Painted Photographs

(Above) Hand-tinted silver gelatin photograph, c. 1950s

(Above) Hand-tinted photograph, c. 1940s

(Above) Hand-tinted photobooth image, c. 1950s
(Above) Hand-tinted photobooth image, c. 1940s

(Above) Painted tintype, 19th century

(Above) Painted tintype, 19th century

(Above) Painted tintype, 19th century

(Above) Hand-tinted daguerreotype image, c. 1940s

BEFORE THE ADVENT OF COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY, AMATEURS AND SKILLED ARTISANS would simply add color with watercolor or oil paints. Some were wonderful at it, as in the 19th century daguerreotype above, and others were less than skilled. Tintypes provided a strong base for oil paint, and during that period photo studios would often an option for “color.” But just imagine, in a world where photographic technology had not yet given color (to the vast majority of people anyway), adding your own color was fairly easy to achieve.

These photographs were all for sale on eBay by various dealers.

1950’s Paint Store Display

Brushes by Baker in-store display.
Click any image for larger view.

I SPOTTED THIS ON EBAY THE OTHER DAY. It’s a hand-tinted photograph of a paint brush display back in the 1950s. I love the primary colors, the type, and especially the “cityscape” skyscrapers at the top and sides. Also, I did a quick check, and Baker brushes are still being made today.