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There are many types of photographs that you can collect, but the daguerreotype really stands apart from the pack. Not only is every single daguerreotype a rare image, they all have a distinctive look as well. Let’s start with a short history lesson on the characteristics, and process of making a daguerreotype.
Although the daguerreotype was not the first method of producing an image, it was the first to make photography a commercially viable product. Although not the sole inventor, the daguerreotype is named after one of its most famous inventors, Louis Daguerre. Daguerre announced the perfection of the process in 1839.
The daguerreotype was a type of photograph that had no negative which resulted in a single copy of any given image. Daguerreotypes were produced by adding a layer of silver halide to the plate, the plate was in turn exposed to a scene through a lens, and then the plate was developed by holding it over a container of heated mercury.
Next, the image had to be permanently affixed to the plate by dipping it in a bath of hyposulphite of soda. The resulting image was so prone to damage by the slightest handling, that most daguerreotypes were protected by covering them with a piece of glass and sealing them with tape, then placing them in a case.
Daguerreotypes are also very prone to oxidation if exposed to air, so if the sealing tape has been removed or has become damaged, the image is likely to turn black or even spotted. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to bring back a heavily tarnished or spotted daguerreotype. Do not try to polish a heavily tarnished daguerreotype, you will only end up destroying the image altogether. Slightly tarnished daguerreotypes can be prevented from getting worse by resealing them with special tape sold by archival supply houses. You can easily find the tape online, just Google “archival photo supplies”.
The glass produced back in the early 1800s was also prone to have lots of impurities, and as a result many of the daguerreotypes you will find now may have what looks like white mold spots on the image. The white spots are more likely in the glass and will in most cases disappear if the glass is replaced, and the daguerreotype resealed.
It is best to have any repairs to your daguerreotype done by a professional restorer, but if you do decide to make any repairs, remember to never touch the image plate. All it will take to ruin the image is a slight brush of your finger on the plate, or to have a speck of dust get sealed in.
The most noticeable thing that makes a daguerreotype stand apart from other cased images such as ambrotypes, is that daguerreotypes have a mirror surface. You have to hold them at just the right angle to see the image clearly. Daguerreotypes are also prone to damage if dropped, exposed to sunlight for extended periods of time, or miss handled, so treat them with care. The best way to store any photograph including a daguerreotype is to keep it in a metal box, and in a cool dry place.
Daguerreotypes come in the following sizes; Whole plate - 6 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches, Half plate - 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches, Quarter plate - 3 1/4 by 4 1/4 inches, Sixth plate - 2 3/4 by 3 1/4 inches, Ninth plate - 2 by 2 1/2 inches, Sixteenth plate - 1 3/8 by 1 5/8 inches, and cover all kinds of subjects including slightly rarer outdoor scenes, fairly uncommon post mortem, rare personality portraits, hand tinted, and common folk portraits, with common folk portraits being the most common. Although all types of daguerreotypes are collected, there are certain genera that collectors gravitate to.
Outdoor Scenes; because of the equipment needed to produce a daguerreotype, outdoor images are fairly rare. Outdoor daguerreotypes cover every subject from occupational scenes to images of a photographer’s back yard. If you decide to collect outdoor images, you can expect to pay anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars, up to a few hundred dollars.
Post Mortem; it was sometimes a practice back in the 1800s to have photographs taken of loved ones on their death beds, after death. Photographs of deceased people are called post mortem, and are highly prized by some collectors. If you decide to collect post mortem daguerreotypes, you can expect to pay anywhere from fifty dollars, up to a few hundred dollars for an outstanding example.
Personality; among the rarer of daguerreotype images are the ones that have a personality, or personalities. If you decide to collect images of personalities, you can expect to pay upwards of a thousand dollars or more for an unusual image.
Hand Tinted; some of the most spectacular daguerreotypes were hand tinted. Colors were usually red, gold, and/or light blue, but other colors exist. Collectors really like these types of images and will gladly pay upwards of a thousand dollars or more for a fine example.
Common Folk Portraits; although common folk portraits are the most common daguerreotype you will find, they are nevertheless quite worth collecting. Common folk portraits cover everyone from babies to grandparents, and if well composed, they can go as high as a few hundred dollars.
I hope this article has given you a good overview on collecting daguerreotypes, and no matter what genera you decide to collect, you can be sure that you have the only copy of that particular image. If you decide to start collecting daguerreotypes, or any photographic medium, the most important thing to keep in mind is to collect for the love of collecting images, not just as an investment opportunity.
Have Fun Collecting!
Bill writes articles on collecting photography, and is also a collector and dealer of photos. His current inventory as well as more articles on collecting photographs can be viewed via his website PhotoNutz.com