Posted 7 years ago
rniederman
(346 items)
There are many posts here on CW showing small daguerreotype images, so I thought to share some information about them.
Daguerreotypes are the earliest practical form of photography that produced permanent images. The process was popular from its 1839 announcement to the early 1850s. Each mirror-like image is unique (no negatives to make reprints) and created on a layer of silver coated on a polished copper plate. Technically excellent daguerreotypes have a delicacy and tonal range unmatched by later photographic processes.
Daguerreotypes are easily distinguished from other forms of pictures because the images look like they appear on a silvery mirror. Later forms of pictures such as ambrotypes (images on glass plates) and tintypes (images on japanned metal) do not have the mirror-like look of daguerreotypes.
This 1/9-plate (2 x 2½ inches) image is a very common portrait style and format often found in simple folding cases meant to be carried as mementos. These portraits were often unsophisticated and straightforward; however, this example shows a decent level of technical execution. Horizontal stripes seen on the plate are scratches more than likely caused from buffing when the plate was being prepared.
A quarter-plate (3¼ x 4¼ inch) or ½-plate (4¼ x 5½ inch) camera more than likely made the picture; they were the most popular size American formats of the time. Reducing masks inserted into plate holders held the smaller, inexpensive plates.
Photographers had to practically be chemists to make daguerreotypes. Louis Jacques Daguerre’s original 1839 five-step process using toxic chemistry was complicated and can be summarized as follows:
1. Polish and immaculately clean a silver-plated copper plate.
2. Sensitize (fume) the plate with iodine vapor.
3. Place sensitized plate in camera and expose.
4. ‘Develop’ the exposed plate by placing over hot mercury vapor until an image appears.
5. Desensitize the iodine to ‘fix’ the image and wash.
Because the jewel-like images are extremely fragile, Daguerre recommended the plates be framed and protected under glass.
The c.1853-54 ¼-plate Palmer & Longking daguerreotype camera with petzval portrait lens, in my collection and posted here on CW, shows the type of camera that could have made the portrait.
That is a good looking man, and a great looking camera!! Thanks for sharing your expert knowledge.Lois
Thank you. That is excellent information.
stunning guy!
Thanks for explaining something I wanted to know more about & too lazy to research. "Hot mercury vapor""! Did photographers have health problems because of that ?
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fortapache
TassieDevil
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Michael
bijoucaillouvintage
Thanks for that description, Rob! Never quite knew exactly what all the details were.
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Manikin
PCC
Mrstyndall
shughs
Hello guys, I found this website today and wanted to share with you photography lovers. It has thousands of early pictures in high resolution. No advertising intended, just found it very useful for research. http://www.shorpy.com/
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Caperkid
aura
ho2cultcha
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vetraio50
Designer
mtg75
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sugargirl
Longings
BB2
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Perry
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nutsabotas6
Scott
lee120275
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racer4four
sanhardin
Chevelleman69
vintagelamp
pw-collector
Hunter
kyratango
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leighannrn
farmlady
mcheconi
TheGateKeeper
Sean
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ttomtucker
Thomas
chrissylovescats
Hi mcheconi ... I missed replying to your comment about the Shorpy website ... it is a wonderful resource and glad you commented about it.
Hi BB2 ... you asked a good question about the possibility of mercury poisoning from the dag process. I don't have an answer but assume a number of photographers were sickened by mercury. FWIW, numerous photographic processes often used highly toxic chemistry. For example, when using selenium to tone B&W prints, I always wore surgical gloves to prevent skin contact.
A much safer way: Get somebody else to do it. Maybe that troublesome wife or kid that got into drugs & now stealing from you. This could have been the alternative answer to "drive-bys" before cars. LOL ! What would you guys do without my liberal ideas ?
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crswerner
vintagegirl66
PoliticalPinbacks
Thanks, rockbat!
the original dashing gentleman!
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TheGateKeeper
rustyboltz
MacDaddyRico
Beachbum58
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vintagelamp
ho2cultcha
kyratango
AntigueToys
Thanks, Sean!
Thanks, betweenthelens!
Thanks, MarmorealMaiden!