Daguerreotype 'photo

[PrueM]

Hi again,
I just turned to a little book I have called "Victorian Cartes de Visite" by Robin and Carol Wichard (1999.  Princes Risborough:  Shire Publications) and found the info you wanted about costing.  Just goes to show that books are still useful in this internet age 

Daguerreotypes:
"The only country not to benefit from Daguerre's...gift to the world was Britain, where Daguerre took out a patent on the process.  Few British photographers were willing to pay the licence fee and in consequence the process was restricted to relatively few professional portrait artists..."

Ambrotypes:
"In Europe, at least, the ambrotype process, requiring no licence and little skill, soon eclipsed the popularity of the daguerreotype and, in no time at all, framed ambrotypes were being offered for as little as sixpence, which truly made photography available to all levels of society - even the poor....cheap, wooden-framed cases were ... manufactured, covered in embossed cardboard, papier-mache or, more rarely, leather."

Cheers
Prue

[Romilly]

Hello Prue,

Many thanks for all that info, - & for all your efforts on our behalf!

I'm guessing now, - but I would think that although 6d sounds a pitifully small amount to us now...at the time it would have been a much bigger outgoing to a porely paid worker, - such as our G/Grandparents were.

Thanks for all the help,
Best Wishes, Romilly.

[newbie]

try this site to compare value,
http://eh.net/hmit/ukcompare/

I did a quick value
6pence in 1860 is worth £1.53 using RPI (2004 was the latest year you could use)
Newbie

[newbie]

or using all 5 indices
In 2004, £0 0s 6d from 1860 is worth:
 £1.53 using the retail price index
 £2.24 using the GDP deflator
 £14.03 using average earnings
 £17.41 using per capita GDP
 £36.21 using the GDP

[dennford]

An interesting link on prices of old photo's can be had at this site


http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_early/1_early_photography_-_prices_charged.htm


My personal favourite on here is a chap by the name of Sotires Georgiades who purports to be Greek, How amazing to find a Greek practising photography in Glasgow in 1850. Mind you I still believe we totally underestimate the ability and enterprise of people from earlier times - we must always remember that these people did and achieved amazing things with but a fraction of our vast rescourses.


PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO

75 PRINCES' STREET

MR. SOTIRES GEORGIADES respectfully informs his Friends and the Public that he continues to execute DAGUERREOTYPE PORTRAITS of a very superior description, at the above premises.

For the purpose of regulating the influences of the weather, and ensuring a correct and accurate likeness in any condition of the atmosphere, he has constructed a larger Glass Chamber, in which the unfavourable effects of rain, &c., are completely neutralized.

For the convenience of Ladies and others who may dislike the Public Room, Mr S.G. has private apartments suitably fitted up.

Small Sized Portraits 5s. 6d.    Second size 8s. 6d.    Fourth size 15s.


What a wonderfull ad'
                                                          Denn

[PrueM]

 

What a great ad, Denn!
When I was getting the daguerreotype reference above, I read that the exposure time could be anything up to 30 minutes!      and that was in full sunlight - imagine that on a summer's day in your crinolines and corsets/weskit and frock coat!!

Prue

[dennford]

Horrific thought. remember that famous first picture that dagguerre took though the Paris window - I'm not absolutely sure but I believe it was around a six hour exposure time!!!!!    What would old Louis think of our high speed cameras of today?
                                                  Denn

[dennford]

You know some of those early photographers were great men (should I say people?) and very thought provoking - in a way they were leaders. My own favourite of course is Ansell Adams - probably some connection to my love of mountaineering and the bush!

                                             Denn

[newbie]

Denn,
Thanks for the link much more informative than the one I found!
Newbie