searching for a house

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Robert

Photographic Canadiana issue 23-1 cover shot

Toronto. The cover shot on issue 23-1 features a horse and coach caught by a daguerreotype camera. An article inside titled, “A SEARCH FOR THE ALBION HOUSE” by the late Graham Garrett explains the reason for the cover shot.

Graham’s article begins, “Several years ago I was sent a 35mm slide of a daguerreotype, ca. 1853-54, by Matthew Isenburg of Connecticut, leading me to do some research on the locale of the image. I believe it was taken in Upper Canada and I’m asking [1997] readers for any input they might have on the subject and/or origin.

The double-plate format depicts a stagecoach (see cover) drawn by two gray horses standing on a dirt street with part of a wooden sidewalk noticeable in the background. In addition to a uniformed driver, the stage has the words ‘Albion House’ neatly painted above its door, (probably in gold paint), and the numerals ‘272’.

“One of the buildings in the background is constructed of white clapboard with a sign bearing the words ‘Variety Store’ and a young person exiting the doorway. Another sign discovered on the side of the store is unreadable.

“It should be noted that the word ‘Albion’ (an ancient name for Britain) was used for a variety of goods and services in British North America for almost a century, particularly hotels, houses and inns. The most well-known of these establishments was located in Cobourg, U.C. and was documented in ‘Pioneer Inns and Taverns’, (Tor., 1954-56), by Edwin C. Guillet, (see ill.).

“It should be pointed out that although newspapers carried ads for ‘Albion Hotels’, the word ‘House’ seemed interchangeable in editorials. I have compiled a large amount of data relating to places of accommodation in U.C. using the word Albion and I have listed those few that were in operation close to the above circa date.” …

Mr Garrett’s report of his research continues. Members are able to see all of Graham’s illustrated article in the pdf file for volume 23 (including 23-1 with the article) You can join by following MEMBERSHIP above or Membership at right. Email any questions to Lilianne at member@phsc.ca.

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another great use for AI

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Robert

sample photo from My Heritage website

Toronto. I received an email from past president Les Jones this weekend noting that a genealogy web site is using AI to estimate the date of a photo based on its contents.

Since the service (called PhotoDater) is  used within a browser, it likely works with any OS. The site My Heritage has a two week ‘free’ membership which must be used to access PhotoDater.

Once a photo is uploaded following the site’s protocol, an estimated date is usually suggested plus the statistical variance (eg. 1946 +- 5 years). Check out the site and see if it appeals to you (especially image collectors with uncertain dates for photos). The Photo Dater technology according to My Heritage was ‘educated’ with a huge number of accurately dated historical images.

Skeptical? Check out the various ‘PhotoDater’ Youtube videos to see how My Heritage puts AI to work as a realistic ‘dater’ of old photos. From my own perspective, AI is really helpful doing the repetitive routine analysis and adjustments we make day to day.

I use Topaz Photo AI on this site at times. Each iteration of the application seems to improve the results. It is often impressive and often a disaster. Still lots of room for improvement. It seems to do a strikingly good job on some things (ie the odd portrait) but has a ways to go (ie, realizing the shape of screw heads on cameras for example). I like its upsizing for the most part, and its de-noise function but often fall back to using ‘Focus Magic’ for out of focus images.

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jimmy’s back in town

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Robert

Single slant light with blind control as advocated by Inglis 

Toronto. In issue 22-5, Part 1 of Dr Reichstein’s article on James Inglis appeared. Issue 23-1 continues the story with Part 2.

Part 2 begins, “The decade of the eighties [1880s] was to be one of extraordinary activity for Inglis. It marked his move to Rochester, N.Y., the rise and fall of his career in manufacturing and was the decade in which he achieved wide public prominence.

“The basis for the frenetic activity of this period was his interest in the manufacture of dry plates. Throughout the period of the 1870’s there was a great deal of experimentation, mainly in England, to replace the cumbersome wet plate process for producing negatives, which involved coating a glass plate with collodion, sensitizing then exposing and developing it while wet, with a more convenient and portable dry plate process.

“It was a turning point in photographic history. Todd’s obituary of 1904, speaking of Inglis’ last period in Montreal, describes Inglis becoming interested in dry plates in the early eighties: “…he entered upon the experimental stage with his usual whole-souled energy, and, like many more of that time with disastrous financial results”.

“It is clear that by the time Inglis arrived in Rochester, probably early in 1883, he was relatively accomplished in the technology.” …

Members could read all of Irwin Reichstein’s illustrated and foot-noted article in the relevant pdf file on the free members-only DVD (a thumb drive as of April 2025). See MEMBERSHIP above or Membership at right to join. Send Lilianne an email with any questions or suggestions at member@phsc.ca.

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bagels and more

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. We received notice the other day that the spring camera show in Montreal is this April 27th.  Montreal, spring, bagels, cameras, and more – spend the weekend in beautiful Montreal!  For more information, table, etc. drop Sol an email at solhadef@gmail.com.

 

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cameras, cameras, everywhere …

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Robert

SENECA No.9 5×7 plate camera with reversing back, double extension, drop bed and front standard rise and shift.

Toronto. … and not a print in sight. Shades of smartphones. Last century, when film was in its prime, people argued which camera maker or model was the best and who made the best lenses. As Don Douglas put it for a sober second thought,”the best camera; the best lens, are the ones in your hand as you see something to photograph.”

For me today, that is the tiny 8 mpx camera module on my iPod Touch. Today’s smartphone owners do not care who made their phone’s camera module but rather that there is one ready to go on demand!

In issue 22-5 (spring, 1997) Stan White wrote a captivating article titled, “An Amateur Camera of the Early 20th Century” that shows a typical camera many amateurs chose to use. The article begins, “Once the dry plate arrived in the 1880s the last hurdle to practical photography for the amateur was cleared. It only remained for the standard of living to improve for photography to be affordable to the middle classes and eventually to the working classes.

“As a result there was a mass of photographic equipment marketed from 1890 to 1920, specifically for the amateur.

“Cameras differed wildly in sophistication and price but were different from professional equipment in a number of ways: many were not sufficiently rugged to stand up to the  rigours of day-to-day use; designs often fell short of minimum professional requirements, and since they were made for a price, lenses and shutters were often of modest standard.

“Roll film was still expensive and plates (50 cents a dozen 4x5) were cheap, flat and could be large; advantages, in an era of questionable lens definition and grainy emulsions, so it is logical that the drop–bed folding plate camera became a favourite. In North America, Folmer & Schwing were making a camera of this design that was not greatly dissimilar to the Speed Graphics a half a century later and many other companies were marketing amateur versions including, Rochester Camera & Supply, Rochester Optical, Manhattan Optical Co., Robt. H. Ingersoll & Bro., Montgomery Ward & Co., Scoville & Adams Co., Ray Cameras Co., E. H. & T. Anthony, G. Gennert, Gundlach Optical Co., and of course, the Eastman Kodak Co.” … 

Members can read the rest of this and other articles in the issue 22-5 pdf file on the free members-only DVD (thumb drive as of April, 2025). To join, see the information under ‘MEMBERSHIP’ (top) or ‘Membership – Join or Renew!’ (right). Questions? Email Lilianne at member@phsc.ca.

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asleep in the deep

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Robert

searching for ‘Nessie’ with the family camera

Toronto. One of the endearing series of stories is   about the Loch Ness Monster. Often spoken about, rarely if ever sighted … . Over a half century ago a society planted some cameras deep in the Loch and set out to bait ‘Nessie’ and capture its photo.

Recently, one of the long ago submerged cameras was abruptly surfaced when it was disconnected from its mooring by a robot submarine. Checkout the BBC News link for more details. The BBC article is titled, “Camera set up to catch Loch Ness Monster discovered”.

My thanks to Cynthia Motzenbecker of MiPHS who found this item and to our PHSC president Clint Hryhorijiw for sending it on to me.

Instamatic film camera, anyone? Not in your collection? Visit all of our 2025 events as listed at right under ‘PHSC EVENTS’. You may not spot the right Instamatic for you, but there will be many other tasty goodies on display for your consideration. Admission is cheap, and parking is free. What more could you ask!

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nailing down the minicam revolution

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Robert

mid 1950s Retina IIIc made in the Stuttgart NAgel Werks

Toronto. Some years ago, I had one of the early Retina camera models in my collection. I still have a slightly older Nagel Recomar. When the minicam revolution took off, Kodak bought the Nagel factory (end of 1931) in Stuttgart to manufacture first the Recomar line, and then the Retinas.

The 35mm Retinas became popular 35mm cameras at modest cost. When you visit our 2025 events you may well come across a Retina for your collection. And if not, odds are that another item will catch your eye and be added to your collection!

The IIIc at left was sold in the mid 1950s (’54-’57). Other models were made earlier and later. The image, taken in August 2009, was enhanced with Topaz AI Photo, Focus Magic and Affinity Photo.

See the right side of this site under PHSC EVENTS for our 2025 itinerary. As the date approaches I will pin a notice to the top of this page. Any event listed at right without a date is waiting confirmation.

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19th and 20th century images to be auctioned

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Robert

LONG CHIN-SAN (1892-1995) Inside the net, 1965 Vintage silver print, signed on the image 28.7 x 39 cm – LOT 309 – Drouot.com

Toronto. On March 29, 2025 the PHSC received an email from Christophe Goeury of France announcing:

Collections & Propositions

Photographs XIX (19th) and XXie (20th) century

Friday, April 11th 2025, from 2:00 pm

Salle VV – 3, rue Rossini – 75009 Paris – France

Online catalog: Millon (fr) , Drouot (en) & Interenchères (en). The auction is live and online for those unable to travel to Paris this spring. Note that there is a
Complete pdf catalog here!  In person viewing is available too on April 8 – 11 at specific hours. Have a look and see if any offering would complement your collection!

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Newsletter 25-3 issued

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Robert

March 2025 – Issue 25-3

Toronto.They just keep getting better!  Editor Patrick Gunn has put together another impressive issue (this time  for March, 2025).

In spite of a heavy personal workload, Patrick manages to get these fine newsletters out. Well done, sir!

You can click here for a copy of 25-3 or visit NEWSLETTER above for this and all other issues. Would you like a personal copy with notice sent directly to your in-box? Just email news@phsc.ca to be added  to our MailChimp list.

This issue contains many news items and announcements in its 16 pages. Have a peek at the striking layout/articles and remember, drop Patrick or me a line if you have/want specific photo gear included in the newsletter notices.

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picture of a beetle

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Robert

orange beetle van summer 2013

Toronto. This article is an example of exchange content that editor Lansdale felt would interest our members. As such, this example is reprinted  in our journal with permission from the Club Rollei magazine back in early 1997 (issue 22-5).

The article investigates the possible link between Rollei and Volkswagen, The article is written, “by Ian Parker with contributions by Gary Rougier and the Volkswagen Archives”. Parker begins his article, “In December your editor [Ian Parker] was able to visit the Rollei factory with Tony Hilton, a Club Rollei member from Sydney in Australia. While in the Board Room at Rollei, Tony noticed the large signs for Audi/VW out of the window. Audi/VW rent part of the Rollei factory which they use for research. In June of this year [’96] they will move on and Rollei, with their expansion, and being short of space, will be glad to be able to move into this space.

“However. Tony mentioned that he had seen on T. V. a report that Rollei had made carburettors for VW. I thought this was impossible, and decided to find out more.

“Fortunately I own an Audi/VW franchise distributorship in Guernsey so I was able to find out who was the best person to find out if Rollei did in fact help VW to get into production after the war.

“In September 1931 Dr. Ferdinand Porsche announced his design for a Volkswagen – ‘A peoples Car‘. . In 1933 NSU built three prototypes which were given extensive road tests. It was not until 1934 that the name Volkswagen became generally known when the German Reich government drew up a contract for the Porsche Design Office and the then German Automobile Industry Association to design the people’s car and the machinery to build such a car.

“In February 1938 the foundation stone was laid for the new factory at Braunschweig,  named VORWERK (before work) and had today’s symbol for the VW motif. This factory was completed by the middle of 1939 and was used for training of apprentices in skilled work for the main factory in Wolfsburg.

“Wolfsburg is only about 20 miles from Braunschweig. Construction work was completed on schedule and the installation of American machinery commenced in April 1939. The first Volkswagen, the type 64 with a top speed of 149Km per hour (about 82 miles), was announced in September 1939.

“Building work was stopped at the start of the war and the factory built a military type of Jeep throughout the war with many parts coming from the Braunschweig plant, as the apprentice scheme was stopped in early 1940.

“During the war both factories were bombed and in 1944 two thirds of the Wolfsburg factory was destroyed in two daylight raids with 73 killed and 160 injured. Machinery was then transferred to Braunschweig and other sites and Wolfsburg continued as an assembly plant. …”

Members can read all of the reprinted article in the issue 22-5 pdf file on the free members only DVD. Not a member? Joining is sooo easy! Follow the Membership items above or to the right. Any questions, just email Lilianne at member@phsc.ca. Please note whether the membership is new or a renewal to help us (thanks).

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