Muskegon Chronicle Ladies
SOLD November 2014 |
Roughly CDV-sized tintype, anonymous American circa 1890, showing three women with shop aprons, a newspaper, newspaper banners, and typesetters composing sticks with type. On magnification, the newspaper and banners are seen to read (laterally reversed) "Muskegon Daily Chronicle". Print size 3 x 2.25 inches (8x6 cm).
The "Muskegon Daily Chronicle" was founded in Muskegon, Michigan in 1879 and ceased publication in 1909. Women were sometimes held to be effective as typesetters due to their careful and precise touch, trained by occupations such as sewing. Based on the three displayed newspaper banners, these three ladies seem to identify not only with their occupation but with the Muskegon Daily Chronicle specifically, so it may be that in addition to typesetting they held higher roles within the newspaper's organization.
This unique tintype was found in Muskegon. Some wear and discoloration to surface, see scans. Some closeup scans below have been laterally corrected to make the text in image right-reading.