Offering this automatic photo machine tintype of a young man wearing a hat, housed inside its original folding cardboard frame, with cover still attached. These were basically early photo booth photos; the customer stood in front of the machine, which took their photo, and the tintype was developed automatically by the machine. The quality was usually pretty low, but the technology for the time was amazing.
This image dates to around 1900, plus or minus about 5 years (more likely 1890s than 1900s). On the back is printed, "Our Automatic Photographic Machine produces a photograph in thirty seconds". Closed, the frame is 3 1/8" x 2 3/4".
I have seen a few other examples of this exact photo machine product, but nearly all have lost their covers long ago, so finding one with its original cover affixed is a rarity, and finding another with its cover intact and in such great overall condition could be extremely difficult.
Other than the scuffs shown and a small hole in the spine tape, this piece is in very good antique condition, particularly the front and back covers, which are amazingly well preserved.
This image dates to around 1900, plus or minus about 5 years (more likely 1890s than 1900s). On the back is printed, "Our Automatic Photographic Machine produces a photograph in thirty seconds". Closed, the frame is 3 1/8" x 2 3/4".
I have seen a few other examples of this exact photo machine product, but nearly all have lost their covers long ago, so finding one with its original cover affixed is a rarity, and finding another with its cover intact and in such great overall condition could be extremely difficult.
Other than the scuffs shown and a small hole in the spine tape, this piece is in very good antique condition, particularly the front and back covers, which are amazingly well preserved.