Ambrotype on Ruby Glass of man with Concertina/*Symphonium
I would like to have someone who knows about this type of instrument give me some feedback on my identification. We have called the instrument in this quarter plate ambrotype an accordion but looking at photographs of 19th century musical instruments I think it might be a type of concertina, perhaps a bandoneón. I have read that these were popular props in photographic studios but this man seems more at home with the instrument than some I have seen. An example is the child with a similar instrument in one of our daguerreotypes.
* I just discovered that this ambrotype is on ruby glass and that there is pencil writing on the black paper inside the case! Looks like he may join the identified cased images as soon as I can make out the words.
** Even though I am having problems with the name of this man I have been able to read a part of the pencil on black paper inscription. The combination of graphite on black and the 19th century handwriting almost defeated me but I was able to puzzle out a line "Holding his Symphonium". I find that symphonium was the original name for the concertina. I also think that I can read "New Germantown" and "Perry Co." which would put the origin in Pennsylvania. This makes sense since most of our early collecting was in Pennsylvania.
Ambrotype on Ruby Glass of man with Concertina/*Symphonium
I would like to have someone who knows about this type of instrument give me some feedback on my identification. We have called the instrument in this quarter plate ambrotype an accordion but looking at photographs of 19th century musical instruments I think it might be a type of concertina, perhaps a bandoneón. I have read that these were popular props in photographic studios but this man seems more at home with the instrument than some I have seen. An example is the child with a similar instrument in one of our daguerreotypes.
* I just discovered that this ambrotype is on ruby glass and that there is pencil writing on the black paper inside the case! Looks like he may join the identified cased images as soon as I can make out the words.
** Even though I am having problems with the name of this man I have been able to read a part of the pencil on black paper inscription. The combination of graphite on black and the 19th century handwriting almost defeated me but I was able to puzzle out a line "Holding his Symphonium". I find that symphonium was the original name for the concertina. I also think that I can read "New Germantown" and "Perry Co." which would put the origin in Pennsylvania. This makes sense since most of our early collecting was in Pennsylvania.