PHSC: Archived Research Requests and Responses

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

Archived Research Requests and Responses

Black Memorabilia and Artifacts

Philip J. Merrill (nanjack@bellatlantic.net) writes: I'm a collector of black memorabilia and historical artifacts such as slave items, books, dolls, photos and numerous other items. I'm presently collecting and researching black photographers from 1840's to 1950's and at the moment, I only have one photo from Canada. as I travel around the country exhibiting and lecturing, I'm always looking to research and purchase black photographs by black photographers etc... if you could tell me some prominent photographers or resources in canada, I would greatly appreciate it. I plan to visit canada sometime within the next 6 months. Thanks again.

m e n u

19c Photographer L.A. Huffmann

Mr. Graniero at GranieroR@aol.com is searching for information about 19th century plains photographer L.A.Huffman. If you have any images, biographical, or business information to offer, please contact him.

m e n u

Large Gelatin print by Garrett

Member Jim Rice (RtRevJim@AOL.COM) writes: I have a large gelatin silver print (approx. 10 x 18) possibly turn of the century. It is signed "GARRET" in pencil on the mount, and titled (also in pencil) Gloucester Fishermen. It does not look like Gloucester MA to my eye, and was wondering if it could be England. What is peculiar about the image is that it appears to be made from a paper negative. I have been told (by people familiar with such things) that the boats are mid-19th century. Would any one know who "Garret" was, and if it was unusual at the turn of the century to make modern prints from paper negatives? Any info, comments, or wild guesses would be welcome! Thanks.

m e n u

Sophia Goff

Member Jim Rice (RtRevJim@AOL.COM) writes: I am looking for boigraphical info on the photographer "Sophia Goff" in the Washington DC area, possibly 1930-s 50's. I would appreciate any help.

Expired June 15, 1997

m e n u

Photography and Society in the 19th Century

Lisa Jargin writes: Hey there! I'm doing a project on the history of photography and i was wondering if you knew how photography affected society in the 19th century if you know please post the answer on your site.

Response:

Photography had a tremendeous impact. I suggest two excellent references: The History of Photography, Helmut and Alison Gernsheim's massive book published in 1955 and revised in 1969. This book traces the evolution of photography to the early days of this century. And perhaps more useful to your request, Beaumont Newhall's 1980 publication Photography: Essays & Images which reproduces many 19th century essays and articles on photography. Another possible source is the series of quarterly magazines entitled History of Photography. Check your reference library to track down copies of the books and magazine.

m e n u

Edward H. Amet

Kirk Kekatos the enthusiastic editor of the Chicago Photographic Collectors Society monthly Bulletin is researching EDWARD H. AMET an inventor from Illinois. At the turn of the century he invented a movie camera and a movie projector including the AMET MAGNASCOPE before concluding that cinematography had no future!

If you have any information please call Kirk at 847 223 4348 or e-mail c/o info@phsc.ca.

Expired May 25, 1997

m e n u

Interest in Seeing A Fine Old Image Exhibit?

Marcel Ste-Marie writes: I would like to have an expert opinion from persons in your field about the interest by people in the photographic trade in seeing a fine collection of rather rare views of the world (including Japan, Singapore, India, Middle-East, Greece, Portugal) circa 1865, from the same original collector (a wealthy Montreal merchant of the same period), in number close to 120. Since a lot of framing would have to be done in the perspective of exhibiting the lot I would need to have an advice as to the interest of going that far in investing money. Please contact me at stemarie@quebectel.com with your views and suggestions.

m e n u

Looking for Photos By Kiek of Leiden

Carla Divinsky at carla_divinsky@mbnet.mb.ca writes: I found your page while searching for something else. I am doing research in my mother's family. Her great-grandfather was Israel David Kiek , one of the pioneers in Leiden, the Netherlands. His sons, David, Abraham and Leon were also photographers. Much has been published in Holland about him. Would you happen to have any photo's in your archives from him or his sons?

Thank you,
Carla Divinsky

m e n u

Keystone Project Information

Ray Norman at rnorman@netshop.net writes: I have a Keystone manual projector circa 1935. I would like to research its history and find its approximate value. I could not find any serial or model number. Please contact me at the above e-mail address if you can offer any information.

Expired April 15, 1997

m e n u

Camera Manufacturers History Needed

Sam Dodge at samdodge@speakeasy.org Writes: Howdy Folks, Sorry to make this such a "blanket" request but I thought this would serve us all best if everybody knew who else had received it.

I need some camera manufacturer history. I'd like to know when they started, how long they were manufacturing, what famous person in the film industry owned the company. I need this for several cameras in my collection and haven't been really sucessful in library research here in Seattle. [There is a bunch of information about fish, trees and rain here but the antique 35mm camera pages are really thin.]

I need info on Prestwich, Williamson, Darling, Mitchell, Pathe', Debrie, Bioscope, Ernemann, Moy and Bastie, Willart, U.S. Cinematograph, Gennert and Universal Camera Corp.

Do any of you have any papers on these manufacturers? I find these cameras great to look at but there is a lack of knowledge here that I'd like to fill. What ya got? Please ask around in the MMS (Movie Machine Society) members that are not online.


      ___

   -L|=B0* |

     |_ _|

       |

     / | \

    /  |  \

   /   |   \

  /    |    \

 /     |     \   Catch ya round the bend, Sam

m e n u

Family Photographic Albums Research

Renate Wickens writes: I'm currently working on a book dealing with Family Photographic Albums. Any information and/or album collections that your membership might have would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted via rwickens@yorku.ca and/or via my homepage.

Many thanks,
Renate Wickens-Feldman, Ph.D.

m e n u

Copyright Advice Sought

Robert Tremain of the Lambton Heritage Museum writes: Great site, to which we will return. I didn't find what I was looking for: a brief symnopsis of copyright as it pertains to historical images in public museum collections: can museums assign copyright for publication, when there are a multitude of copies in existence of a view? Perhaps you have seen an article on this. Thanks.

Response:

The following reply was sent to Mr. Tremaine:

I spoke with Robert Wilson, who has an extensive image collection, and writes and researches image related issues. Bob recently addressed the copyright question your raised. He advises me that under Canadian law, copyright expires fifty years after an original image is created. Each owner of an original print controls the use of that specific antique print thereafter. This means one can release copies of an owned antique image in a book or paper (or on the web). But such an image cannot be copied from a publication and reused without permission.

This is the general rule, barring any sort of transfer of rights to another organization or person. The museum can control its copy but not any other original print from the same negative owned by others. As usual, a formal legal opinion would be necessary to ensure the issues are correctly understood.

Hope this is helpful. I can pass on Bob Wilson's address if you would like to contact him directly-- he doesn't have e-mail at the moment.

Bob Carter.

Expired June 15, 1997

m e n u

Help Identifying An Unusual Old Print

Craig Perkins of New Zealand writes: I've come across what I think is a seneotype circa 1860ish, it's a print that has been made translucent somehow and place between two pieces of glass with another roughly coloured print in behind. This gives a type of soft coloured effect. Am I correct in my ID?, please explain the process in more detail if possible.

If you can offer Craig more information on this image, drop him a message at xtr12340001@xtra.co.nz.

Response:

Our new editor, Robert Lansdale answered this one:

Mr. Perkins image may well be a Seneotype. According to Luis Nadeau's Encyclopedia of Printing, Photographic, and Photomechnaical Processes, "The [Sennotype] process consisted of having two ALBUMEN PRINTS, one waxed to make it transparent, sandwiched between glass and mounted over the other PRINT, which was HAND-COLORED. Charles Wilson, the partner of the inventor, who possibly came from New Orleans, introduced this process in Australia and New Zealand in 1864.

The Patent was contested on the grounds that it was basically the same as the IVORYTYPE, patented by Mayall in 1855. (see Hardwicke Knight, 'The Sennotype Process' History of Photography, Vol 12, No 2 April-June 1988).

Expired April 15, 1997

m e n u

Back to the Research Page

Main Index

Facelift & Design © 1999 Zero Cattle
Page © 1998,9 by The Photographic Historical Society of Canada
Webmaster: Bob Carter
URL:
-- See What's New for more details

Lost? Find your way with our Site Map!