I am writing books a book on daguerreotypes and one on ambrotypes and need some information.

I believe there are less than a handful of English daguerreian photographers posing with their camera's. Back in the 1970s I was an under bidder on the Jebez Hogg image taken in Richard Beard's Studio, 1843. Does anyone know of any other image of a daguerreian photographer in Great Britain posing with his camera,?

Does anyone know of a British ambrotypist posing with his camera?

Stanley B. Burns,MD

The Burns Archive

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  • Thanks for the information. I wanted to put the images up for everyones perusal. But the site wont take the size. So I will send it to your private email.

    Stanley

  • Dear Mr Burns,
    I suggest that you might contact, Eleanor Summers or Rosemary Harden at Bath Costume Museum and send a scan of the two images. Both have a high degree of expertise concerning late 18th early 19th century fashion and styles. 
    One should also bear in mind another factor, particularly relevant when looking at Ambrotypes; often the sitter's attire cannot be absolutely relied upon for dating; often they can be "locked in a time warp"!
    Another contact in this respect would be Françoise Reynard at the Musée Carnvalet, Paris.
    eleanor_summers@bathnes.gov.uk

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  • Stanley

    Thanks for clarifying things. British and to a degree even Irish ambrotypes are certainly not difficult to come across but by comparison, in Australia and New Zealand, while many photographers are recorded as offering/taking ambrotypes, identifiable examples are relatively uncommon. I have only around 10 with Australian photographer's markings. While I have other ambrotypes, with so many images having been brought her by British migrants or sent here by relations of migrants, and yet others have been brought in more recently by antique dealers, it is nigh impossible to establish which ones without a photographer's markings might be Australian. There are certain photographers here that excelled in the medium like Thomas Glaister and the Freeman Brothers. I have looked at the life of Frederick Scott Archer and also early development of the ambrotype as background to research work on Australia's ambrotype history. I would be happy to compare notes on what text you will be including in your book. Cheers! Marcel

  • Dear Marcel

    I am trying to include a history of ambrotypes in the countries were one can today readily acquire the images --so that the book serves as a roadmap to evaluating the ambrotype and its place in the history of photography of that country. As most early photographic processes were used in almost all countries with photographers who used the process for a limited period of time or experimentally,  I want to emphasize the places where it played a significant role such as the use in Great Britain and Japan until the early 1900s. However I am always looking for accurate information about its use around the world.

    Stanley

  • Hi Stanley, I have seen at least two ?British daguerreotypes of photographers with their cameras in the collection of a camera and image collector in Lincolnshire who is not on this forum. I will contact you off list about this to see if I can put you in touch. I have never seen any offered for sale. Also I have never come across an Australian or New Zealand cased image of a photographer with camera. Even cdvs of this are very rare over here. I would be interested in what history of the ambrotype you are including in your book as I have been doing some research on the subject myself and would be happy to discuss this further. Cheers!  Marcel (Brisbane, Australia)

  • My email address is  burns@inch.com

    thanks Stanley

  • Hello Stanley

    I have a stereoview of a Lincolnshire photographer posed with his camera probably 1850's / early 1860's , i will look it out and send a scan if you let me have your email address

    Graham Wood

    grawood@ntlworld.com
     
    Stanley B. Burns,MD said:

    Thanks Mike

    I have acquired two English images of photographers and I am trying to identify them and also determine the number of images of English photographers posing with cameras. Right now aside from my images I have come up with three other images. With the possibility of two more.

    Stanley

  • Thanks Mike

    I have acquired two English images of photographers and I am trying to identify them and also determine the number of images of English photographers posing with cameras. Right now aside from my images I have come up with three other images. With the possibility of two more.

    Stanley

  • You might consider the stereo test plates showing Claudet and his son with the focimeter on the table.

    see Getty collection 

    J. Paul Getty Museum  84.XT.266.10

  • Thanks

    I will look that up. I have already ordered the other books recommended.

    Stanley

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