LEV, Abraham Judah.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Tintype family portrait. An early family photographic portrait in the tintype medium, showing the publisher Abraham Judah Lev with his wife and children.Lev (1834-1901) was born in Russian Poland and came to England at age 19. Raised Jewish, he converted to Christianity in 1854, and in 1863 set up as a printer and publisher in Whitechapel. His publications, most notably the periodical The Everlasting Nation, sought to convert other Jews to Christianity. Included is a document by the great-great-great-grandson of Lev, noting the family history and biographical details of Lev.Tintypes are a direct positive photograph printed on a thin sheet of metal and coated with lacquer. They were invented in the 1850s, and during the 1860s and 1870s were among the most popular mediums for private portraiture. They were favoured for their sturdiness (unlike other mediums they did not need mounting), and were relatively cheap and easy to produce.

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.