The Ambrotype photograph lifespan was very short, but produced a vast collection of beautiful images. While the Daguerrotype ushered in some artistic treatment of photographs, the skill of photographers flourished with Ambrotypes.

Many Ambrotypes dispell the belief that all old pictures were of sour looking people. Many attractive people with expressions of personality were caught by gifted photographers.

The Ambrotype photograph was made by coating a piece of glass with silver solution and exposing this to the image. The image is on the BACK of the glass and is sandwiched with another glass behind it. The back glass is coated with a black substance.

Care must be taken to not scratch the back, dark surface, as you will scratch away the photograph. Because the photograph is glass and very fragile, all Ambrotype pictures were mounted in a frame, usually brass, and then placed in protective case.