The aesthetic of the Civil War is synonymous with the tintype. Civil War tintypes were inexpensive and easily produced. A photographer could prepare the plate, take the photograph, and deliver a finished portrait to a customer very quickly. And while they were invented nearly a decade before, the demand from soldiers brought about their prominence. Eventually the paper photograph, which could be endlessly reproduced from negatives, surpassed the tintype in prominence.
1861-1863. Tin Type. “Private Henry Augustus Moore of Co. F, 15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, with artillery short sword and sign reading Jeff Davis and the South!”
The aesthetic of the Civil War is synonymous with the tintype. Civil War tintypes were inexpensive and easily produced. And while they were invented nearly a decade before, the demand from soldiers brought about their prominence.