Category Archives: history

digging in

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Photo historians are blessed with a rich source of photographic history – a community archive of photographs from long ago local studios. The names and often addresses paint a picture of the community as it grew. Verification can often … Continue reading →

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entertainment in the late 1800s

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Did you ever wonder how people amused themselves before movies, radio, television, etc? Books, newspapers, and stereo cards? Well thanks to the Megalethoscope, patented in 1862 by Swiss born Carlo Ponti, people could also be entertained (and educated) by … Continue reading →

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tribute to a couple of Ws

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Keystone is a familiar name to members of the PHSC. As publishers of stereo view cards and sets (at one time), their wares are seen at many PHSC fairs. At left is a shot of one of the Keystone … Continue reading →

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an innovator called Karl

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. You have likely used his designs or innovations, especially if you took photographs last century with smaller roll film cameras (127 and 35mm) or used an SLR. A young Dutchman, Johan Steenbergen, moved to Dresden in 1912 where he … Continue reading →

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help!

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. At a recent PHSC auction, one lot of photographs included the photo at left. The lady seems to be wearing an unusual costume with what looks like padded bloomers. Also, the lady seems to have vaguely Oriental facial features. … Continue reading →

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a debt unpaid

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. … promise made is a debt unpaid … as Robert Service wrote in his 1907 epic Yukon poem, “The Cremation of Sam McGee“. Service was born in England and lived in many places, including Canada (he once worked for … Continue reading →

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expensive words

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. The old chestnut says a picture is worth a 1000 words. If so, the 14,000 words for these 14 daguerreotypes are worth nearly $39 USD each! Many Canadians remember the stories of Franklin and his two ill-fated vessels, the … Continue reading →

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hot pix, it’s a phoney; hot pix it’s a phoney …

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Robert

Toronto.  … with apologies to Karen Shopsowitz and her family. You couldn’t live here 60 years ago without hearing the jingle, “hotdog, it’s a Shopsy” or visit the city without buying one of those delicious hot dogs from her father’s … Continue reading →

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you can call me Max

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. As you know, a camera needs a lens to capture an image. Leitz had just such a lens designer. In 1912 according to Dr Kingslake in his 1989 book, “A History of the Photographic Lens“, a young Dr Max … Continue reading →

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an Oscar for design

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In 1914, a young German visited NYC. He brought along a tiny experimental ‘device’ that looked nothing like the cameras of the day. He took photos like the one at left with the people on the street oblivious to … Continue reading →

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