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Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner - "The Lamp That Went Out"

J. J. Astor - "A Journey in Other Worlds"

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe - "Egmont"

Ludwig Anzengruber - "Der Gwissenswurm"

American Hand Book of the Daguerreotype by Samuel D. Humphrey

G >> Gregory Walker, Austin, Texas, >> American Hand Book of the Daguerreotype by Samuel D. Humphrey




From this wide difference in the results of the two operators using
identically the same article, it is but reasonable to conclude
that the complaint is founded in error; while the inference
is no more than just, that the fault may be traced to a want
of practical skill on the part of the complaining operator himself;
rather than to the inferior quality of the plates.

The question, then, whether the plates are unfit for use,
or whether those who pronounce them so understand
how to use them, appears to be satisfactorily answered.
It therefore becomes a matter worthy of investigation,
to ascertain what superior judgment and skill one operator
possesses over another which enable him to work successfully
a quality of plate, pronounced by the other entirely useless.

Suppose we make a critical examination of one of the repudiated plates.
From its external appearance we have little hesitation in pronouncing it
to be French; indeed, this presumption is strongly corroborated by the fact
that it is ornamented upon one of its corners with a brand to designate
the manufactory from which it emanated.

Upon close inspection we cannot fail to notice a striking peculiarity
upon the surface; the roughness is very remarkable; the planishing
hammer has left amazingly visible indications of its busy work.
One would suppose the manufacturer intended the surface of the plate
to represent the undulations of the sea, instead of that smooth
and level character so strongly recommended by M. Daguerre.

Such a plate necessarily requires at the hand of the operator
considerable labor before the surface is in a proper
condition to receive a suitable polish from the buffer.
The least reflection in the world should teach any one that so long
as the undulatory character continues upon the surface of the plate,
it is in a very imperfect condition for buffing, because the buffer
cannot touch every point equally; the elevated portions alone
receiving a high degree of polish while the depressed portion,
from their roughness acting as nuclei, gather dust, rouge,
and other foreign bodies, so detrimental to sensitiveness.
The secret of the superior judgment and skill of one operator
over another, is intimately connected with this point:
his success depends very much upon the first process of
cleaning the plate.

Let us examine the manipulation of the complaining operator.
He takes one of these plates and gives it a careful scouring with
rotten-stone and alcohol or any other liquid preferred for this part
of the operation--that is, he gives it what he terms a careful scouring--
very gently indeed because, from the frequent trials he is in
the habit of making in the camera, he fears he will rub the silver
entirely away before he succeeds in obtaining a good impression.
The dark patches, specks, and granular appearance resulting entirely
from the unevenness of the surface of the plate, look like copper to him,
and he is surprised that he should have rubbed away the silver so soon,
particularly by such delicate handling.

The judgment and experience of the successful operator, however,
teach him that scouring injures a plate less than buffing.
He knows that unless the hammer marks be obliterated,
he cannot by the buffer produce a surface of uniform polish
and sensitiveness, without which a fair proof is extremely doubtful;
he knows that the time employed in the preliminary operation
of cleaning the plate properly is economy.

There is a style of French plates in the market, denominated heavy,
which are truly excellent, if properly managed. Much patience, however,
is required to remove the marks of the hammer; but with tripoli and alcohol
the surface is readily cut down, and the plate is then susceptible of a
beautiful black lustre by polishing with the buffer. The complaining
operator could not succeed by his own method with one of the plates;
he would encounter all manner of clouds and other unaccountable phenomena;
he would imagine this plate entirely worn out before it was half cleaned,
and soon fix in his own estimation the reputation of the heavy plate.

In making a choice of plates, therefore, it would appear to be a matter
of perfect indifference with an experienced operator what kind he would use,
except so far only as the labor required in cleaning them was to be
taken into consideration.

The distinction between a scale plate, a Scovill No. 1,
S. F., heavy A, star, crescent, eagle, or any other brand,
consists in the superior finish of some, and the thinness
of the silver in the cheaper qualities.

Consequently, let the complaining operator but employ the diligence
inculcated in this article, to clean his plate thoroughly,
so as to bring it to a perfectly even and level surface,
and he will seldom be troubled with specks, clouds, dark patches,
and the host of other obstacles which heretofore have tormented him.



CHAPTER VI.

AN ACCOUNT OF WOLCOTT AND JOHNSON'S EARLY EXPERIMENTS, IN THE DAGUERREOTYPE.
BY JOHN JOHNSON.

[From Humphrey's Journal, vol. ii 185l]

As a general thing, however perfect any invention may be deemed
by the inventor or discoverer, it falls to the lot of most,
to be the subject of improvement and advancement, and especially
is this the case with those new projects in science which open
an untrodden field to the view of the artisan. Such has been,
in an eminent degree, the case with the discovery first announced
to the world by Mons. Jean Jaques Claude Daguerre, of Paris,
in the year 1839, and which excited unbounded astonishment,
curiosity and surprise. It may be questioned had any other
than Daguerre himself discovered a like beautiful combination,
whether the world would have been favored with details exhibiting
so much care, patience and perseverance as the Daguerreotype
on its introduction. Shortly after, these details reached
the United States, by Professor S. F. B. Morse, of New York,
who was, at the time of the discovery, residing in Paris.
By this announcement, the whole scientific corps was set in operation,
many repeating the experiments, following carefully the directions
pointed out by Daguerre, as being necessary to success.
Among the number in the United States, was Alexander S. Wolcott
(since deceased) and myself; both of this city. On the morning
of the 6th day of October, 1839, I took to A. Wolcott's residence,
a full description of Daguerre's discovery, he being at
the time engaged in the department of Mechanical Dentistry,
on some work requiring his immediate attention, the work being
promised at 2 P.M. that day; having, therefore, no opportunity
to read the description for himself (a thing he was accustomed
to do at all times, when investigating any subject). I read to him
the paper, and proposed to him that if he would plan a camera
(a matter he was fully acquainted with, both theoretically and
practically), I would obtain the materials as specified by Daguerre.
This being agreed to, I departed for the purpose, and on my
return to his shop, he handed me the sketch of a camera box,
without at all explaining in what manner the lens was to be mounted.
This I also undertook to procure. After 2, P.M., he had
more leisure, when he proceeded to complete the camera,
introducing for that purpose a reflector in the back of the box,
and also to affix a plate holder on the inside, with a slide to obtain
the focus on the plate, prepared after the manner of Daguerre.
While Mr. Wolcott was engaged with the camera, I busied myself
in polishing the silver plate, or rather silver plated copper;
but ere reaching the end preparatory to iodizing, I found I had
nearly or quite removed the silver surface from off the plate,
and that being the best piece of sliver-plated copper
to be found, the first remedy at hand that suggested itself,
was a burnisher, and a few strips were quickly burnished
and polished. Meantime. the camera being finished, Mr. Wolcott,
after reading for himself Daguerre's method of iodizing,
prepared two plates, and placing them in the camera,
guessed at the required time they should remain exposed
to the action of the light; after mercurializing each in turn,
and removing the iodized surface with a solution of common salt
two successful impressions were obtained, each unlike the other!
Considerable surprise was excited by this result, for each plate
was managed precisely like the other. On referring to Daguerre,
no explanation was found for this strange result; time, however,
revealed to us that one picture was positive, and the other negative.
On this subject I shall have much to say during the progress
of the work. Investigating, the cause of this difference occupied
the remainder of that day. However, another attempt was agreed upon,
and the instruments, plates, etc., prepared and taken up
into an attic room, in a position most favorable for light.
Having duly arranged the camera, I sat for five minutes,
and the result was a profile miniature (a miniature in reality,)
or a plate not quite three-eighths of an inch square. Thus, with much
deliberation and study, passed the first day in Daguerreotype--
little dreaming or knowing into what a labyrinth such a beginning
was hastening us.

[Description of apparatus represented on pages 192 and 199:]

A.--The Box--about 4 inches long by about 2 outside diameter.
B.--The Reflector soldered to a brass screw, and mounted in the
rear of the box.
c.--The slide to regulate the focus to the plate holder.
d.--The standard to the plate holder screwed to the slide.
f.--The plate-holder frame having two small ledges, * *, for the
plate to rest upon.

[page 192]

g.--The plate resting upon the ledge., * *, and kept against the
frame by the spring h. The plates used were about 3/8 of an inch
square.
A.--The window with the sashes removed.

B and C (p. 199) are large looking-glasses mounted as plain reflectors,
the lower one C having rotary motion upon the saddle, resting upon the sill
of the window in order to direct the rays of the sun upon the reflector B,
at any hour of the day--the vertical motion of the reflector C

[amdg_12.gif]

being necessary, the sun varying in altitude so much during
the hours most favorable to the production of portraits.
The reflector C was

[page 193]

kept up to the required position by the handle lever, upright post and bolts.
Reflector B was hinged at its upper end at the top of the window frame,
the only motion being necessary was that which would reflect upon the sitter
the incident rays from reflector C--the reflector B being kept at the required
angle by the connecting lever m, etc. Suitable back-grounds were placed
behind the sitter.

The reflector B and C, had frequently to be renewed, the heat of the sun
soon destroying their brilliance or power of reflecting, light,
before renewing them, however, we resorted to the springing of them,
by which means their power was increased for a period.

The camera or reflecting apparatus, invented by Mr. Wolcott,
was, from the nature of the case, better adapted at that day
to the taking of portraits from life, than any other instruments.
After carefully examining the camera described by Daguerre,
and the time stated as necessary to produce action for an image,
it became evident to the mind of Mr. Wolcott at once, that more light
could be obtained (as the field of view required was not large)
by employing a reflector of short focus and wide aperture, than from
a lens arrangement, owing to spherical aberration and other causes.
Many experiments having been tried with the small instrument figured
(p. 199), a reflector for taking portraits from life was determined on,
having eight inches diameter, with twelve inches focal distance
for parallel rays; this was to admit plates of two inches wide
by two and a half long Mr. Wolcott having on hand reflectors
of the right diameter, for Newtonian telescopes, of eight feet
focal distance, resolved (as it was a matter of experiment)
to grind down or increase the curve for the focal distance before named--
this required time. In the mean time, many plans were pursued
for making good plates, and the means of finishing, them. As the
completion of the large reflector drew to a close, our mutual friend,
Henry Fitz, Jr., returned from England, whither he had been on a visit,
and when he heard what we were about, kindly offered his assistance;
he being well versed in optics, and having been before engaged with
Mr. Wolcott, in that and other business is offer was gladly accepted--
Mr. Wolcott himself having frequent engagement; to fill as operator
in the details of mechanical dentistry. Thus, by the aid of Mr. Fitz,
the reflector was polished, and experiments soon after tried on
plates of two by tow and a half inches, with tolerable success.
Illness on my part quite suspended further trial for nearly four weeks.

On my recovery, early in January, 1840, our experiments were
again resumed with improved results, so much so as to induce
Mr. Wolcott and myself to entertain serious thoughts of making
a business of the taking of likenesses from life, intending to
use the reflecting apparatus invented by Mr. Wolcott, and for
which he obtained Letters Patent, on the 8th day of May, 1840.
Up to January 1st, 1840, all experiments had been tried on
an economical scale, and the apparatus then made, was unfit
for public exhibition; we resolved to make the instruments as
perfect as possible while they were in progress of manufacture.
Experiments were made upon mediums for protecting the eyes from
the direct light of the sun, and also upon the best form and
material for a back-ground to the likenesses. The length of time
required for a "sitting," even with the reflecting apparatus,
was such as to render the operation anything but pleasant.
Expedients were ever ready in the hands of Wolcott: blue glass
was tried and abandoned in consequence of being, at that time,
unable to procure a piece of uniform density and surface:
afterwards a series of thin muslin screens secured to wire
frames were prepared as a substitute for blue glass.
The objections to these screens, however, were serious,
inasmuch as a multiplication of them became necessary to lessen
the intensity of the light sufficiently for due protection
to the eyes, without which, the likenesses, other than profiles,
were very unpleasant to look upon. Most of the portraits,
then of necessity were profiles formed upon back-grounds,
the lighter parts relieved upon black, and the darker parts upon
light ground; the back-ground proper being of light colored
material with black velvet so disposed upon the light ground,
this being placed sufficiently far from the sitter, to produce
harmony of effect when viewed in the field of the camera.
Other difficulties presented themselves seriously to the
working of the discovery of Daguerre, to portrait taking--
one of which was the necessity for a constant and nearly
horizontal light, that the shaded portions of the portrait
should not be too hard, and yet, at the same time,
be sufficiently well developed without the "high light"
of the picture becoming overdone, solarized or destroyed.
In almost all the early specimens of the Daguerreotype,
extremes of light and shade presented themselves,
much to the annoyance of the early operators, and seriously
objectionable were such portraits. To overcome this difficulty,
Mr. Wolcott mounted, with suitable joints, upon the top
of his camera, a large looking-glass or plane reflector,
in such a manner that the light of the sun (as a strong light
was absolutely necessary), when falling upon the glass could
be directed upon the person in an almost horizontal direction.

Early in February, 1840, Mr. Johnson, Sen., (since deceased) sailed for
Europe with a few specimen likenesses taken with the instruments
completed as above, with the intention of patenting the invention.
On his arrival a joint arrangement was effected with Mr. Richard Beard,
of London, in patenting and working the invention in England.
Up to February, 1840, but few friends had been made acquainted
with the progress of the art in the hands of Mr. Wolcott and myself.
From time to time reports reached us from various sources
of the success of others, and specimens of landscapes,
etc., were exhibited at Dr. James R. Chilton's laboratory,
in Broadway, much to the gratification of the numerous visitors
and anxious expectants for this most wonderful discovery.
Dr. Chilton, Professor J. J. Mapes, Professor J. W. Draper.
Professor S. F. B. Morse, all of this city; Mr. Cornelius,
Dr. Goddard and others of Philadelphia; Mr. Southworth,
Professor Plumbe, and numerous others were early in the field;
all, however, using the same description of camera as that of Daguerre,
with modification for light, either by enlargement by lens
and aperture for light, or by shortening the focal distance.

At a conversational meeting of the Mechanics' Institute, Professor J. J. Mapes
being present, a question was asked if any one present could give
information relative to portraiture from life by the Daguerreotype.
Mr. Kells, a friend of Mr. Wolcott and a scientific and practical man
(sinced deceased), at once marked out upon the black-board, the whole
as contrived by Mr. Wolcott. This gave publicity to the invention
of Mr. Wolcott. Shortly after, Professor Mapes, Dr. Chilton,
and many others, sat for their portraits, and were highly gratified.
Professor Morse also came and proposed to Mr. Wolcott to join him
in the working of the invention, etc.

From this time much interest was manifested by our friends in our progress.
Rooms were obtained in the Granite Buildings, corner of Broadway
and Chambers street, and fitted for business. The rooms being small,
it was soon found impracticable to use the arrangement of looking-glass,
as previously spoken of; a new plan became necessary, to introduce which,
the sashes were removed,

[page 199]

and two large looking-glasses were mounted in proper frames, thus:--

[amdg_13.gif]

Just in front, and between the sitter and

[page 200]

the reflector, upon a proper stand, were used those paper
muslin screen before described; also screens of tissue paper.
These screens. however, when they were used, required so much
time for a sitting, that some other medium, as a protection
to the eyes, became absolutely necessary. The most plausible
thing that suggested itself was blue glass; but, as this could
not be found, numerous were the expedients proposed by the
friends of the art, who from time to time visited our rooms.
At the suggestion of Professor Mapes (who is ever ready to assist
those in perplexity), a trough of plate glass s, about twenty-eight
inches square in the clear, and from three to four inches thick,
was filled with a solution of ammonia sulphate of copper,
and mounted on the frame as in the sketch, which, for a time,
answered extremely well; soon, however, decomposition of this
solution became apparent from the increased length of time
required for a sitting, although to the eye of an observer,
no visible cause for such long sittings could be pointed out.
Professor Mapes being appealed to, suggested that to the above
solution a little acid be added which acted like a charm--
shortening the time for a sitting from six, eight, or ten
minutes to that of about one. Decomposition, however, would go
on by the action of light and heat through the solution.
New solutions were tried, when the whole were finally
abandoned as being, too uncertain and troublesome.
(The reflecting apparatus R, was placed upon the stand
as in the sketch, with a wedge for elevating the camera,
between it and the table, to obtain the image properly upon
the plate.) A quantity of blue window glass was next obtained,
and holes drilled through the corners of it, and several sheets
were wired together to increase the size, and, when complete,
was suspended from the ceiling in its proper place, and so arranged
that when a person was sitting, this sheet of glass could be moved
to and from, the object of which was to prevent shadows on the face
of the sitter produced from the uneven surface of the glass.
This latter contrivance was used until a perfect plate
of glass was procured.

The number of persons desirous of obtaining, their miniatures,
induced many to entertain the idea of establishing themselves in the Art
as a profession, and numerous were the applications for information;
many persons paying for their portraits solely with the view of seeing
the manner of our manipulations, in order that they might obtain
information to carry on likeness-taking as a business.

The reflecting camera being a very troublesome instrument
to make, and difficulties besetting us from every source,
but little attention could be given to teaching others;
and, indeed, as the facts seemed to be at this time,
we knew but little of the necessary manipulations ourselves.
In course of time, several established themselves.
The first one, after ourselves, who worked the discovery
of Daguerre for portrait taking in this city, was a Mr. Prosch;
followed soon after by many others, in almost all cases copying
the reflecting arrangement for light, as figured above,
many using it even after we had long abandoned that arrangement
for a better one.

Innumerable obstacles to the rapid advance of the daguerreotype,
presented themselves almost hourly, much to the annoyance
of ourselves, and those dependent upon our movements for
their advancement. Among the most difficult problems of the day,
was the procuring of good plates. Messrs. Corduran & Co.
were among the first to supply the trade; at that early day,
however, it was a very rare thing, to be able to procure an even
perfect surface, from the fact that a pure surface of silver
could scarcely be obtained, the manufacturers deeming it too
much trouble to prepare silver plated copper with pure silver--
the result was, that in attempting to polish perfectly
such plated metal as could be procured, the plates would
become cloudy, or colored in spots, from the fact of having
more or less alloy, according as more or less of the silver
surface was removed in polishing the plate fit for an impression.
To explain more clearly, it was the practice of most silver
platers to use an alloy for silver-plating. In the reduction
of the ingot to sheet metal, annealing has to be resorted to,
and acid pickles to remove oxides, etc. The number of times
the plated metal is exposed to heat and acid in its reduction
to the required thickness, produces a surface of pure silver.
The most of this surface is, however, so rough as to be
with difficulty polished, without in places removing entirely
this pellicle of pure metal, and exposing a polished surface
of the alloy used in plating. Whenever such metal was used,
very unsightly stains or spots frequently disfigured the portraits.
The portrait, or portion of it, developed upon the pure silver,
being much lighter or whiter than that developed upon the alloy;
it therefore appeared that the purer the silver, the more
sensitive the plate became. Accordingly, we directed Messrs.
Scovills, of Connecticut, to prepare a roll of silver-plated metal,
with pure silver; it fortunately proved to be a good article,
but, unfortunately, a pound of this metal (early in 1840)
cost the round sum of $9. Like descriptions of metal,
the same gentlemen would be glad to furnish, at this time,
for $4. Soon after this, some samples of English plated metal,
of a very superior quality, came to our possession, and relieved
us from the toil of making and plating one plate at a time,
an expedient we were compelled to resort to, to command material
to meet the pressing demands for portraits.

Having it now in our power to obtain good plated metal,
a more rapid mode of polishing than that recommended by Daguerre
was attempted as follows:

This metal was cut to the desired size, and having a pair of "hand rolls"
at hand, each plate, with its silvered side placed next to the highly
polished surface of a steel die, was passed and repassed through the rolls
many times, by which process a very smooth, perfect surface was obtained.
The plates were then annealed, and a number of plates thus prepared
were fastened to the bottom of a box a few inches deep a foot wide,
and eighteen inches long; this box was placed upon a table and attached
to a rod connected to the face plate of a lathe, a few inches from
its centre, so as to give the box a reciprocating motion. A quantity
of emery was now strewn over the plates, and the lathe set in motion.
The action produced wag a friction or rubbing of the emery over the surface
of the plates.

When continued for some time, a greyish polish was the result.
Linseed, when used in the same manner, gave us better hope
of success, and the next step resorted to was to build
a wheel and suspend it after the manner of a grindstone.
The plates being secured to the inner side of the wheel or case,
and as this case revolved, the seeds would constantly keep to
the lower level, and their sliding over the surface of the plates
would polish or burnish their surfaces. This, with the former,
was soon abandoned; rounded shots of silver placed in the same
wheel were found not to perform the polishing so well as linseed.
Buff-wheels of leather with rotten-stone and oil, proved to be far
superior to all other contrivances; and, subsequently, at the suggestion
of Professor Draper, velvet was used in lieu of buff leather,
and soon superseded all other substances, both for lathe and
hand-buffs, and I would add, for the benefit of new beginners
that those who are familiar with its use, prefer cotton velvet.
The only requisite necessary is, that the buffs made of cotton
velvet should be kept dry and warm.

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