19th Century Japanese
Hand-Colored Albumin Photographs

The Albumin photographic technique of printing was used world wide during the period of 1855 to 1895. It accounts for approximately 85% of the total number of surviving 19th-century photographic prints.

Albumin is positive (direct) photographic technique of coating paper with a mixture of albumin (egg white) and silver nitrate. The albumin and silver nitrate mixture is applied to the paper and then contact printed.

These photographs were taken in Japan circa 1880 and are also hand colored.