Portrait of a Young woman, c.1880, Cabinet Card, 108 x 165 mms, Photographer- Achley, Rockford, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The cabinet card was a style of photograph which was widely used for photographic portraiture after 1870. It consisted of a thin photograph mounted on a card typically measuring 108 by 165 mm (4 1⁄4 by 6 1⁄2 inches). It was usually made of an albumen print, The cabinet card was larger and usually included…

Portrait of an American, c.1870, Tintype, 105 x 65 mm, Unknown Photographer, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

A tintype, also known as a melainotype or ferrotype, is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal coated with a dark lacquer or enamel. There are two historic tintype processes: wet and dry. In the wet process, a collodion emulsion containing suspended silver halide crystals had to be formed…

Portrait of three Women, c.1870, Tintype, 90 x 60 mm, Unknown Photographer, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Donation of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

A tintype, also known as a melainotype or ferrotype, is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal coated with a dark lacquer or enamel. There are two historic tintype processes: wet and dry. In the wet process, a collodion emulsion containing suspended silver halide crystals had to be formed…

Mini Spy Camera, 1950, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

This Miniature Spy Camera was a unique import from Hong Kong during the 1950s and 1960s. It can “hide in the palm of the hand”; sometimes called a vest pocket camera. This particular model was made in Hong Kong. It has an actual glass lens, viewfinder, shutter, advance film wind-up knob, and comes with a small…

Киев (Kiev) 60 TTL, 1984-1999, SLR Camera, PhotoMuse Collection, 2015, Donation of Mr. Balan Madhavan.

Kiev 60 is a medium format SLR film system camera manufactured by Kiev, Ukraine, in the former USSR. It was produced between 1984-1999. Kiev, the English Romanization of Киев, is the capital of Ukraine. The cost of the Kiev 60 and its Pentacon Six lens compatibility make it a value-oriented camera for amateur photographers interested…

Ms. Annie Besant, c.1900, Albumen Print, 152×104 mm, Photographer- Bharahitishi Co., Muttra, U. P., PhotoMuse Collection, 2017, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal.

Annie Besant (1847 –1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, women’s rights activist, writer, orator, educationist, and philanthropist. Regarded as a champion of human freedom, she was an ardent supporter of both Irish and Indian self-rule. She was a prolific author with over three hundred books and pamphlets to her credit. As an educationist, her contributions included…

The former Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home, Bombay, 1890, Albumen Print, 140×210 mm, Unknown Photographer, PhotoMuse Collection, 2018, Gift of Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, Source – Herbert Ascherman Collection.

The former Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home, Bombay, designed by Frederick William Stevens. This was enlarged in 1928 by the construction of the Council Hall behind it, and is often found as the Council Hall in earlier sources; it is now the State Police Headquarters for Maharashtra.