The tintype photographic process was patented in 1856, and its popularity swept through the United States in the following years. As the least expensive form of photographic portraiture, tintypes constituted most American’s first experience with photography or the portrait studio.

These photographs were sturdy, long-lasting and quick to produce, only taking a few minutes to shoot, develop and deliver. Because there was no photographic negative incorporated into the process, tintypes were unreproducible — each image was entirely unique.

Studios gave their subjects many opportunities to transform and express themselves for a photo, from backdrops to props to costumes.

A popular sub-genre of tintype was occupational portraiture, in which the subject posed with the tools of his trade. While most subjects walked into the tintype studio with the idea that the camera might capture or even reinvent their identity, those who posed for occupationals chose to characterize themselves by their trade.

This creates some humorous incongruities — a carpenter hammers nails into the floor in front of a forest backdrop, stovepipe makers wield their pliers in a fancy parlor, a papier-mache balustrade shares the frame with plumbers wielding wrenches. The visual combination of studio fantasy with earthbound practicality provides a unique view of a rarely glimpsed slice of American history.