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picture paint set

During the last half of the 1800's, there was a very popular parlor hobby, which was to hand tint black and white photographs and Cartes de Visites. People who might not have the talent or skill to create a full blown painting from scratch could develop the skill to bring life-like color to black and white photographs. Over the years, a number of people created beautiful pieces, many of which have survived until today. Over time, the paints have aged, and these hand tinted photographs now have an eerie, yet still life-like quality.

In addition, these kits were also used to hand color illustrations. From 1850 to the late 1800's, illustrations in newspapers were line art, not grey scale photographs. People would often hand color these line art drawings, creating interesting and unique artwork. This material is popular among collectors to this day.

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