Posted 12 years ago
rniederman
(347 items)
This is an early carte de visite (CDV) / photo-tradecard dating around the early 1860s; probably more around 1862 when full portraits started being made. The camera is more than likely an 1850s to early 1860s Roberts Boston-box style daguerreian / wet-plate camera; the largest I've ever seen. If this camera and stand were found in reasonable condition, it would have a collector's value of about $20,000.
E.J. Hunt, the photographer depicted on the tradecard, specialized in ambrotypes; a process replacing daguerreotypes that became mainstream in the 1850s. Since the ambrotype created a glass plate negative, for the first time photographers could cost effectively make copies of images.
Thanks officialfuel, blunderbuss2, kerry10456, and Scott!
Scott ... thanks also for the comment and thoughts - and good point about the backmark. It's one of the things that makes this really interesting. As background, Anthony was importing raw paper from France and Germany and selling it with collodion and chemicals to photographers who did their own albumenizing. By the late 1850s and early 1860s, Anthony was bringing in albumenized paper from Germany. As far as the backmark, I trust your instincts on this. I also tried to search E.J. Hunt on Google but didn't find anything definitive.
Glad to help and THANKS for sharing such a spectacular camera image!
scott
It seems that the advantage of three legs over four in camera stabilisation devices, now universal, was recognised quite early on. This is the earliest example I have seen of a tripodal stand, though there may have been earlier ones that I don't know about. They later became more recognisable as what we would call tripods, though still quite heavy items of furniture.
Thanks walksoftly, Designer, AntigueToys, and Eric.
Eric ... on the topic of stands, it's something I haven't thought about but suspect Simon Wing probably had something - don't really know.
Thanks for the 'loves' vetraio50, musikchoo, chrissylovescats, Sean, egreeley1976 and Longings!
Thanks for the comment, Phil ... yeah ... there is a mad scientist look about the photographer. And I like your sense of humor.
Thanks trukn20 and leighannrn!
my family has some photos taken by e. j. hunt back in nh. when i was a kid, i remember my grandfather throwing box after box of daguerratypes into the trash. it upset me then, and still does today! this is a great photo!
I feel your pain ho2cultcha! Amazingly tragic to loose what were probably great dags. Did any images survive?
Thanks, vanskyock24!
Thanks, aghcollect!
Spectacular Image!
Thanks!
PostCardCollector (glad you appreciate the image)
pops52
Thanks!
Thomas
AnythingObscure