Category Archives: history

as Horace Greeley once said …

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. …Go west, young man. Many photographers did indeed ‘go west’ – in North America, that is. Messrs Palmquist and Kailbourn recently released a “biographical dictionary” of the “pioneer photographers of the far west“. This opus was reviewed in issue … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on as Horace Greeley once said …

a really rare one

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. I often mention that wet plate cameras usually self destruct as they are used. In this rare example shown in Bill Belier’s column in issue 26-4 it is described by its present owner – Mike Robinson. Bill begins, “Our … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on a really rare one

submerged in religion

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. The article “A Surprising Find!” not only expands on Carswell’s CdVs but discusses the meeting of Baptist clergy in Toronto in 1868 and Carswell’s group photo shown here. It is a collage of individual portraits. The article by editor … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on submerged in religion

a pocket full of poses

Posted on January 28, 2026 by Robert

Toronto.  Around the time when the northern part of British North America established  itself as the Dominion of Canada (1867), a Toronto photographer, Robert Carswell, created these CdVs which became part of the late Robert Wilson’s collection. Twenty-five years ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on a pocket full of poses

home movies again …

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. In the time before digital and smart phones everywhere, a sub set of amateur photographers took and projected movies. Home movies entertained us after watching the ‘boob tube’ lost interest momentarily. The late Alan Katttelle from down Massachusetts way, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on home movies again …

from the very beginning …

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. Photography was announced in January 1839 by two very different men as two very different processes, both based on the reaction of silver salts to light. And both were  successful because a means was discovered to make the resulting … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on from the very beginning …

wedding bells coming soon

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Robert

  Toronto. With the chilly weather, it’s a great time to think ahead to June brides … In issue 26-3 of our journal, editor Bob Lansdale wrote and illustrated an article titled, “Wedding Photography …”. The images are from the … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on wedding bells coming soon

I wonder what it’s worth?

Posted on January 11, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. For many years, the definitive price guide to old cameras was McKeown’s, Issue 26-3 announced the arrival of the 11th edition of the famous guide: “We’ll finally see the all-new McKeown’s Price Guide in January 2001 at a hefty price of $125 US for the … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on I wonder what it’s worth?

ever see an ‘ugly duckling’ camera?

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Robert

Toronto,  I received my copy of the MiPHSC Photogram (53-4, Winter 2025) a few weeks back. In it was an article by Rob Niederman (known for his collection and knowledge of cameras) titled “My Collection Has An Ugly Duckling”. Join … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on ever see an ‘ugly duckling’ camera?

to die for…

Posted on January 6, 2026 by Robert

Toronto. … is a popular expression describing a very special item. In the issue 26-3 column “Book Shelf”, Dr Wilson describes a book of photographs by photographer William James. The book’s illustrations were made using rare hand coloured slides from … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on to die for…