Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

[vamick]

Anybody out there have any ideas here? ..before I screw this up myself:D
Ive got a 'typical' pre war dueguere/tintype/whathaveya case& picture of an ancestor that is in need of a serious "glue job"...what has happened is that the fairly archtypical bi folding case/paddedvelvet /metal fringed picture/ has been broken up ...the pieces are fairly large and seem to me to be 'fixable' but I have no idea how to bond them back..now...Im asuming that these cases are made of?? what?? a primative "plastic" Gutta Percha?? , this stuff seems pretty solid in structure, and Im tempted to bring out the ole "super glue" ( done neatly of course)..but Ive never read anywhere of how such restorations are carried out..?? has anybody attempted this?..this case is so pristine, the original makers label is inside ect..OH and this is a (I believe, if Ive got my sizes correct) a "quarter plate" ( common pocket sized)..any ideas apperciated!, he's been broken in a drawer for too long

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Cases were made of a variety of materials including; gutta percha, thermo-plastic, wood and leather...and other materials I am sure.

It's hard to tell what scale your project is, as you mention "several pieces", but then state that the case is pristine. While a makers label of the case is important...I find the photographers stamp is alot more desirable.

Any chance of seeing pictures to get a scope of this project?
Pictures of an ID'd image?

Paul B. Boulden Jr.

RAH VA MIL '04
23rd VA Vol. Regt.

[jgr1974]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Don't do anything yet!!!

I will aska friend of mine, He has an extensive collection of cases several have been repaired by his father. His father worked for many years in the autobody repair business for years. I seen some of his work, and it is hard to tell wher the repairs were made!

The Mad MIck!

[vamick]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Well the image is of one of my ggfathers prewar (undetermined date clothing wise a guesstimate would be 1850's) he joined the 22nd Va infantry and served under G. S. Patton ( gfather of WWII Patton) 'Ill post a the pic shortly, in fact it might be good as a 'before and 'after"..anyhow, I probably made it sound more like the Dead Sea scrolls than it is, the pieces are large and its probably broken in 1/3's??...no small shivers and it fits nicely back together..If I had to catagorize the case Id call it more like modern day thermo plastic/ imagine a broken clock radio case?..the material is mon- porus and everything fits back together with no missing pieces...my brothers and I just examined it again this past weekend and id'ed a few other old war era photos we have to later 1880's ancestors ( sure wish I had one in uniform!)..anyhow I think I can pull it off as Ive restored other Historic Register material ( altho those were stained glass windows:D)...im at least naively brave..what Im not so sure about is the bonding agent...??
BTW you mentioned wood, we have another view/same subject that is indeed on a wood case, tho, it is missing it's closing half

[vamick]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Don't do anything yet!!!

I will aska friend of mine, He has an extensive collection of cases several have been repaired by his father. His father worked for many years in the autobody repair business for years. I seen some of his work, and it is hard to tell wher the repairs were made!

The Mad MIck!

good deal!..im in a holding pattern...hey we may have worked on some of the same models!..I used to work for a place that did concours restorations in the 80's love those old cars I can even do a wee bit of leading!:)

[DOC1861]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Gary,

I have done restoration work with the Alabama State Historical Commission, Illinois State Archives, and Southern Illinois University Museum. I also have work with my own collection. Send me a PM and I will try to help you out.

[vamick]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Gary,

I have done restoration work with the Alabama State Historical Commission, Illinois State Archives, and Southern Illinois University Museum. I also have work with my own collection. Send me a PM and I will try to help you out.

OK Tim after another project involving these pics/ketters intruded the pics are on their way..hope everything "opens" in th email I sent thanks again!:)

[fortdonelsonrelics]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

To re-iterate, this case can be repaired and depending on the motif on the front of the case it could be more than worth the effort.

Samuel Peck was first given a patent in 1854 for perfecting the "Union Case". The term Union was used as a synonym for the word composition in his patent, and thereafter became his trade name for his type of cases. However, this tag line "union" was not patented and therefore you will see it on many case labels.

These cases were made primarily from sawdust & shellac and had been patented by Nelson Goodyear (1851) as an improvement in the production of Indian Rubber.

John Walsh
FDR

[vamick]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Here are pics of the broken case, Ive never posted pics here before so this will either work er not...in short order

[vamick]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

VIOLA!!
So, here is the glass ambro that was in the case, my maternal GGfather (sargent 22nd Va. inf.) which ( I think*) is pre war
the others are a different picture ( I think he's older in this ( post war?) what say you?? It is smaller and the case ( appears that it was at one time a 'union case' as it has a small brass hook attached on side ) the case appears to be wooden or some such composit, and not Gutta Percha as is the large case





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[toccoa42]

Re: Ideas on repair of 'tintype' cases

Here are pics of the broken case, Ive never posted pics here before so this will either work er not...in short order

It looks like the case can be repaired, but it will require extensive restoration work. I can make the repairs, but there will be some caveats:

1. I would need to see the case for real, not just in photos, to give you a true assessment of what repair work will actually be required.

2. Right off, my initial assessment is that extensive gluing will be required, of course, but additional filler will have to be applied to fill in the places where chunks are missing.

3. Once the filler is applied, the areas will have to be resculpted to match the original detail.

4. Once resulpted, the repaired areas will have to be repainted to match the original color.

What you will have in the end is a restored frame, not an original frame, because I will be introducing materials that were not "original" to the original. Also, the "original" appearance will change somewhat, because a certain degree of clean-up will have to happen due to the introduction of these materials, namely, the paint. I can match the original aged appearance to a degree, but it will not be "original" aging, it will be artificial.

So, given the above info, do you want to give it a whack?