melainotype

Melainotype is a photographic process developed by Bartholomew F. His was patented in 1866. It is a variation of the tintype process, also known as ferrotype. In the melainotype, the image is produced on a black enameled iron plate. This black enamel provides a dark background for the positive image, similar to the black varnish used in tintypes.

The process involves coating a prepared iron plate with a dark, glossy enamel. This enamel is then sensitized with a collodion emulsion, typically containing silver salts. The sensitized plate is exposed in a camera, developing the latent image. After exposure, the plate is developed, fixed, and washed, resulting in a direct positive image. The dark enameled surface allows the metallic silver of the image to appear bright against the black background.

Melainotypes were produced as individual photographic portraits and were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They offered a more durable and less expensive alternative to daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. The black enamel gave them a distinct, often deep, tonal quality. While visually similar to tintypes, the use of a specifically prepared black enameled plate is the defining characteristic of the melainotype.