I suppose it depends upon what area of the eastern seaboard you're talking about. Where I live, Southern NJ, it most likely would have been shakes. Other materials were used but as you've pointed out, they would only have been used by the wealthy.

I always associate an Italianate house with metal roofing, even though there were examples with slate roofing in the area where I grew up, but slate was rather plentiful there and quite possibly reasonable in price.
I went to check in one of Andrew Jackson Downing's books, He was THE authority in the 1840's and for many years after. He advised tile or metal for Italianates. I haven't seen too many examples with tile roofs in my wanderings. I have a feeling maybe they don't bear up well with the winter weather in the northeast.
Wooden shingles just don't go with that style house as a rule. You're best choice for authenticity would most likely be a metal roof.

I had been presuming shakes because of the rural setting and because it's really a very plain Italianate house - basic center-hall style (originally - they remodeled and moved the stair and removed the hall), no bay windows, none of the other fancier elements.

But I'm very glad to hear about Downing's advising for metal. I really could see this house with a metal roof, even more so than shakes. His mention of that in his book will enable me to justify it to the folks who will have the final say on renovations being aligned with its historical styling. In fact, if you have the time and the inclination, could you write out the exact reference (only if its a sentence or two) and tell me the title, page number and edition of the book you got that from? If you don't have time, please just tell me the title and I'll dig it up from our library system or have a university reference librarian friend look it up for me, so it's not a problem. I have to submit a proposal for all the work we'd do (we're applying to be resident curators - live there "free" for life, on 10 acres in a state park, for fixing it up which becomes a tax deductable donation).

Here's a pic:

{{!gwi}}

But then my next question is, what modern metal roofs look similar to the metal roofs of the mid-1800's? And what color would an early Victorian metal roof have been? If anyone has links showing either old roofs or new, I'd appreciate it!!

THE ARCHITECTURE OF COUNTRY HOUSES, A.J. Downing. I have the Dover edition, a reproduction of the 1850 publication. On p.289, "The roofs of Italian buildings having but little pitch, are usually covered with tiles or metal. If heavy ribs of wood are introduced before laying on the galvanized iron or zinc, the picturesqueness will be increased, and the effect produced which is shown in the elevation".
A reprint of an 1873 edition of one of his books, Dover publications VICTORIAN COTTAGE RESIDENCES, has on p 145 another reference to Italian style roofs and the traditional use of tiles."When these are not at hand, the effect may be easily imitated by a covering of tin or zinc put on in the ridge manner, the ribs being made bold and heavy. this in not only a handsome, but an equally economical and a much more secure mode than the common one of soldering the whole surface, generally practiced.The roof of a house in this style is made sufficiently steep to render the latter unnecessary. In painting it, either a dark brown or slate color should be chosen."
I'm betting your house's original roof could very well have been that common soldered metal roof he mentioned.
Looking at the photo, I get a clear mental image of a metal roof.

Ours is slightly later than yours. We are in south central PA. It originally had a slate roof. The roof on the southern exposure is an early standing seam metal replacement. Our front porch has a flat metal roof which also lines the gutters there. The side porch has a standing seam metal roof which appeared to be original before we replaced it with a new one. We did find shards of slate and roofing nails in the attic.

While considering your options, you may want to compare the lifespan of the roofing materials available to you.

While looking for something on the internet this afternoon I happened to find a publication of the US Park Service about roofing materials.

Here is a link that might be useful: ROOFING HISTORY

I agree with kennebunker. I would like to see something that looks like a metal roof on that type of house. Around here it seems that when people were reroofing later in the 1800's metal was quite popular.

Hey Tanama,

I'm wondering why you are referring to this house as Italianate. Sure looks to me like a country Georgian style with federal decorative overtones. Those 6/6 window panes are federal. I've been following your post since we have recently purchased a house that is very similar in some ways, though simpler in style. It is a brick veneered hand-hewn log/chinking home with a slate roof. It has a kitchen addition that is 1 1/2 stories if one counts the attic, though the addition is built over what looks to have been an earlier structure that was replaced. I have board and batten doors. I do not have any fireplaces although there are 4 chimneys. The floor plan has been altered by DPO taking out walls, changing the stairway and putting in bathrooms, so no center hallway is evident. I don't know the age since I haven't researched the deeds (bank owned fixer upper)--their paper work said 1939! NOT!!!