Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

Spring Photographic History Auction

Sat, May 3, 2025 01:00PM EDT
Lot 206

Full Plate Tintype of Brick Home with Milk Cans, ca. 1870s

Estimate: $200 - $300

Bid Increments

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Impressive full plate tintype featuring a two-story brick house with multiple figures posed across the porch, balcony, and windows. A fine architectural portrait, the structure boasts tall shuttered windows, arched lintels, dual chimneys, and a second-story wraparound porch with turned balustrades. This stately rural home, likely located in the Midwest, reflects both the prosperity and domestic pride of its owners.

In the foreground, a white picket fence encloses the yard, and to the right, a wooden platform supports at least eight large metal milk cans—an unmistakable nod to the family's involvement in dairy farming. At least a dozen individuals are visible, including men, women, and children, standing or seated throughout the frame, creating an active domestic tableau. Their relaxed yet intentional poses lend warmth and narrative depth to the scene.

The tintype measures approximately 6½" x 8½" and retains strong contrast with excellent architectural clarity. This image offers a rare and vivid glimpse into post-Civil War rural life, architecture, and agricultural economy—an exceptional survivor from the golden age of tintype photography.

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