Here we have an 1880s occupational tintype photograph of two young men who have arrived at the portrait studio with a nightstick, a whiskey flask, a cigarette, and absolutely no intention of keeping the peace.
The fellow on the right has made certain selections from his wardrobe that he would like you to notice: a kepi-style officer's cap with a badge on the front, a bow tie knotted with civic authority, suspenders, a nightstick planted between his knees like a pillar of justice, and a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth with absolutely zero apology. His companion on the left, bowler tilted at the angle of a man unbothered by consequence, is cradling a glass whiskey flask in both hands like it is the most natural thing in the world, which for him it clearly is.
The joke, and these two young men were absolutely in on it, is that the hat and the stick are the entire extent of the law enforcement presence in this photograph. Everything else is a violation. One man is the officer. One man is the flask. Together they have created a complete commentary on the relationship between authority and appetite in Gilded Age America, and they did it in a single sitting before a painted forest backdrop, which only makes it better.
This is not a formal portrait. This is a statement. The cigarette is lit, the whiskey is present, the badge is on, and nobody in this frame is conflicted about any of it. The body language alone tells you these two have been friends long enough to know exactly how far they can push a joke and still come out looking good. The answer, as it turns out, is pretty far.
Cased occupational tintypes of working men turn up regularly. A sixth-plate tintype photograph of a self-appointed officer of the law posing with a police nightstick, a lit cigarette, and a companion openly cradling a glass whiskey flask, all deliberately, all with a straight face, in front of a painted woodland backdrop, does not turn up twice. This image has existed once for over a century. Whoever puts it on their wall is the last stop on a very long journey.
The unusual tintype photograph measures about 3 1/2" tall, and just over 2 1/2" wide. The plate is a bare sixth-plate tintype, no case, no sleeve, traveling as it has apparently always traveled, on its own terms. Heavy oxidation and foxing cross the emulsion with the character you would expect from 140 years of existence. The upper left corner shows rust bleed from the iron substrate. The lower left corner has a diagonal delamination split that stays well clear of both figures (see pics). None of it touches the image in any way that matters. These two come through loud and clear. Please see all pics as they are part of the description.
I ship FedEx to street addresses in the continental USA only (no PO boxes). The rare tintype will be shipping housed in a hard sleeve. Free shipping on the unusual 19th century photograph.
Everyone just needs to chill while we take 20 minute to take this photo.
