American Hand Book of the Daguerreotype   By: S. D. (Samuel Dwight) Humphrey (1823-1883)

This etext was created by Gregory Walker, Austin, Texas, for the Digital Daguerreian Archive Project.

Internet: gwalker@netcom.com CompuServe: 73577,677

Page numbers explicitly referred to in the text are marked at their beginning by "[page ]" on a separate line. The location of the illustrations in the text are marked by "[amdg .gif]" on a separate line. I hope this etext inspires a wider interest in the origins of photography and in the modern practice of the Daguerreian Art.

[Updater's note: In this version, the above page numbering convention has been replaced by "{}" sequences placed in line with the surrounding text.]

AMERICAN HAND BOOK

OF THE

DAGUERREOTYPE

GIVING

THE MOST APPROVED AND CONVENIENT

METHODS FOR PREPARING THE CHEMICALS, AND

THE COMBINATIONS USED IN THE ART.

CONTAINING THE

DAGUERREOTYPE, ELECTROTYPE,

AND VARIOUS OTHER PROCESSES EMPLOYED IN TAKING

HELIOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS.

BY

S. D. HUMPHREY

FIFTH EDITION

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY S. D. HUMPHREY

37 LISPENARD STREET

1858

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by S. D. HUMPHREY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York.

To J. GURNEY, WHOSE PROFESSIONAL SKILL, SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY, AND ENERGETIC PERSEVERANCE, HAVE WON FOR HIM UNIVERSAL ESTEEM, THIS WORK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.

PREFACE.

There is not an Amateur or practical Daguerreotypist, who has not felt the want of a manual Hand Book, giving concise and reliable information for the processes, and preparations of the Agents employed in his practice.

Since portraits by the Daguerreotype are at this time believed to be more durable than any other style of "Sun drawing," the author has hit upon the present as being an appropriate time for the introduction of the Fifth Edition of this work. The earlier edition having a long since been wholly; exhausted, the one now before you is presented.

The endeavor has been to point out the readiest and most approved Methods of Operation, and condense in its pages; as much practical information as its limits will admit. An extended Preface is unnecessary, since the aim and scope of this work are sufficiently indicated by the title.

S. D. HUMPHREY NEW YORK, 1858.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

Polishing the Daguerreotype Plate Buffing the Plate Coating the Plate Exposure of the Plate in the Camera Position Developing the Daguerreotype Exposure to Mercury Removing the Coating Gilding or fixing the Image Coloring Daguerreotype, . . . . . 18

CHAPTER II.

Coloring Back Grounds Transparent ditto Gilding Dissolvent Solution for removing Specks Solarized Impression To Purify Water Cleaning Mercury Adhesive Paper Black Stain for Apparatus Sealing Wax for Bottles Rouge Rotten Stone Potassa Solution Hyposulphite Solution Substitute for do. Gilding Solution Solution for increasing the Brilliancy of the Daguerreotype Bleaching Solution; Cold Gilding Neutralizing Agents Buff Dryer Keeping Buffs in order Cleaning Buckskins Reflector for taking Views, . . . . 52

CHAPTER III.

Bromine and its Compounds Iodine and its Compounds Chlorine and its Compounds Cyanide of Potassium Hyposulphite of Soda Hyphosulphite of Gold Nitric Acid Nitro Muriatic Acid Hydrochloric Acid Hydrofluoric Acid Sulphuric Acid Accelerating Substances Liquid Sensitives Dry Sensitives, etc., etc., . . . . . 72

CHAPTER IV.

Light Optics Solar Spectrum Decomposition of Light Light, Heat, and Actinism Blue Paper and Color for the Walls of the Operating Room Proportions of Light, Heat and Actinism composing a Sunbeam Refraction Reflection Lenses Copying Spherical Aberration Chromatic Aberration, . . . 131

CHAPTER V.