howeenterprise.com
Monday, February 9, 2015
Page #13
Learn about your antiques and collectibles with Georgia Caraway Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre, a Parisian artist known for his elaborate dioramas, had been experimenting with the camera obscura for a number of years when, in 1833, he stumbled on the process that would make him famous. [The camera obscura was a dark chamber into which light was admitted first by a pinhole or other tiny opening and, later, through a convex lens to produce on a surface opposite it an inverted image of some exterior scene.] Serendipitously a thermometer happened to break where Daguerre was working, and to his delight, the leaking mercury vapor produced an image on a nearby photographic plate. Soon the entrepreneur perfected the daguerreotype, and in 1839 sold his process to the French government, who then presented it to the world—no patent required. One month later, daguerreotype studios were opening in New York City and in the capitals of Europe.
Americans flocked to pose at daguerreotype studios, and braved the discomfort of exposure times of 10 minutes with the subject’s heads being restrained by a brace. Daguerreotypes were housed in embossed and attractive little cases made of pressed paper, various composition materials, or gutta-percha. If you tilt it from side to side you will see a mirror-like reflection. Often there is silver tarnish around the edges.
London introduced a new type of photograph that measured 4x5.5 inches and was pasted on a cardboard mounting. Victorians mounted these larger photos in glass cabinets, thus their name, cabinet cards.
Dr. Georgia Caraway, former director of the Denton County Museums for 14 years, will be opening the Howe Mercantile on April 25. She has also written Tips, Tools, & Techniques: Caring for Your Antiques and Collectibles and four Denton history books. Watch for the Ambrotype (after the Greek word for immortal, Clearance Sale at 107 East Haning March 6 and ambrotos) inventor F. Scott Archer developed his 7. process in 1854 by producing a negative image on a glass plate that was visible when backed with black paper or paint.
Tintypes (example shown in photo) that made their appearance in 1856 were also called ferrotypes. They are negative images printed on a metal plate, which appears positive due to an About the same time, William Henry Fox undercoating of black Japan varnish. It was a Talbot, an Englishman, created a positive image cheaper, less fragile image on tin. Thousands of on paper from a negative print he called young men on their way to Civil War battlefields Calotype (Talbotype). It didn’t catch on, stopped to have a twenty-five-cent tintype taken. because daguerreotypes were much clearer and Miniature tintypes were called “gems.” required no license to operate. The collodian-wet-plate process allowed Americans flocked to pose at daguerreotype photographers to produce inexpensive copies studios, and braved the discomfort of exposure from a single negative. times of 10 minutes with the subject’s heads being restrained by a brace. Daguerreotypes Cyanotypes (after the Greek word for blue) were were housed in embossed and attractive little glass negatives that printed blue and could be cases made of pressed paper, various made on any surface (even a pillowcase). composition materials, or gutta-percha. If you tilt it from side to side you will see a mirror-like Cartes de visite, or CDVs, were photographs that reflection. Often there is silver tarnish around featured a portrait on one side and the the edges. photographer’s name on the other. Smaller photographs printed on calling cards, were also Ambrotype (after the Greek word for immortal, called CDVs. ambrotos) inventor F. Scott Archer developed his process in 1854 by producing a negative In 1863, the Windsor and Bridge Studio of
Family Math Game Night at Elementary School Howe Elementary School Principal Darla Williams has announced that the school will have another Family Match Game Night. This event will take place on Tuesday evening from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Howe Elementary/Middle School Cafeteria.
