Seven American Angels - 1890

History of Photography

#1 Daguerreotype (the first photograph... peak years 1839-1855)

Invented in 1839 by Louis Daguerre, image was on silver coated copper and developed by exposing to mercury vapors. Various sizes were available most common was 1/6th plate (2 3/4 x 3 1/4). France purchased patent from Daguerre thus making process available royalty free to the world.

Antique Photo

"A mirror with a memory"
Samuel Morse did more than any other American to bring this process to the USA.
Similar in appearance to todays hologram... disappears when tilted.
Images were reversed left to right
Daguerre worked with Joseph Niepce for a time until his death in 1833.
It's quite ironic that Daguerre produced only a handful of images with his amazing invention.
Along with Daguerre the Niepce family was awarded a life-time pension from the French government.
Dags were said to be the work of "Angels"... here I'd have to agree
Most highly prized and collectible of all images.

#2 Ambrotype (peak years 1855-1865)

These images were on glass and more cheaply made with more uneven quality. The back of the glass is painted black to allow the viewing of the negative as a positive. However, many magnificent Ambros were made and still exist. They were housed in the same type of cases as Dags, hence the confusion that continues to this day. An easy way to tell the difference is that Ambortype does not dissapear when tilted.

Antique Photo

In the Daguerrian era... as well as Ambro, exposure times continue to be long even up to a minute. Any movement would soften or blur the photo.
Headrests and other apparatus were installed to help keep patrons perfectly still.
Its true the world was in love with photography from the very start. However, the posing process was often compared to going to the dentist.
Sharp images of children are uncommon and cherished by collectors.
Americans have always been fascinated with Dag and Ambro "Cases". Particulary the union cases or "gutta Percha" as they are often reffered to. This fondness has often come at the expense of the person housed there-in. In the 1920s they were turned into cigarette cases... Gasp!

#3 Tintype (peak years 1858-1865)

Actually not made of Tin but rather thin sheets of Iron painted with Japanese varnish. Quality had lost another round here, but these were less expensive and people were pleased. Very popular during The Civil War, photographers and their wagons regularly turning up outside of troop encampments for days on end. While solders sent their images (sometimes their last images) back to family and sweethearts.

Antique Photo

Melainotype and Ferrotype are its other names
A Gemtype is a specially sleeved Tintype to match the size of CDV and to fit comfortably into photographic albums coming onto the scene at that time.