was more common than in America. We think that this was the case for both Dags and Ambros, but we have not yet found Dag examples. We are not sute just how Dags were hung and displayed, but it was probably just like the Ambro examples we have found. The Ambro here is a good example (figure 1).

Cased Ambros

Most Ambros we have been found in America are cased, just like Daguerreotypes. The Dag metal plate needed to be protected and the Ambro glass negtive was even more vulnerable to damage. And casing the Dags and Ambros also protected them from sunlight. This could wash out the images. Almost all the American Dags and Ambros we have found are cased. We have a smuch smaller English archive. As far as we can tell, far fewer Ambros were made in Britain and oither European countries than in America. And quite a few of the English ambros that were taken and were not cased.

Wall Hangings

We notiuce Ambros that were done as wall hangings. The Ambro here is a good example (figure 1). It is not clear just why they were done as wall hangings. The size of the imags appear to be the same as the cased images. Which means that you cvirtually have to be nose length to actually see it. That rather defeats the viewing purpose of hanging the photograph on the wall. Also exposure to sunlight can fade out the image. Some had rather small wooden frames with an eye screw for hanging images in a case-like display. We also see Ambros with much more elaborate frames. This is something we do not see to any extrent in America. We have viewd thousands of American Ambros and Dags and almost all are cased photographs. These Ambros were hung for display in the family parlor or other room. We do not have a large enough English archive to assess how common this was, but we have found several examples. It is safe to say that it was much more common than in America. We think that this was the case for both Dags and Ambros, but we have not yet found Dag examples. We are not sure just how the Dags were hung and displayed, but it was probably just like the Ambro examples we have found.

Created: 10:18 PM 6/25/2011
Last updated: 9:15 PM 5/29/2018