Civil War Tintypes

 
Here is a selection of Union and Confederate infantry, cavalry, artillery, or civilian Civil War tintypes. Because of their value to collectors, historians, and history buffs, many of these Civil War tintypes will never be for sale again.
Civil War Era Tintype Photo Portrait of Young Woman


Civil War Era Tintype Photo Portrait of Young Woman

Buy It Now: $27.00
Time Left: 2h 4m
Civil War Era Tintype Photo Portrait of Young Woman


Civil War Era Tintype Photo Portrait of Young Woman

Buy It Now: $35.00
Time Left: 2h 7m
Civil War Era Tintype Photo Portrait of a Young Man


Civil War Era Tintype Photo Portrait of a Young Man

Buy It Now: $25.00
Time Left: 2h 10m
Civil War Soldier Tintype Tin type Photo


Civil War Soldier Tintype Tin type Photo

Price: $24.99 (2 Bids)
Time Left: 2h 17m
CIVIL WAR TINTED TINTYPE "GREAT GRANDFATHER QUIGLEY


CIVIL WAR TINTED TINTYPE "GREAT GRANDFATHER QUIGLEY

Price: $4.95 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2h 23m
Civil War Soldier Tintype Tin Type Photo Daguerreotype


Civil War Soldier Tintype Tin Type Photo  Daguerreotype

Price: $39.95 (5 Bids)
Time Left: 2h 31m
Civil War Soldier Tintype F C Ann Arbor, MICH (HaiR LK)


Civil War Soldier Tintype F C Ann Arbor,  MICH (HaiR LK)

Price: $31.00 (3 Bids)
Time Left: 2h 34m
Antique Civil War Soldier Photo Tintype , Hat & Uniform


Antique Civil War Soldier Photo Tintype ,  Hat & Uniform

Price: $45.00 (9 Bids)
Time Left: 3h 6m
Original Civil War Armed Soldier Tintype Photograph


Original Civil War Armed Soldier Tintype Photograph

Price: $96.00 (7 Bids)
Time Left: 3h 26m
MINIATURE ANTIQUE CIVIL WAR ERA TINTYPE PHOTO ALBUM


MINIATURE ANTIQUE CIVIL WAR ERA TINTYPE PHOTO ALBUM

Price: $17.48 (3 Bids)
Time Left: 12h 36m
Little girl Belle Civil War Stripe Dress Tinted tintype


Little girl Belle Civil War Stripe Dress Tinted tintype

Price: $6.75 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 17h 37m
How to make Tintype Ferrotype photographs Civil War Era


How to make Tintype Ferrotype photographs Civil War Era

Price: $9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 17h 42m
NEAR MINT CIVIL WAR ERA ANTIQUE UNION CASE WITH TINTYPE


NEAR MINT CIVIL WAR ERA ANTIQUE UNION CASE WITH TINTYPE

Buy It Now: $250.00
Time Left: 23h 50m
Civil War Soldier 1 6 Tintype F C Brookfield, Illinois


Civil War Soldier 1 6 Tintype F C  Brookfield,  Illinois

Price: $65.00 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 4h 29m
Antique Civil War Tintype of a Soldier


Antique Civil War Tintype of a Soldier

Price: $26.08 (10 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 18h 53m
Antique Civil War Era Tintype Photograph Top Hat Man


Antique Civil War Era Tintype Photograph Top Hat Man

Price: $5.00 (3 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 20h 5m
Black Civil War Soldier Tintype W Case Nice Small Case!


Black Civil War Soldier Tintype W Case Nice Small Case!

Price: $79.99 (5 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 23h 23m
1 4 Plate Tintype Civil War Drummer


1 4 Plate Tintype Civil War Drummer

Price: $100.00 (5 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 14m
CIVIL WAR (?) TINTYPE LADY J.R. APPLEGATE PHILADELPHIA


CIVIL WAR (?) TINTYPE LADY J.R. APPLEGATE PHILADELPHIA

Price: $19.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 1h 34m
Civil War Soldier Tintype TRIPLE ARMED Everett, MA


Civil War Soldier Tintype TRIPLE ARMED Everett,  MA

Price: $200.00 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 1h 37m
CIVIL WAR(?) TINTYPE TWO HUNTERS LONG RIFLES DOG HATS


CIVIL WAR(?) TINTYPE TWO HUNTERS LONG RIFLES DOG HATS

Price: $49.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 1h 39m
Cased Tintype of Man in Civil War ? Uniform


Cased Tintype of Man in Civil War ? Uniform

Price: $24.00 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 15h 59m
CIVIL WAR ERA TINTYPE OF PRETTY LADY IN NICE HOOP DRESS


CIVIL WAR ERA TINTYPE OF PRETTY LADY IN NICE HOOP DRESS

Price: $4.99 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 18h 14m
CIVIL WAR ERA TINTYPE EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY HAIR IN SNOOD


CIVIL WAR ERA TINTYPE EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY HAIR IN SNOOD

Price: $4.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 18h 34m
Civil War Soldier 1 9 plate Tintype Columbus, Ohio B+!!


Civil War Soldier 1 9 plate Tintype Columbus,  Ohio B+!!

Price: $70.00 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 9m
Old Civil War Photograph, Tintype, Daguerreotype, Case


Old Civil War Photograph, Tintype, Daguerreotype, Case

Price: $49.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 36m
Civil War Soldier w Document Tinted Tintype Photo


Civil War Soldier w Document Tinted Tintype Photo

Price: $35.87 (6 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 1h 12m
Civil War Era Tintype Armed Civilian Holding a Pistol


Civil  War Era Tintype Armed Civilian Holding a Pistol

Price: $17.58 (5 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 3h 27m
RARE Tintype Photo HANDSOME MAN Seated c1870 Civil War


RARE Tintype Photo HANDSOME MAN Seated c1870 Civil War

Price: $3.99 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 4h 8m
RARE Tintype Photo HANDSOME MAN Bowtie c1870 Civil War


RARE Tintype Photo HANDSOME MAN Bowtie c1870 Civil War

Price: $3.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 4h 8m
Because of the new improvements on the wet plate process and the cheap prices of the new tintypes, photography became extremely popular during the Civil War. Matthew Brady, the most renowned portrait and Civil War photographer of the period, had a steady stream of generals, officers, and enlisted men visit his Washington gallery to get their photo taken as keepsakes for their relatives.
 
Here you'll come across Civl War tintypes of all kinds. Most were taken of people, whether they be young or old, soldier or civilian, but you will also find tintypes of landscapes, buildings, and some with pets. It was popular in the 19th century for both Union and Confederate soldiers to pose with their rifles, pistols, knives, or bayonets. Civil War soldiers were fiercely proud to serve for their country. Many left to war in search of a great adventure, and many because they could never live with the shame of staying behind.
 
Notice the large variety of uniforms in CW tintypes, even among the northern troops, who generally all dressed alike. While the regular army had navy blue frock coats and trousers, the volunteers (the majority of the Northern army), wore sky blue trousers with their frock or sack coats. Zouave units such as the 5th New York or the 72nd Pennsylvanians were wild exceptions however, as they wore flashy red and blue jackets and baggy pants, contrasted with white leggings, tassled turbins, and a sash.
 
The biggest difference in uniforms is with the Confederate army. Southern units tended to uniform themselves like militias. Civil War tintype after tintype willl show short shell jackets, long frock coats, and medium sack coats of different patterns and cuts with varying colors and shades of grey, brown, and butternut. Also, while the south clothed their men fairly well in the beginning of the war, when supplies and transportation became scarce, most southern uniforms deteriorated into rags, and many went barefoot.
 
In many CW tintypes you'll clearly recognize the soldiers insignias of corps, division, brigade, regiment, or company. You can determine by a corp badge alone what theatre of the war an unknown soldier was in, thus, at any given year, where they likely served. You'll also see a big difference in accoutrements, whether they be the shapes of cartridge boxes, the style of belt buckles, the color of haversacks, or the material of cloth and buttons. You may be surprised to learn that a belt buckle alone can tell you what unit the soldier was likely in.
 
Also interesting is the types of rifles they took into battle. The north generally were well-armed with rifled muskets, Springfields, Enfields, etc.. Southern soldiers were not as well armed. Many used captured northern weapons after battles. Notice how often you'll also see southern soldiers sporting shotguns or smoothbore flintlocks in tintypes.
 
Some famous Civil War tintypes are fake, or for a better word “staged”. Alexander Gardner actually dragged bodies around battlefields and posed them as he thought visually pleasing, his most famous being “Home of the Rebel Sharpshooter”. It was discovered he had photographed the same soldier in multiple locations.
 
Civil War tintypes are fascinating. Look at these photos again and again with a detective's eye and further research the times. You'll see far more than you thought possible.