Modern Day Antique- Daguerreotype, Ambrotype, Tintype cases

Even your great, great Grandmother would approve

Modern Day Antique is dedicated to preserving the beautiful image cases of the 1800's. Using modern methods and materials, we have made the old case new.

  Wet plate images, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes and tintypes are very fragile and were sold in a case to protect and display them. Original cases were made of wood covered with paper mache or embossed leather. A velvet pinch pad held the image in place and a velvet cover pad protected the cover glass. A brass hook and eye clasp closed the case firmly. Later, more elaberate Union cases were made. These cases were much more durable. While for the most part history has shown that the cases did what they were meant to do, protect the image inside them. But after over one-hundred fifty years many of the cases have worn out, fallen apart, cracked, lost their hook and eye clasps, or have broken hinges and lost tops, leaving thousands of early images without protection. Many images now are scratched, cracked, bent or worse. While many people collect early images and there is a growing interest in producing modern wet plate images with Civil War re-enactors and artist. The one thing missing is a new case. In the mid to late 1800's there were quite a few case makers in huge shops with hundreds of craftsman building cases. Wood workers, metal workers, leather workers and artists. Today, a hand full of people call themselves case makers. I am proud to be one of them.

Having your image made

Call us at 571-236-3810 or email us at sales@moderndayantique.com about setting up a photo session at our Thornville, OH studio.

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