Unusually Posed Woman- Tintype

The woman in this tintype is posed unusually. The typical pose was usually much more formal--perhaps standing with your arms rigid to your side or sitting with your hands placed in your lap. This woman, on the other hand, is posed in much the same fashion as modern day bikini models sans the bikini. When I pick up odd photos such as this, I often wonder what the context was?

Tintype of Merchant

My father found this tintype of a merchant in an antique store in Grand Forks, ND. At the time, my fiancee and I (who are both photography collectors) lived there and never found a single thing at the one antique store in town. Generously, my father decided to give us this photograph as a gift, having seen us admire it over and over again. It really is a nice piece. It isn't often that you see tintypes with themes such as this. I love the clarity of the image and the props the man is posed with.