History and preservation of 19th century photography

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Photography in the 19th century consisted primarily of Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Stereographs, and, to a smaller extent, Calotypes, salt prints, and Albumen prints. Knowledge of how to preserve these types of early photography is essential to the branch of Library and Information Science known as archiving because it is a gateway for historians, researchers, and ourselves to how the world looked, and gives a rich feel of what life was like in the 19th century.

Contents 1 History 2 Photographic processes 2.1 Daguerreotypes 2.2 Ambrotypes 2.3 Stereographs 2.4 Albumen prints 2.5 Photomechanical prints 3 Describing and cataloging photography 4 Preservation of 19th Century Photography 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

[edit] History

To collect photographs is to collect the world

— Susan Sontag, On Photography

Writing, paintings, plays, and sculptures all tell stories. Most are seen as fine art. Only since the last century has photography been considered an art. Photography is something anyone can create; from pictures of friends at a bar taken on cell phones posted on Flickr, to portrait photography, to photography as art, we can document moments with the push of a button.

Photography was born in the early 19th century. The documentation of life that early photographs provide give us an unprecedented glimpse into life as it was, without the painter's brush or the words of poets and writers. Like poets, writers, and painters, the photographer's eye influences what we see. He may choose to create scenes for us to view, or he may capture the moment as it happens.

[edit] Photographic processes

[edit] Daguerreotypes

Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre (1787–1851) invented the daguerreotype process in 1839. It is a photograph that has been produced on a silver coated surface of a copper metal plate. The surface is first sensitized by iodine fumes, then placed in the camera and exposed. The latent image is developed by exposing it to heated mercury vapor. This is a negative process in which the image captured on the plate is a reverse view of the original subject, but appears to be a positive when viewed in proper light. ^[1]

[edit] Ambrotypes

Ambrotypes are similar to Daguerreotypes, but are exposed on glass plates rather than silvered copper plates. Like the Daguerreotype, it is a negative image that can be viewed as a positive in the proper light. It employs the collodion process, using a collodion emulsion.

A Group of "Contrabands"

O'Sullivan Stereograph

[edit] Stereographs

Early stereographs are a pairing of the image, side by side, taken with two cameras. However, most stereographs were exposed on glass plates with a 'binocular' camera having dual lenses. — A daguerreotype process was used to create early stereographs.

Card Stereographs — Early card stereographs were printed using the calotype process and albumen emulsions. Mass produced stereographs were printed commercially and widely distributed during the late 19th Century. Frederick and William Langenheim were among the first American photographers to use the Stereograph image.

W.Whitman

Oscar Wilde

[edit] Albumen prints

Albumen prints are photographs secured on albumen paper. Iron traces were removed from raw paper. The paper was then treated with egg white (albumen). These photographs are sepia (brown) in color and have a glossy appearance with depth.

[edit] Photomechanical prints

Photogravure — The most widely used of the photomechanical prints. This process was mainly used to produce works of photographic art. A copper plate is used and engraved with a photograph. Prints reveal a soft, almost ethereal appearance.

[edit] Describing and cataloging photography

When cataloging photography, the chief source of information is the item itself or its container, which is the form of an album.

The following is an outline for description of an item:

1. Title: If a title is available use it. If there is no title, place a description in [brackets]
2. Statement of Responsibility: Corporate body, name of photographer, or name of studio. Multiple statements of entry can be used as sometimes the printer's name will appear on the photograph. When cataloging a photograph, the cataloger must specify the creators role. Example: Photographed by [Name]
3. Medium: Note which photographic process was used.
4. Created/Edition: Most editions are not found on the photograph itself, however, an edition is noted, add an edition statement.

Here is an example of a record for the image titled in brackets [Petersburg, Va. Detachment of 3d Indiana Cavalry]:

[Petersburg, Va. Detachment of 3d Indiana Cavalry].

CREATED/PUBLISHED 1864 November.

SUMMARY Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864 – April 1865.

NOTES Reference: Civil War photographs, 1861–1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0412

Title from Milhollen and Mugridge.

Forms part of Selected Civil War photographs, 1861–1865 (Library of Congress)

SUBJECTS United States–History–Civil War, 1861–1865–Military personnel. Petersburg (Va.)–History–Siege, 1864–1865. Cavalry–Union. Indiana troops. 3rd Indiana Cavalry. Wet collodion negatives. United States–Virginia–Petersburg.

MEDIUM 1 negative: glass, wet collodion.

CALL NUMBER LC-B817- 7068

REPRODUCTION NUMBER LC-DIG-cwpb-03682 DLC (digital file from original neg.) LC-B8171-7068 DLC (b&w film neg.)

SPECIAL TERMS OF USE No known restrictions on publication.

PART OF Selected Civil War photographs, 1861–1865 (Library of Congress)

REPOSITORY Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

DIGITAL ID (digital file from original neg.) cwpb 03682 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.03682 (digital file from intermediary roll copy film) cwp 4a39994

Library of Congress Bibliographic Record

[edit] Preservation of 19th Century Photography

Causes of Deterioration

Support Deterioration Metal oxidization Brittle Paper Broken Glass negatives Over exposure to light Other environmental factors — moisture, air, insects, rodents, light

Emulsion Deterioration Fading and Tarnishing, also known as 'mirroring' (irreversible damage) High Temperatures rapidly increase the speed of emulsion deterioration Storage materials, such as cases, frames, or mounts can emit pollutants Fingerprints leave oils and dirt and dust will scratch the emulsion

Preservation

General Guidelines Photographs should be stored in a dark space with a constant, cool temperature. Stable environment - not too dry or moist, with a relative humidity between 30% and 40% Make copies available for public viewing and handling to prevent damage of the original

Daguerreotypes — Cover glass to prevent tarnishing

Glass plate negatives — Proper fitting enclosures that provide padding to prevent breakage and movement

To use cotton gloves or not to use cotton gloves? The controversy of cotton gloves lives on. Some say that cotton gloves damage the photograph because the sense of touch is dulled from the fabric. The temptation to grasp the print tightly to obtain a better grip on photograph by the patron or archivist who is handling the print may prove detrimental to the photograph. Lint particles may also cause damage. On the other hand, oils from the fingers leave marks or a stray, ragged fingernail may scratch the print. Each photography archivist must make the choice of whether or not to provide and use gloves. Secure enclosures and/or copies of the photograph are a better way to ensure that the photograph will maintain its original appearance.

[edit] References

1. ^ Welling, William, Collectors' Guide to Nineteenth-Century Photographs. Collier Books, New York, 1976.

[edit] Further reading

• Care and Conservation of Photographic Materials. Icon, the Institute of Conservation, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Library of Congress American Memory Great resource for viewing 19th century photography and bibliographic records.
• Early Photography: Making Daguerreotypes The Getty Museum's online video takes you through the steps of Making a Daguerreotype.
• Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian Library of Congress and The Northwestern University Library digitized the twenty volume set, including 2228 images from Curtis's masterpiece, The North American Indian. These are excellent examples of Photgravure process.
• Selected Civil War Photographs Library of Congress houses many of Matthew Brady's American Civil War photographs.
• The Civil War Images of the Civil War from PBS and Ken Burn's Documentary.
• The Daguerreian Era and Early American Photography on Paper, 1839-1860 The Met Museum's Timeline of Art History discusses America and the Daguerreotype.
• Classic Photography School: A Rare 19th Century Photography Course Textbook An interesting site separated into chapters, which teach a student the Daguerreotype photographic process. A bit like a 19th century online photography course but not hands-on.