Land o’ goshen …

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Robert

Land presenting the Polavision home movie system, 1977 – from the  Wikipedia article linked in this post

Toronto. … is an expression of mild  amazement from my youth. The expression came to mind when I saw notice of Edwin (Herbert) Land‘s death in issue 17-1 (May/June 1991) of our journal.

Ev, who was editor at the time , mentioned that inventor Land lived from 1909 to 1991. In his column, Editor’s Notebook, he mentions that, “Polaroid was a name coined by a friend [of Land’s] in 1934 to describe Edwin Land’s first product, a synthetic polarizing material which proved suitable for sunglasses, gun sights and similar uses, that he had researched while a student at Harvard.

“It is really the name of a company, but is now synonymous with Instant Photography. It is interesting to note that the inventor had considered the name Epibolipol. How fortunate it was abandoned!”

Ev continues the story which members read (and can read now on the pdf version). The PHSC DVD contains volumes 1-40 of our journal, with each issue in searchable pdf format. You can join the PHSC following either ‘MEMBERSHIP’ above or ‘Membership – Join or Renew’ at the right. Questions? Email Lilianne at member@phsc.ca.

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our September meeting is this Wednesday the 18th

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. We are having a show and tell this Wednesday evening September 18, 2024. To register, please visit Eventbrite here as the poster on this site is a non-linkable jpg. Any questions contact Celio or Clint via info@phsc.ca.

our September 18, 2024 meeting is Show & Tell

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a dilly of a dag camera c1840

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Robert

c1840 Daguerreotype camera by Prof Smetana, Plenz CZ

Toronto. The announcement in January, 1839 of the Daguerreotype process electrified the civilized world. First and foremost in improvements were to reduce the time needed to create a ‘likeness’. In 1840 Petzval created a much faster portrait lens to properly expose a Daguerreotype plate in a fraction of the time.

The 1839 News reached professor Smetana in Plzen, Czechoslovakia and in the following year (1840) he announced his Daguerreotype Camera complete with a Petzval lens made by F. Waibl, Vienna.

Editor Ev Roseborough describes the historic table top camera used for the issue 16-5 cover shot thusly. “This camera was used in the 1840’s by Josef Frantisek Smetana, professor at the Plzen Grammar School, to make daguerreotypes. The camera is mounted on a stand fitted with three adjusting screws.

“The earliest cameras of this type were simply placed on a table when in use. There is a Petzval lens constructed by F. Waibl, a renowned Viennese optician. The plate size is 72 x 81 mm (i.e. 1/6 Daguerre Standard Plate). There is also a development box where the pictures taken were made visible by means of mercury vapour.

“Professor Smetana, a cousin of the famous Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, was the first scholar in Bohemia to describe Daguerre photography in the Czech language. This description can be found in his book ‘Silozpyt cili fysika‘, published in 1842.”

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a recognition issue

Posted on September 14, 2024 by Robert

Berenice Abbott in 1930s – Image from Wikipedia article on Ms Abbott

Toronto. My good friend George Dunbar dropped me a letter the other day. Enclosed was an anecdote about Berenice Abbott, a famous NYC photographer. I first learned of her impressive photographs as a subscriber to the original “LIFE LIBRARY of PHOTOGRAPHY“. This anecdote was in the NY Times Sunday, September 8, 2024 column “Metropolitan Diary” as reproduced below.

In the early 1960s I was at university in Montreal. My roomie at the time was in Political Science and bought the Sunday NY Times religiously for its fine American political content. I remember one Sunday he trundled home with a massive seven pounds plus of newspaper…

 

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A CSC event to remember

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Robert

Array of projectors at the CSC opening event at Sheridan College in late 1990

Toronto. This profusely illustrated article appears in issue 16-4 of our journal. Beginning in the Editor’s Notebook column and continuing for over half of this issue, the article reports on the exciting opening event for the CSC at Sheridan College (write-up by Ev with photos by Bob Lansdale).

Ev begins his review, “November 17th, 1990 marked the official opening with exhibits of historical and modern stereoscopy and the instruments which produced them. In addition the well-known American stereoscopist Ron Labbe brought his presentation Space Shots, which had been a hit of the National Stereoscopic Association convention recently.

“It proved tremendously entertaining and displayed stereographs from the earliest forms to NASA’s latest of Earth from Space. A contemporary musical program, with effects which heightened dramatic moments in the fast-moving show, was specially composed and played by Labbe’s fellow musicians.

“An eight-foot stereo card had been built and two Music/Theatre students performed a stereo drama in the frames. Addresses were short and to the point. A particular note should be made of the work of Stanley J. White, now co-ordinator of the project for PHSC.”

The review and photos go on for about another 10+ pages. Recent members viewed this article in full (with all the photos) in the pdf file for issue 16-4 on the ‘free to members’ PHSC DVD. Not a member? Why not since membership is both easy and inexpensive? Follow the instructions above (MEMBERSHIP) or at right (Join or Renew). Questions? Drop a note to Lilianne at member@phsc.ca.

And don’t forget to visit our fall events – next up is the October 20th fair. Lots of interesting items for your collection.

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Executive Meeting No 49 via ZOOM

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Robert

PHSC President
Clint Hryhorijiw

Toronto. The first fall  session (Sep 4th) was held via ZOOM.  Hard to believe, but fall is here with warmish days and chilly nights..

Once again we are looking for a PHSC newsletter editor. Katrin Faridani  had to give this exciting venture a pass due to work pressures. In any case, drop me an email at news@phsc.ca for your very own copy and if you aren’t already on our MailChimp list, I will add your email.

Membership Secretary Lilianne Schneider advises you to RENEW NOW to ensure you are notified when the next issue of Photographic Canadiana (50-2) is ready. See the MEMBERSHIP menu above and/or our PayPal button at right. New/Renew memberships received before October will be considered current year; October and later memberships will begin next January.

As our journal is in ‘pdf format only’, an email address is essential. Issue 50-2 will be available after a MailChimp notification. Important: if  you have UNSUBSCRIBED to our list, you will not receive notification nor Photographic Canadiana nor other info. MailChimp does not permit me to reinstate that specific email address. Renewal of such addresses are only possible via a form, not yet on our site. Also, if you change email addresses, please tell us – MailChimp will tag the old address as CLEANED (they cannot add your new address automatically). If you are a member but HAVE NOT seen any notification for Photographic Canadiana since you registered/renewed, please email me at info@phsc.ca.

*Note that as of 2022, our membership year ends December 31st.* As of 2024, membership fees are $35/$100 1 yr/3 yr Canadian regardless of the member location (one of the perks of pdf).

Our fall fair is planned for October 20th while a fall auction is scheduled for late November.

As a non-profit society, we always need volunteers. If you feel you can help in any capacity, email me at info@phsc.ca and I will advise our president.

Fall 1938 – keeping warm

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an award for Stan …

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Robert

Stan White in 1990 by Robert Lansdale

Toronto. The late Stan White was very active in the PHSC. In issue 16-3, the society was pleased to announce an award for his 3D efforts in, “PSA honours Stan White AIBP APSA”. The portrait at left was taken by Bob Lansdale for this article and enhanced with Focus Magic and enlarged with Affinity Photo.

Unnamed, but likely written by Ev, the article in full states, “One of our most active members was honoured at the September [1990] convention of the Photographic Society of America [PSA] by being named an Associate.

“The citation reads ‘his generous contributions to stereoscopic photography by sharing his knowledge and techniques through many articles, lectures and professional teaching.’

“His photographs have won numerous awards world-wide.

“He is now stereo division chairman [PSA] in addition to editing a Journal column.

“Stan initiated and coordinates the PHSC Canadian Stereoscopic Collection at Sheridan College library, where he is a teaching master.

“The PSA is one of the world’s largest photographic organizations with some 10,000 members.”

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a very private person …

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Robert

photographer Randolphh MacDonald by Robert Lansdale – enlarged for the web with Topaz Photo AI

Toronto. Ev Roseborough as editor of our journal drew upon his extensive background in photography to write articles relevant to our members. In volume 16-3 (Nov/Dec 1990) Ev wrote a lengthy illustrated article about photographer Ran MacDonald titled, “A very private person – Randolph Macdonald ARPS, (Hon) FRPS, AIBP”.

Ev begins his article on this famous Toronto photographer as follows. “When I began to write what was intended originally to be a rather short obit., based on some fifty years of knowing and sometimes working with Randolph Macdonald on association matters [PPoC], it became increasingly clear that very few people really knew him. The more I probed members of the Arts and Letters Club and other organizations in which he had been active, Ran was remembered for doing a fine job but disappearing when it was completed.

“So it was with his contribution to staging the Annual Theatre Night at the A & L; Ran attended the lighting. Club members, such as A. J. Casson, would spend weekends at his Woodbridge farm and many fine painting and sketches resulted .

“To say that he was shy is untrue; unobtrusive, perhaps. But certainly a very private person was the handsome, gifted urbane gentleman who in 1938 bought the business of Charles Aylett.

“The Aylett studio was favoured by wealthy Torontonians for many years, here Ran took the plunge from camera club exhibitor into the world of professional photography.”

Well, regular readers know the drill: recent members can read the rest of Ev’s article and see the illustrations in the pdf file for issue 16-3 on the PHSC DVD we send free to all members. To join, see the membership menu item above or the information at far right. Questions? Drop Lilianne a note at member@phsc.ca.

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remembering the CSC

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Robert

a custom stereo card graces the cover of issue 16-2

Toronto. May, 1990 was the culmination of strenuous work by some PHSC members, especially Stan White, one of our resident 3D experts. Stan worked hard to pull together a library of stereoscopic material that the society could offer to a local institution on loan for research by its students.

At the time, Stan was a lecturer at Sheridan, teaching photographic topics to aspiring photographers. Stan  previously worked on industrial photography in England and later with our journal editor Ev Roseborough in his studio in Toronto.

On May 22, 1990, a young PHSC president, Mark Singer, met with Sheridan College’s president, Mary Hofstetter to formally place the Canadian Stereoscopic Collection (CSC) on loan to the college. A commemorative stereo card was designed and graced the cover of our journal issue 16-2.

Sadly, stereo to the average soul was a sometimes thing, falling in and out of fashion, perhaps due to the need for the viewer to use a special viewing apparatus or glasses to keep the left and right images from entering his/her incorrect eye (unless they had the rare ability to ‘free-view‘). The CSC was rarely used and the College elected to return it to the PHSC to gain space for other items.

At the time, Ryerson (now TMU) was busy absorbing a major collection from Canadian Kodak and lacked resources to accept the CSC. Fortunately it could be housed at the AGO where it resided for many years. But like Sheridan, in time the institution felt the space could be better used. This time some items remained at the AGO while others were returned to the PHSC.

And as usual recent members can read about the event contained in the pdf file of issue 16-2 on the PHSC DVD that is mailed free to members. To join, see ‘MEMBERSHIP’ at the top of this page or the article at the far right on renewing via credit card or PayPal, Questions? Drop our membership secretary, Lilianne Schneider,  an email at member@phsc.ca.

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a nanny and the twins

Posted on September 8, 2024 by Robert

19th century tintype from Indiana. Lot 191 in the Live ML Auction

Toronto. Once summer is in the rear-view mirror, the collectors see many choices to augment their collections. For the photo collectors amongst us, ML Antiques (Michael Lehr) in the States have announced their fall auction as being held September 21, 2024  –  about a month before our fair. Michael says, “Explore Our New Bidding platform and Save 5% on Our Upcoming Auction!

“We’re excited to introduce our new auction platform, designed for the needs of our collector, dealer, and curator clients. Our fall 19th century photographic history auction will be available soon and you can get a head start by preregistering today.” …

The catalog of offerings and estimated value may be seen here. The image at left is described thusly, “A quarter plate tintype presents a rare image from the 19th century, capturing an African American woman tenderly interacting with twin white girls, who are kissing each other while seated in a crib. The photograph exudes warmth and intimacy, offering a glimpse into the lives and relationships within a domestic setting during this era.

“The composition of the image, with the African American woman gently overseeing the interaction between the two girls, is both striking and emotionally evocative. The children’s white dresses and the soft lighting add to the serene atmosphere, while the woman’s presence suggests a deep bond and care within the household.

“This tintype was discovered in Indiana and serves as a valuable historical artifact that sheds light on the complex social dynamics of the time. The image is a powerful reminder of the often-unseen personal relationships that existed during a period marked by racial divisions.”

Visit the catalog and see what Michael is offering this fall – and you can register and bid on line!

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