Featured More than Tinted Photo

I won these nicely painted photos today ($30 per image). It was one of those poorly described sales. I’m no expert in photography, but these widened my eyes enough to start googling. It did not take long to see potential value. They are 1/4 plate size, in two matching cases.



I’ll have to wait a week or two before I can know exactly what type of photograph the painting is on and what else is under each image.



These cases depict tragic lovers Hafed and Hinda, and are noted to be scarce. I found it's identified in two books as Krainik 35 and Berg 1-29. There are a three on eBay, all north of 200. The only sale I found was 15 years ago at 180.

If anyone has these books, do they say anything more about it?

More in two weeks ...

 

Nice !!!!

 

THE PARTING OF HAFED AND HINDA RARE UNION DAG CASE & BRIGHT YOUNG LADIES DAG | #1966673429

copie reckons (pincha salt) :

Ah, Hafed and Hinda—two names steeped in romantic tragedy and poetic grandeur. They come from Thomas Moore’s 1817 narrative poem Lalla Rookh, specifically the tale titled “The Fire-Worshippers.” Moore, an Irish poet, crafted this story as part of a larger orientalist fantasy set in Persia, blending love, politics, and spiritual resistance.

Who Were Hafed and Hinda?

• Hafed is a devoted follower of the ancient Persian religion of fire-worship (Zoroastrianism), resisting the Islamic conquest.
• Hinda is the daughter of the Muslim Emir, the very enemy Hafed is fighting against.

Their love is forbidden, caught between religious and political conflict. Hafed hides his identity, and Hinda is torn between loyalty to her father and her love for Hafed.

️ The Tragic Arc

• Hafed leads a rebellion but refuses to harm innocents, including Hinda’s father.
• Hinda, upon discovering Hafed’s true identity, is devastated.
• In a final act of despair and devotion, Hinda throws herself into the sea, believing Hafed has died.
• Hafed, upon learning of her death, takes his own life, joining her in death.

Their story echoes the timeless theme: love transcending—but ultimately succumbing to—ideological divides.

 

now...... if it was just the case and not the love story you were interested in........do ya want me to ask her about that as well?

 

Very nice find, and a good looking family.

 

Prosperous.

Debora

 

Awesome Roaring-superb find.Whatever auction site your using seems to at least sometimes work like a charm.

 

I'll stick to the beauty of the images without the drama.

 

1860s from the clothing. Father, mother, son and daughter.

Debora

 

Bingo! If those are hand-tinted tintypes in rare cases the auction house really dropped a stitch. Heck, they dropped the blanket.

 

Interestingly, the female figure on the case is wearing bloomers. Photos could actually be a tad earlier --- 1850s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomers

Debora

 

oh right !, no bother , its just that i heard.......................

 

Here is the entry for "Krainik 35", from Union Cases: A Collector's Guide to the Art of America's first Plastics. Clifford and Michele Krainik with Carl Walvoord. 1988. Published by the authors.



His classification for "rare" means "uncommon and seldom obtainable; less than fifty examples known."

Things might be different since the internet, as rarity for many things has changed.

One odd thing I noticed about your photos is that the brass mats are different on each image. The simplest ones are an earlier style than the more detailed ones.

 

Thanks for the reference and your observation!

Yes, the internet has changed access, and what was once rare is now scarce or even common. As well as, 37 years of houses being emptied.

I wondered about the brass mats as well. They may have been swopped out at some point. The top of the inner mat on the mans' image is damaged and both images in that frame may be missing some of the felt retainer.

None seem to have any glass to protect them.

 

I will be interested to hear more after you have them in hand.

 

As well as, 37 years of houses being emptied.

that's just redistribution..... may more houses left to go...!!

 

I have the 2003 edition of Berg's book. He mostly catalogs thermoplastic cases, frames, boxes, and other items by his numbering system and also includes black-and-white images of the covers of the cases. No text about the stories of the covers. Your case is actually I-29S because it has square corners. There is also I-29R with an identical design, except it has round corners. These are on page 79. I'm not including a photo of the page because it gives no new information.

There is also a key to listing of the case manufacturer. Yours was manufactured by Holmes, Booth & Haydens. The company was founded in 1853 and began manufacturing thermoplastic cases in 1857, which would be the earliest date your case could have been made. Their biggest business was in the manufacturing of lighting fixtures and equipment, but also were active in photography equipment and processes. I found this article about the history of the company:
http://www.thelampworks.com/lw_companies_hb&h.htm

 

Thanks Figtree3, it's great to have this information too!

I'm due to receive these this coming week, while family is in town. I hope to have time to examine and report about them soon after.

 

The package arrived early and I had time to examine them.

These seem to be Ivorytypes

"... other photographers experimented with creating an imitation ivory support material that gave the same translucent effect to the image as that of the ivory support in painted miniatures. In these variations the emulsion was coated directly onto the imitation ivory."

https://resources.culturalheritage.org/pmgtopics/1993-volume-five/05_04_Ackerman.html