old time quality – c1870s portrait by H Rocher
Toronto. When you visit the PHSC spring fair today, you may be lucky enough to discover an old photo done in a process that defies time like the portrait you see at left. The actual photograph was upscaled using Topaz Photo AI.
The process was a favourite of the late Bob Lansdale. In fact, he even wrote a lengthy article on the process which was known by various names. In the issue 31-2 (fall of 2005) the photograph of this young lady was featured on the cover as a link to part four of his story.
In the introduction to the photograph, Bob writes, “Magnified inspection of this “photographic” frontispiece to the ninth edition of The Silver Sunbeam by Professor J. Towler M.D. would seem to indicate it was a normal image. But this full toned print was produced by the Artotype process on a lithographic press using printer’s ink – no screen dots can be seen. The photograph is credited to H. Rocher of Chicago with a blind stamp on the lower left sleeve marked Harroun & Bierstadt – Artotype. The photo is protected by a high gloss surface of either gelatin or varnish. The book itself was published in 1879 [the first edition was published in 1864 and decades later a facsimile edition was offered , a digitized text is also available].
“See our story on page 4 [of 31-2] giving details of this process and the controversy that surrounding similar carbon processes in the 1876-80 era.”
Members who signed up long after 2005, received a DVD of this and other journals. A DVD is waiting for you too – just use your PayPal account or your Debit/Credit card to sign up for 1 or 3 years!
