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 THE GETTY CENTER LIBRARY 
 
 
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 AMERICAN 
 
 HAND 
 
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 DAGUERREOTYPE: 
 
 GIVING 
 
 THE MOST APPROVED AND CONVENIENT 
 
 METHODS FOR PREPARING THE CHEMICALS, AND THE 
 COMBINATIONS USED IN THE ART : 
 
 CONTAINING THE 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE, ELECTROTYPE, 
 
 AND VARIOUS OTHER PROCESSES EMPLOYED IN TAKING 
 
 HELIOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 **» 
 
 BY S. D. HUMPHREY. 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY S. D. HUMPHREY. 
 
 546 Broadway. 
 
 L ONDON : 
 
 TRUBNER & CO., 
 12 Paternoster Row. 
 
 1853. 
 
 
: " : 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by 
 
 S. D. HUMPHREY, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern«District of 
 
 New York. 
 
 m 
 
i A * 
 
 ft- ^ J 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 There is not an Amateur or Practical Daguerreotypist 
 who has not felt the want of a Manual — Hand-Book, 
 giving concise and reliable information for the Processes 
 and Preparations of the Agents employed in his Practice. 
 
 This want has induced the Editor to present the 
 Present Volume. His endeavors have been to point out 
 the readiest and most approved Methods of Operation, 
 and condense in its pages as mnch practical information 
 as its limits will admit. An extended Preface is unne- 
 cessary, since the aim and scope of this work is suffi- 
 ciently indicated by the Title Page. 
 
 8^"* In compiling this Volume, the Editor has referred to 
 Silliman's, Regnault's, Stockhardt's and Noad's works on 
 Chemistry, and in the practical department to Hum- 
 phrey's Journal, a work devoted solely to Heliographic 
 Science and Art. 
 
 S. D. HUMPHREY. 
 New York, 1853. 
 
;»>v:.v. 
 
 . ' ' ' 
 
.? 
 
 . r 
 
 
 
 
 AMERICAN 
 
 HAND BOOK 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE 
 
 BROMINE. 
 
 An article so extensively used in the prac- 
 tice of the Daguerreotypic art as Bromine, is de- 
 serving of especial attention, and accordingly eve- 
 ry person should endeavor to make himself famil- 
 iar with its properties and applications. 
 
 1. History. — This element was discovered in 
 1 826 by M. Balard, in the mother-liquor, or residue of 
 the evaporation of sea-water. It is named from 
 its offensive odor, (bromos, bad odor.) In nature 
 it is found in sea-water combined with alkaline 
 bases, and in the waters of many saline springs 
 and inland seas. The salt springs of Ohio abound 
 in the compounds of bromine, and it is found in 
 the waters of the Dead Sea. The only use which 
 

 6 
 
 BROMINE. 
 
 has been made of bromine in the arts is*in the 
 practice of photography. It is also used in med- 
 icine. In a chemical point of view it is very in- 
 teresting, from its similarity in properties, and the 
 parallelism of its compounds to chlorine and io- 
 dine. , 
 
 Dr. D. Alter, of Freeport, Pa., is the only Amer- 
 ican manufacturer, and furnishes all of the 
 " American Bromine." Yet we understand much 
 purporting to be of German manufacture is pre- 
 pared from that made in Freeport. This is done 
 by individuals in this city, who get well paid for 
 the deception. 
 
 For the successful application of bromine as an 
 accelerating agent, we are indebted to Mr. John 
 Goddard of London, who at the time was associ- 
 ted with Mr. John Johnson, now a resident of this 
 city. 
 
 2. Preparation. — The mother-liquor contain- 
 ing bromides is treated with a current of chlo- 
 rine gas, which decomposes these salts, setting 
 the bromine free, which at once colors the liquid 
 to a reddish-brown color. Ether is added and 
 shaken with the liquid, until all the bromine is 
 taken up by the ether, which acquires a fine red 
 color and separates from the saline liquid. Solu- 
 tion of caustic potash is then added to the ethereal 
 solution, forming bromide" of potassium and bro- 
 mate of potash. This solution is evaporated to 
 dryness, and the salts being collected are heated 
 
BROMINE. 7 
 
 in a glass retort with sulphuric acid and a little 
 oxyde of manganese. The bromine is distilled, and 
 is condensed in a cooled receiver, into a red fluid. 
 
 3. Properties. — Bromine some what resem- 
 bles chlorine in its odor, but is more offensive 
 At common temperatures it is a very volatile liq- 
 uid, of a deep red color, and with a specific grav- 
 ity of 3, being one of the heaviest fluids known. 
 Sulphuric acid floats on its surface, and is used to 
 prevent its escape. At zero it freezes into a 
 brittle solid. A few drops in a large flask will fill 
 the whole vessel when slightly warmed, with 
 blood-red vapors, which have a density of nearly 
 6.00, air being one. It is a non-conductor of elec- 
 tricity, and suffers no change of properties from 
 heat, or any other of the imponderable agents. 
 It dissolves slightly in water, forming a bleaching 
 solution. 
 
 4. Chloride of 'Bromine. — This as an accele- 
 rating agent is by many considered superior to 
 the other Bromide combinations. It can be rea- 
 dily prepared by passing a current of chlorine 
 through a vessel containing bromine. A mixture 
 of two parts muriatic acid and one of black oxide 
 of manganese, should be put into a flask having a 
 bent tube to conduct the chlorine vapor into the 
 bromine in another vessel. This last vessel should 
 also be supplied with a bent tube for conducting 
 the combined vapors with a third vessel or recei- 
 
8 
 
 BROMIDES. 
 
 ver. On the application of the heat from a spirit- 
 lamp to the bottom of the flask, a current of 
 chlorine gas will be disengaged, and pass into the 
 bromine when it readily combines, and gives off a 
 vapor, which, when condensed in the third vessel 
 forms a volatile yellowish-red fluid. It is best, even 
 at ordinary temperature, to place the receiver in 
 an ice-bath. For manner of using, see farther on, 
 under head of Accelerators. 
 
 5. Bromides. — A bromide treated with oil of 
 vitriol, disengages chlorohyadic acid ; but vapors 
 of bromine are constantly disengaged, at the same 
 time imparting a brown color to the gas. If the 
 bromide be treated with a mixture of sulphuric 
 acid and peroxide of manganese, bromine only is 
 disengaged. A solution of a bromide gives, with 
 nitrate of silver, a light yellowish white precipi- 
 tate of bromide of silver, which is insoluble in an 
 excess of acid, and readily dissolves in ammonia. 
 The precipitated bromide is colored by light like 
 the chloride, but is immediately tinged brown, 
 while the chloride assumes at first a violet hue. 
 The bromides, in solution, are readily decom- 
 posed and chloride being set free, colors the liquid 
 brown. 
 
 In the whole range of heliographic chemicals 
 there is probably not another collection less under- 
 stood and being so productive of interesting inves- 
 tigation as the bromides. 
 
BROMIDES. 
 
 9 
 
 6. Bromide of Iodine. — M. cle Valicours fur- 
 nishes us with the best method for preparing this 
 mixture : 
 
 " Into a bottle of the capacity of about two 
 ounces, pour thirty or forty drops of bromine, the 
 precise quantity not being of importance. Then 
 add, grain by grain, as much iodine as the bro- 
 mine will dissolve till quite saturated. This point 
 is ascertained when some grains of the iodine re- 
 main undissolved. They may remain in the bot- 
 tle, as they will not interfere with the success of 
 the preparation. 
 
 " The bromide of iodine thus prepared, from its 
 occupying so small a space, can very easily be 
 carried, but in this state it is much too concentra- 
 ted to be used. When it is to be employed, pour 
 a small quantity, say fifteen drops, by means of a 
 dropping-tube, into a bottle containing about half 
 an ounce of filtered river water. It will easily be 
 understood that the bromide of iodine can be used 
 with a greater or less quantity of water without 
 altering the proportion which exists between the 
 bromine and iodine." 
 
 This article forms a very good dry accelerator, 
 and is by some persons thought superior to all oth- 
 ers, as it works with great uniformity, and is less 
 liable to scum the plate in coating at high temper- 
 atures, or when the thermometer indicates a heat 
 above 60 ° . 
 
 7. Bromide of Potassium — Is prepared by 
 mixing bromine and a solution of pure potass to- 
 
10 
 
 BROMIDES. 
 
 gether, and evaporating to dryness ; it crystali- 
 zes in small cubes, and dissolves readily in water. 
 This agent is extensively employed in the paper- 
 and glass processes. 
 
 8. Bromide of Lime. This is the principal 
 accelerator used in the American practice, and is 
 the best of all dry combinations at present em- 
 ployed. There are many reasons why the dry 
 is advantageous ; these are too familiar to repeat. 
 
 " The bromide of lime may be produced by 
 allowing bromine vapor to act upon hydrate of 
 lime for some hours. The most convenient me- 
 thod of doing this is to place some of the hydrate 
 at the bottom of a flask, and then put some bro- 
 mine into a glass capsule supported a little above 
 the lime. As heat is developed during the com- 
 bination, it is better to place the lower part of the 
 flask in water at the temperature of about 50° 
 Fah.; the lime gradually assumes a beautiful 
 scarlet color, and acquires an appearance very 
 similar to that of the red iodide of mercury. The 
 chloro-iodide of lime may be formed in the same 
 manner ; it has a deep brown color. Both these 
 compounds, when the vapor arising from them is 
 not too intense, have an odor analogous to that of 
 bleaching powder, and quite distinguishable from 
 chlorine, bromine, or iodine alone." 
 
 Farther on, we give, in connection with accel- 
 erators, a process we adopt, which is far less te- 
 dious and equally reliable. (See §57, 58.) 
 
BROMIDES. 
 
 11 
 
 9. Bromide of Silver — May be formed by pour- 
 ing an alkaline bromide into a solution of nitrate 
 of silver, in the shape of a white, slightly-yel- 
 lowish precipitate, which is insoluble in water and 
 nitric acid, but readily dissolves in ammonia and 
 the alkaline hyposulphites. Chlorine easily de- 
 composes bromide of silver, and transforms it into 
 chloride. 
 
 Mr. Hunt remarks upon this subject : 
 
 " In many of the works on chemistry, it is sta- 
 ted that the chloride is the most sensitive to light 
 of all the salts of silver ; and, when they are ex- 
 posed in a perfectly formed and pure state to so- 
 lar influence, it will be found that this is nearly 
 correct. Modern discovery* has, however, shown 
 that these salts may exist in peculiar conditions, 
 in which the affinities are so delicately balanced 
 as to be disturbed by the faintest gleam ; and it is 
 singular that, as it regards the chloride, iodide, and 
 bromide of silver, when in this condition, the order 
 of sensibility is reversed, and the most decided 
 action is evident on the bromide before the eye 
 can detect any change in the chloride. 
 
 " The slight additional expense of the bromides 
 is not worthy of consideration, particularly as their 
 use may be confined to papers for the camera ob- 
 scura, the pictures on which are of course of the 
 negative character, and the positive photographs 
 can be formed by transfer on the chloridated pa- 
 pers of a highly sensitive kind. 
 
 " It will be found that the bromide and iodide 
 
12 
 
 BROMIDES. 
 
 20 grs 
 
 are much alike in the singular want of sensibility 
 which they sometimes exhibit under the circum- 
 stances already alluded 
 to, w T hich are not easy 10 grs. 
 of explanation. 
 
 "If a paper first 
 washed with a solution 
 of nitrate of silver has 
 bromide of potassium ap- 
 plied to it in different proportions, say 20 grains, 
 15 grains and 10 grains each, in two drachms 
 of water, and, when dry, be again w T ashed over 
 with the silver solution, it will be found, unless, 
 as is occasionally the case, some organic combi- 
 nation interferes, that the order of sensitiveness 
 will begin with the weakest solution, the strongest 
 being the least influenced by light. The different 
 degrees of darkness induced are fairly represented 
 in the margin. As the different bromides give to 
 photographic paper varieties which much resem- 
 ble those enumerated under the muriates, I have 
 thought it unnecessary to give an account of any 
 of them. The paper prepared with the bromide 
 of potassium is the kind I have adopted, after 
 having tried upwards of two hundred combina- 
 tions of silver with the other bromides. 
 
 " To prepare a highly sensitive paper of this 
 kind, select some sheets of very superior glazed 
 post, and wash it on one side only with bromide 
 of potassium — forty grains to one ounce of dis- 
 
BROMIDES. 
 
 13 
 
 tilled water, over which, when dry, pass a solu- 
 tion of one hundred grains of nitrate of silver in 
 the same quantity of water. The paper must be 
 dried as quickly as possible without exposing it 
 to too much heat ; then again washed with the 
 silver solution, and, when dry, carefully pre- 
 served for use. 
 
 " It will be perceived that I adopt a slightly dif- 
 ferent manipulation from that recommended by 
 Mr. Talbot. Instead of washing the paper with 
 the solution of silver first, and applying the bro- 
 mide or the muriate over this, and then the silver 
 w T ash again, I use the alkaline salt first, and ap- 
 ply the metalic washes one on the other. I have 
 been induced to this from observing that the pho- 
 tographic preparation penetrates less deeply into 
 the paper than when laid on as originally pre- 
 scribed, and, consequently, the sensibility of it is 
 increased. It will be found that an addition of 
 about one-twelfth of spirits of wine to the solu- 
 tion of silver will much increase the blackness of 
 the paper when solarized ; and I think we may 
 safely say that the sensibility is also imp/oved by 
 it — at all events it is not impaired. 
 
 " M. Biot has expressed his opinion, that it is 
 not possible to find any substance more sensitive 
 to light than the bromide of silver. This is true 
 to a certain extent, but in combination with deox- 
 idizing agents, other preparations will be named 
 which have a decided superiority over the pure 
 bromide of silver." 
 
14 
 
 BROMIDES. 
 
 Some recent experiments with the bromide oi 
 silver have induced us to publish Mr. Hunt's re- 
 marks in full, and should we carry out our de- 
 sign of publishing a practical work upon the pro- 
 cess of the daguerreotype, we shall point out expe- 
 riments. 
 
 10. Bromide of Gold — Is readily prepared by 
 adding a little bromide to the brown gold of the 
 assayers, and allowing it to remain sometime un- 
 der water, or assisting its action by a gentle heat. 
 It forms a salt of a bright crimson color, but in 
 its general properties is precisely similar to the 
 chloride used in gilding. 
 
 11. Bromide of Magnesia — Is prepared in the 
 same manner as bromide of lime. (§8.) 
 
 This mixture is particularly adapted for hot 
 climates, and is used in this country by some few 
 who regard its use as a valuable secret. 
 
 12. Bromide of Starch. — This preparation is 
 much used, but not alone. It is combined with 
 lime by putting about one part in measure of 
 starch to four of lime. It is prepared by adding 
 bromine to finely pulverized starch, in the same 
 manner as bromide of lime. (See Accelerators.) 
 
 13. Experiments with Bromine. — Place in a 
 very flaring wine glass a few drops (say ten) of 
 bromine, then place a small piece of phosphorus 
 
BROMIDES. 
 
 15 
 
 about one-twentieth of an inch in diameter. Place 
 the latter on the end of a stick from five to ten 
 feet in length. So place it that the phospho- 
 rus can be dropped into the glass, and in an instant 
 combustion giving a loud report will be the re- 
 sult. 
 
 b. Expose a daguerreotype plate to the vapor 
 of bromine, it assumes a leaden-gray color, which, 
 blackens by light very readily. Exposing this 
 to mercury will not produce any decided action 
 upon the lights. Immerse it in the solution of the 
 muriate of soda, and the parts unacted upon by 
 light becomes a jet black,, while the parts on 
 which the light has acted will be dissolved off, 
 leaving a clean coating of silver. This will be a 
 most decided black picture on a while ground. 
 
 c. Expose an impressioned plate, that has been 
 sufficient time in the camera to become solarized 
 to the vapors of bromine, and the impression 
 will be fully developed and exhibit no signs of so- 
 larization. The exposure over the bromine must 
 be very brief. Chlorine or iodine will produce the 
 same result. The latter is preferable. 
 
 Again, should the impressioned plate be ex- 
 posed too long over the vapor of bromine, the 
 impression would be rendered wdiolly insensitive 
 to the mercurial vapor. Hence this method is 
 resorted to for restoring the sensibility of the 
 plate wdien there is reason to believe that the 
 impression would not be a desirable one ; as, for 
 example, if a likeness of a child be wanted,. 
 
16 
 
 BROMIDES. 
 
 and it had moved before the plate had been suffi- 
 ciently long exposed in the camera, the plate 
 may be restored to its original sensitiveness by 
 re-coating over bromine, as above, thus saving 
 the time and labor of re-preparing the plate for 
 the chemicals. 
 
 d. If by accident, (we would not advise a trial 
 to any extent of this,) you should inhale a quan- 
 tity of the vapor of bromine, immediately inhale 
 thevap or of aqua ammonia, as this neutralizes the 
 dangerous effect of the bromine vapor. Every 
 operator should be provided with a bottle of am- 
 monia, as a little sprinkled about the chemical 
 room soon disinfects it of all iodine or bromine 
 vapor, and also tends to facilitate the operation in 
 the camera. 
 
 It may be of interest to state in this place the 
 powerful effect of bromine on animal matter. — 
 This being the only instance in our knowledge, we 
 present it. 
 
 A gentlemen in the employment of W, & W. 
 H. Lewis, the well known stock dealers in this 
 city, having some difficulty befall.him, he decided 
 on taking- his own life. To accomplish this he 
 took one ounce of pure bromine. This was about 
 six o'clock, A. M. At seven he was found by one 
 of tire Messrs. Lewis in a state of insensibility. 
 The fumes of bromine at once led Mr. L. to the 
 cause. A physician was called and ammonia was 
 administered. The effect was only to bring back 
 the feelings of the dying man, who suffered the 
 
BROMIDES. 
 
 17 
 
 most excruciating pain, until twelve M. when he 
 became benumbed, the bowels and stomach pre- 
 senting a saffron color. At one he died, and in 
 one hour more his bowels were completely decom- 
 posed. The body was wound in a cloth in order 
 to lift it. It would be a blessing to any one, if by 
 accident or otherwise he should swallow a half 
 ounce of bromine, to make no effort to save him. 
 Antidotes there are none, if ten minutes should 
 elapse. 
 
IODINE. 
 
 14. History of Iodine. — This is one of the 
 simple chemical bodies which was discovered in 
 1812 by M. Courtois, of Paris, a manufacturer of 
 saltpetre, who found it in the mother-water of 
 that salt. Its properties were first studied into 
 by M. Gay Lussac. It partakes much of the na- 
 ture of chlorine and bromine. Its affinity for oth- 
 er substances is so powerful as to prevent it 
 from existing in an isolated state. It occurs com- 
 bined with potassium and sodium in many mine- 
 ral waters, such as the brine spring of Ashby-de- 
 la-Zouche, and other strongly saline springs. — 
 This combination exists sparingly in sea-water, 
 abundantly in many species oifucas or sea-weed, 
 and in the kelp made from them. It is an ingre- 
 dient in the Salt Licks, saline, and brine springs 
 of this country, especially of those in the val- 
 ley of the Mississippi. It is sparingly found in 
 fresh-water plants, as well also in coal, and in 
 combination with numerous other bodies. 
 
 Fermented liquors contain iodine ; wine, cider, 
 and perry are more ioduretted than the average 
 of fresh waters. Milk is richer in iodine than 
 wine : independently of the soil, with which it 
 varies, the proportion of iodine in milk is in the 
 
IODINE. 
 
 19 
 
 inverse ratio of the abundance of that secretion. 
 Eggs (not the shell) contain much iodine. A 
 fowl's egg weighing 50 gr. contains more iodine 
 than a quart of cow's milk. Iodine exists in ara- 
 ble land. It is abundant in sulphur, iron and 
 manganese ores, and sulphuret of mercury : but 
 rare in gypsum, chalk, calcareous and silicious 
 earths. Any attempt to extract iodine economi- 
 cally should be made with the plants of the 
 ferro-ioduretted fresh waters. Most of the bod- 
 by therapeutists as pectoral and 
 
 les 
 
 regarded 
 
 anti-scrofulous are rich in iodine. 
 
 It is probably to the application of this body 
 that we owe the discovery of the daguerreotype. 
 There is no record of the precise date when Da- 
 guerre commenced experimenting with iodine, but 
 by the published correspondence between him 
 and M. Neipce his partner, it was previous] to 
 1833. There is no doubt however, that the first 
 successful application was made in 1838, as the 
 discovery was reported to the world early in Jan- 
 uary, 1839. 
 
 15. Preparation. — Iodine is mostly prepared 
 from kelp, or the half vitrified ashes of sea-w T eed, 
 prepared by the inhabitants of the western is- 
 lands, and the northern shores of Scotland and 
 Ireland. It is treated with water, which washes 
 out all the soluble salts, and the filtered solution 
 is evaporated until nearly all the carbonate of 
 soda and other saline matters have crystalized 
 
20 
 
 IODINE. 
 
 out. The remaining liquor, which contains the 
 iodine, is mixed with successive portions of sul- 
 phuric acid in a leaden retort, and after standing 
 some days to allow the sulphureted hydrogen, 
 &c, to escape, peroxyde of manganese is added, 
 and the whole gently heated. Iodine distils over 
 in a purple vapor, and is condensed in a receiver, 
 or in a series of two-necked globes. 
 
 16. Properties. — Iodine is solid at the ordina- 
 ry temperature, presenting the appearance of 
 dark-gray or purple spangles, posessing a high de- 
 gree of metalic lustre. It somewhat resembles 
 plumbago, with which it is sometime diluted, par- 
 ticularly when it is fine. Operators should en- 
 deavor to secure the larger crystals. It melts at 
 224.6°, forming a brown or nearly black liquid. 
 It boils at about 356°, and emits a very deep 
 violet colored vapor. It gives off a very appre- 
 ciable vapor, sufficient for all purposes of forming 
 the iodide of silver on the daguerreotype plate, at 
 a temperature of 45 ° or even lower. Iodine crys- 
 talizes readily. Every operator has found upon 
 the side of the jar in his coating-box, perfectly 
 regular crystals, deposited there by sublimation. 
 
 Water dissolves but a small proportion of io- 
 dine, requiring 7000 parts of water to dissolve 
 one of iodine, or one grain to the gallon of wa- 
 ter. Alcohol and ether dissolve it freely, as 
 does also a solution of nitrate or hydrochlorate of 
 ammonia and of iodides. 
 
iODlDI>, 
 
 21 
 
 The density of solid iodine is 4.95 ; that of its 
 vapor 8.716. It greatly resembles chlorine and 
 bromine in its combinations, but its affinities are 
 weaker. It does not destroy the majority of or* 
 ganic substances, and vegetable colors generally 
 resist its action. It combines with several organ- 
 ic substances, imparting to them peculiar colors. 
 It colors the skin brown, but the stain soon dis- 
 appears. 
 
 17. Chloride of Iodine — Is formed by passing 
 chlorine into a bottle containing some iodine. 
 This can be readily done by pouring one ounce 
 and a half of muriatic acid upon a quarter of an 
 ounce of powdered black oxide of manganese, 
 and heat it gradually in a flask, to which is adap- 
 ted a bent glass tube. This tube must connect 
 with the bottle containing the iodine, and the yel- 
 lowish-green gas disengaged will readily combine 
 with theiodine, forming a deep red liquid, and the 
 operation is complete. The use of chloride of 
 iodine will be referred to in connection with the 
 Accelerators. 
 
 18. Iodides. — The iodide treated with the oil 
 of vitriol, instantly produces a considerable de- 
 posit of iodine ; and if the mixture be heated, in- 
 tense violent vapors are disengaged. The reac- 
 tion is due to the decomposition of oil of vitriol 
 by iodohydric acid, water and sulphurous acid 
 being formed, and iodine set free. The iodides 
 
22 
 
 IODIDES. 
 
 in solutions are decomposed by chlorine, iodine 
 being precipitated, the smallest quantity of which 
 in solution is instantly detected by its imparting 
 to starch an intensely blue color. 
 
 19. Iodide of Potassium* — This compound is 
 easily made in the following manner : Subject to a 
 moderate heat a mixture of 100 parts of iodine, 
 75 of carbonate of potash, 30 of iron filings, and 
 120 parts of water. This mass must be thor- 
 oughly dried and then heated to redness ; the re- 
 sulting reddish powder is to be washed with water, 
 and the solution obtained filtered, and evaporated 
 to dryness. It is found that 100 parts of iodide 
 yield 135 parts of very white, but slightly alka- 
 line, iodide of potassium. 
 
 Experiment. — On projecting dry pulverized io- 
 dide of potassium into fused anhydrous phospho- 
 ric acid, a violent disengagement of iodine takes 
 place, attended by a. transient ignition; fused hy- 
 drate of phosphoric acid liberates iodine abund- 
 antly from iodide of potassium ; this re-action is 
 accompanied by the phenomenon of flame and 
 the formation of a considerable quantity of hydri- 
 odic acid. 
 
 20. Iodide of Mercury. — For the preparation 
 
 * We shall present the preparation of only a few Iodides, 
 and such as are more intimately connected with the Da- 
 guerreotype. 
 
IODIDES. 
 
 T3 
 
 of iodide of Mercury, Dublanc recommends to 
 cover 100 grms. of mercury with 1 kilogrm. of 
 alcohol, to add 124 grms. of iodine gradually in 
 portions often grms., and agitating between each 
 fresh addition, until the alcohol becomes colorless 
 again. After the addition of the last 4 grms. the 
 alcohol remains colored, the whole of the mercury 
 having become converted into iodide. The re- 
 sulting preparation is washed with alcohol ; it is 
 crystaline and of a hyacynth color. 
 
 21 . Iodide of Silver. — This compound is formed 
 upon every plate upon which a Daguerreotype is 
 produced. The vapor of iodine coming in con- 
 tact with the silver surface, forms an iodide 
 which is peculiarly sensitive to light. The va- 
 rious colors produced are owing to the thickness 
 of the coating, and the maximum sensibility of the 
 coating, as generally adopted, is when it assumes 
 a deep yellow, or slightly tinged with rose color. 
 
 This compound is largely employed in most 
 photographic processes on paper, and may be easily 
 prepared by the following formula : By adding 
 iodide of potassium ($19) to a solution of nitrate 
 of silver, a yellowish-white precipitate of iodide 
 of silver is obtained, which is insoluble in water, 
 slightly soluble in nitric acid, and soluble in a 
 small degree in ammonia, which properties seem 
 easily to distinguish it from the chloride and bro- 
 mide of silver. Chlorine decomposes it and sets 
 the iodine free, and chlorohydric acid converts it 
 
24 
 
 IODIDES. 
 
 into a chloride. It fuses below a red heat. Al- 
 though the effect of light on the iodide is less 
 rapid than on the chloride, the former sooner 
 turning black, assuming a brown tinge ; but 
 when in connection with gallic acid and the fer- 
 rocyanate of potash, it forms two of the most 
 sensitive processes on paper. 
 
 Iodide of silver dissolves easily in a solution 
 of iodide of potassium, and the liquid deposits in 
 evaporation crystals of a double iodide. 
 
 22. Iodide of Gold. — If a solution of potas- 
 sium ($19) be added to a solution of chloride of 
 gold, a precipitate of iodide of gold takes place, 
 soluble in an excess of the precipitate. A little 
 free potash should be added to combine with any 
 iodide that may chance to be set free by the chlo- 
 ride of gold. 
 
 23. Iodide of Lime is prepared by adding io- 
 dine to hydrate of lime, (which will be referred to 
 farther on,) until the mixture assumes a light yel- 
 low shade, when wanted for combinations with 
 accelerators, or to a dark brown when employed 
 for the first coating. This latter mixture has 
 been sold in our market under the name of " Io- 
 dide of Brome." 
 
 24. Iodide of Bromine. — (See §6.) 
 
 25. Experiments with Iodine. — Place a plate 
 
IODIDES. 
 
 25 
 
 which has been exposed in the camera over the 
 vapor of iodine for a very brief period, and it 
 will present the appearance of the impression 
 having been solarized. (See §13.) 
 
 b Upon a Daguerreotype plate, from which an 
 impression has been effaced by rubbing or other- 
 wise, the picture may be made to reappear by 
 merely coating it over with iodine, 
 
 c Place in a vessel a little water, into which 
 put the smallest possible quantity of free iodine 
 and add a little starch, and the liquid will instant- 
 ly assume a blue color. Advantage is taken of 
 this fact in the laboratory to detect the presence 
 of iodine in liquids. The starch should be dis- 
 solved in boiling water and allowed to cool. 
 There are numerous other interesting experiments 
 that Can be performed by the aid of iodine, but it 
 is unnecessary here to consume more space. 
 
CHLORINE. 
 
 History. — The Swedish chemist, Scheele, rn 
 1774, while examining the action of hydrochlo- 
 ric acid on peroxyde of manganese, first noticed 
 this element. He called it dephlogisticated muri- 
 atic acid. It was afterwards, by the French no- 
 men clattirists, termed oxygenated muriatic acid, 
 conceiving it to be a compound of oxygen and 
 muriatic acid. This view of its notice was cor- 
 rected by Sir H. Davy, (in 1809,) who gave it the 
 present name. In 1840-41, this gas was em- 
 ployed for accelerating the operation of light upon 
 the iodized Daguerreotype plate. John Goddard, 
 Wolcott & Johnson, Claudet, Draper, Morse and 
 others, were among the first made acquainted 
 with its use. Count Rumford, Ritter, Scheele, See- 
 bert and others, experimented with chlorine in re- 
 gard to its effect when exposed to the action o-f 
 light in combination with silver. In 1845, M. 
 Edward Becqueral announced that he had "been 
 successful in obtaining, by the agency of solar ra- 
 diations, distinct impressions of the colors of na- 
 ture." (His process is given in another place.) 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1851, M. Niepce, St. Vic- 
 tor, a former partner with Daguerre, announced 
 that he had produced " all the colors by using a 
 bath of bichloride ©f copper, and that a similar 
 
CLOtUNE, 
 
 27 
 
 phenomenon occurs with all salts of copper, mixed 
 with chlorine." Neipce's process is referred to in 
 another place. 
 
 26. Preparation. — This is easily accomplished 
 by putting about two parts of hydrochloric (muri- 
 atic) acid, on one of powdered black oxide of man- 
 ganese, and heating it gradually in a flask or retort, 
 to which may be adapted a bent glass tube. A 
 yellowish-green gas is disengaged, which being 
 conducted through the glass tube to the bottom of 
 a bottle, can readily be collected, being much 
 heavier than the air, displaces it completely and 
 the bottle is filled, (which can be seen by the 
 green color ;) a greased stopper is tightly fitted 
 to it, and another bottle may be substituted. 
 
 In all experiments with chlorine, care should be 
 taken not to inhale the gas ! 
 
 27. Properties. — Chlorine is a greenish-yel- 
 low gas, (whence its name, from chloros, green,) 
 with a powerful and suffocating odor, and is 
 wholly irrespirable. Even when much diluted 
 with air, it produces the most annoying irritation 
 of the throat, with stricture of the chest and a se-. 
 vere cough, which continues for hours, with the 
 discharge of much thick mucus. The attempt to 
 breathe the undiluted gas would be fatal ; yet, in 
 a very small quantity, and dissolved in water, it 
 is used with benefit by patients suffering under 
 pulmonary consumption. 
 
 Under a pressure of about four atmospheres it 
 
.. 
 
 28 
 
 CHLORIDES. 
 
 becomes a limpid fluid of a fine yellow color, 
 which does not freeze at zero, and is not a con- 
 ductor of electricity. It immediately returns to 
 the gaseous state with effervescence on removing 
 the pressure. 
 
 Water recently boiled will absorb, if cold, about 
 twice its bulk of chlorine gas, acquiring its color 
 and characteristic properties. The moist gas ex- 
 posed to a cold of 32° yields beautiful yellow 
 crystals, which are a definite compound of one 
 equivalent of chlorine and ten of water. If these 
 crystals are hermetically sealed up in a glass 
 tube, they will, on melting, exert such a pressure 
 as to liquify a portion of the gas, which is dis- 
 tinctly seen as a yellow fluid, not miscible with 
 the water which is present. Chlorine is one of 
 the heaviest of the gases, its density being 2.47, 
 and 100 cubic inches weighing 76.5 grains. 
 
 28. Chlorine Water. — This combination, which 
 is used in conducting M. Neipce's process, can be 
 readily prepared by conducting the gas (§26) into 
 a bottle containing distilled water. One part water 
 dissolves two parts of chlorine. 
 
 29. Chlorides. — The metalic chlorides are 
 nearly all soluble in water ; that of silver and 
 protochloride of mercury being the only exceptions. 
 A metalic chloride, treated with oil of vitriol, dis- 
 engages chlorohydric acid. Heated with a mix- 
 ture of peroxide of manganese and sulphuric acid, 
 chlorine is given off, which is easily recognized by 
 its odor and other physical properties. 
 
CHLORIDES. 
 
 29 
 
 The chlorides dissolve in water ; give with 
 nitrate of silver, a white precipitate, even in 
 highly diluted solutions, becoming violet-colored 
 and finally black when exposed to the light. The 
 rapidity of the change of color is proportioned to 
 the intensity of the light. It is insoluble in nitric 
 acid, but readily soluble in ammonia ; it fuses 
 without decomposition, forming, when cold, a 
 tough, horny mass, and is reduced by hydrogen 
 and by fusion with carbonate of soda, or with 
 resin. 
 
 30. Chloride of Bromine. (See §4.) 
 
 31. Chloride of Iodine. (See §17.) 
 
 32. Chloride of Potassium — (or Muriate of 
 Potassa.) — Dissolve half an ounce of carbonate of 
 potassa in water, and neutralize with muriatic 
 acid. Upon concentrating the solutions, cubic 
 crystals will be obtained, having a taste similar to 
 common salt. They consist of potassium and 
 chlorine, and when dissolved in water they may 
 be regarded as muriate of potassa. 
 
 33. Chloride of Lime. Mix half an ounce of 
 slacked lime (hydrate of lime) with six ounces of 
 water, and conduct into this milk of lime, with 
 frequent agitation, as much chlorine gas (§26) as 
 will evolve from two ounces of muriatic acid and 
 half an ounce of black oxyde of manganese. The 
 liquid clarifies by standing ; may be regarded as a 
 
30 
 
 CHLORIDES. 
 
 solution of chloride of lime, and must be protected 
 from the air and light. It may also be made with- 
 out putting in the water with the hydrate of lime, 
 by merely passing the chlorine into the hydrate 
 of lime. This last is by some used in prepartions for 
 accelerating the operation of taking Daguerreo- 
 types, but when used for this purpose it is in 
 small quantities. 
 
 34. Chloride of Calcium. — To one part of 
 water add two parts of muriatic acid, and add 
 pieces of common chalk until effervescence ceases ; 
 then filter through cotton cloth and evaporate it 
 by placing it in an earthen or porcelain dish, over 
 a slow fire, to the consistency of a syrup. When 
 cooling, large prismatic crystals of chloride of 
 calcium are formed. These must be quickly 
 dried by pressing between folds of blotting paper 
 and kept carefully excluded from the air, as it 
 readily attracts hydrogen. For most daguerreo- 
 type purposes, the syrup may be at once evapo- 
 rated to dryness. This is frequently placed in 
 the iodine coating box for the purpose of keeping 
 the atmosphere dry. It is so easily made that 
 every operator can provide himself with it in a 
 short time, and at little expense. 
 
 35. Chloride of Gold — Is prepared by dissolv- 
 ing gold in aqua regia, a composition of one part 
 of nitric to two parts of muriatic acid. Gold foil 
 is the best for our purposes ; coin, however, 
 answers, in most cases, for the daguerreotype op- 
 
CHLORIDES. 
 
 31 
 
 erator, as the alloy, being so slight, is not no- 
 ticed in the gilding process. When the latter is 
 used, it will facilitate the operation to beat it out, 
 forming' a thin sheet, and then cutting in small 
 strips. Where purity is required, foil is better. 
 The gold is placed in three or four times its own 
 weight of the above acids. For this purpose, an 
 evaporating dish is best (a common saucer will 
 do) ; a moderate heat may be applied to favor the 
 action. The mixture should be stirred often with 
 a glass rod ; care should be observed not to apply 
 too much heat, for at a temperature of about 
 300° the chlorine would be expelled and leave a 
 metalic precipitate, which would require re-dis- 
 solving. Acid may at any time be added if neces- 
 sary to dissolve the gold, but it is advisable to add 
 ^as little excess as possible, as it would require 
 more time to evaporate. After all the gold has 
 dissolved, and the liquid assumes a deep red color, 
 the solution should be allowed to cool, being 
 stirred nearly all the time. This salt is of a red- 
 dish-brown color. It is rarely we find in our 
 market good chloride of gold, as common salt is 
 used for the bulk ; and when the bottles are 
 labeled "15 grains," "20 grains," nine-tenths do 
 not in reality contain exceeding five grains of chlo- 
 ride of gold. The salt is mixed with the above 
 solution when it is cooling, and gives bright yel- 
 low crystals, which some of our uninformed ope- 
 rators conceive to be the best quality. If those 
 who have been using the common chloride of gold 
 of our market will once order pure chloride of 
 
32 
 
 CHLORIDES. 
 
 gold from Edward N. Kent, of this city, they will be 
 surprised with the great difference. 
 
 36. Chloride of Silver. — (Oxide of Silver.) — 
 Take any quantity of silver coin or other silver, 
 roll or hammer it thin ; cut in small pieces. This 
 in order to save time. Put the silver in a glass 
 or earthen vessel (Florence flask is best) ; pour in 
 nitric acid and water, about three parts of the 
 former to one of the latter. The operation of 
 cutting up 'the silver may be facilitated by apply- 
 ing a gentle heat. This blue solution consists of 
 oxide of silver and oxide of copper, both com- 
 bined with nitric acid. Should the operator wish 
 a pure solution of silver, which, however, is not 
 always used, he may obtain it in the following 
 manner : 
 
 To separate the two metals contained in the 
 above solution from each other, put some bright 
 copper coins into the solution and .set it aside in 
 a warm place for three or four days, occasionally 
 giving it a circular motion. The separated la- 
 minee are pure silver, which are to be digested. 
 with ammonia until it ceases to be colored blue. 
 The silver, after being washed and dried, is 
 again dissolved in nitric acid, and the liquid, dilu- 
 ted with water, is kept as solution of silver. 
 
 Either of the above solutions (the one of oxide 
 of silver and copper, and the pure silver solution) 
 may be prepared for use by putting them in a 
 bottle, with a quantity of water, and adding 
 common fine salt, you obtain a white curdy pre- 
 
CHLORIDES. 
 
 33 
 
 cipitate of chloride of silver. No matter how 
 much salt is used, provided enough be added to 
 throw down all the chloride of silver. This solu- 
 tion should be well agitated and then allowed to stand 
 for a few minutes; thus the white precipitate is in the 
 bottom of the bottle. When the water has be- 
 come clear, pour it off with care, leaving the 
 sediment behind ; then add a fresh quantity of 
 clean water, shake, let settle, and pour off as 
 before. Repeat the same for several times, and 
 the excess of salt will disappear, leaving the 
 white precipitate, which may be drained of the 
 water and dried in the dark, and kept free from 
 light and air. 
 
CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
 
 37. Cyanide of Potassium. — This important 
 article is worthy the undivided attention of every 
 Daguerreotypist. We here give Mr. Smee's pro- 
 cess for its preparation. This is from that author's 
 work entitled, " Electro Metallurgy" American 
 edition : 
 
 " The cyanide of potassium, so often alluded 
 to while treating of the metallo-cyanides, may be 
 formed in several ways. It may be obtained by 
 heating to a dull redness the yellow ferrocyanate 
 of -potash, in a covered vessel, filtering and rapidly 
 evaporating it. The objection to this method, 
 however, is, that without great care the whole of 
 the ferrocyanate is not decomposed, a circum- 
 stance which much reduces its value for electro- 
 metallurgy. By boiling, however, the ignited resi- 
 due with spirits of wine, this difficulty is said to 
 be overcome, as the ferrocyanate is absolutely 
 insoluble in that menstruum, while the cyanuret, 
 at that heat, freely dissolves, and is as easily re- 
 deposited on cooling. 
 
 " There is, however, a much better process by 
 which this salt may be formed, viz : by simply 
 transmitting hydrocyanic acid through potassium. 
 Although the modes of making this acid are very 
 numerous, there is but one which is likely to be 
 
CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
 
 35 
 
 employed on a very large scale, and that is its 
 formation from the yellow ferrocyanate by means 
 of sulphuric acid. This process is performed as 
 follows : Any given weight of the yellow salt is 
 taken and dissolved in about five times its weight 
 of water ; this is placed in a retort, or some such 
 analogous vessel, to which is then added a quan- 
 tity of strong sulphuric acid, twice the weight of 
 the salt, and diluted with three or four times its 
 quantity of water. A pipe is carried from the 
 neck of the retort to the receiving bottle, which 
 should be kept as cool as possible. For small 
 operations, those invaluable vessels, Florence 
 flasks, answer well : a bent tube being connected 
 at one end to its mouth, the other passing into 
 the second vessel ; heat should be cautiously ap- 
 plied by means of an Argand lamp, a little vessel 
 of sand being placed under the flask, which helps 
 the acid to decompose the salt. Prussic acid is 
 then generated and passes through the tube to 
 the recipient vessel, which is to be charged with 
 liquor potassse. When the potash is saturated, 
 the operation is completed. The Germans re- 
 commend a strong alcoholic solution of potassa 
 to be used in the second vessel, for in this case, 
 the hydrocyanic or prussic acid combines with the 
 potassa, forming a hydrocyanate of potassa, or, 
 the water being abstracted, the cyanuret of potas- 
 sium, which spontaneously precipitates, on the 
 saturation of the fluid, the cyanuret being insolu- 
 ble in strong alcohol. The ferrocyanate of pot- 
 ash may be considered as containing three equiv- 
 
36 
 
 CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
 
 alents of hydrocyanic acid, two of potash and 
 one of iron ; but, unfortunately, we can only ob- 
 tain half the acid from the salt, owing to the form- 
 ation of a compound during its decomposition 
 which resists the action of the acid. The decom- 
 position of this salt taking 2 equivalents or 426 
 grains (to avoid fractions), would afford 3 equiva- 
 lents or 81 grains of hydrocyanic, or prussic 
 acid, capable of forming 198 grains of cyanuret 
 of potassium, while in the retort there would re- 
 main 384 grains or 3 equivalents of bisulphate 
 of potash, and 1 equivalent or 174 grains of a 
 peculiar compound, said to contain 3 equivalents 
 of cyanogen, 1 of potassium and one of iron 
 (Pereira). It is manifest that, but for this latter 
 compound, we might double the quantity of hy- 
 drocyanic acid from the yellow salt. The de- 
 composition just described is the one usually 
 received ; but too much reliance must not be 
 placed on its accuracy, for the analysis of the 
 several compounds is too difficult for the results 
 to be fully admitted. The residue left in the re- 
 tort speedily turns to one of the blues, identical 
 with, or allied to, Prussian blue. This is at 
 best a disagreeable process to conduct, for the 
 hydrocyanic acid formed adheres so strongly to 
 the glass, that, instead of being freely given off, 
 bubbles are evolved svddenly with such explosive 
 violence as occasionally to crack the vessel. 
 This may be remedied as far as is possible by 
 the insertion of plenty of waste pieces of plati- 
 num — if platinized, so much the better, as that 
 
CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
 
 37 
 
 facilitates the escape of the gas. The heat should 
 be applied to every part of the vessel, and the 
 flame should not be allowed to play upon one 
 single part alone. Large commercial operations 
 are performed in green glass or stone-ware re- 
 torts. 
 
 " Now for one word of advice to the tyro : 
 Remember that you are working with prussic 
 acid ; therefore, never conduct the process in a 
 room, the fumes being quite as poisonous as the 
 solution of the acid itself; moreover, have always 
 a bottle of ammonia or chlorine by your side, 
 that should you have chanced to inhale more 
 than is pleasant, it will be instantly at hand to 
 counteract any bad effects. It is stated by Pe- 
 reira, that a little sulphuric acid or hydroferrocy- 
 anic acid passes to the outer vessel, but probably 
 the amount would be of no consequence for elec- 
 tro-metallurgy, otherwise, it might be as well to 
 use a Woulfe's apparatus, and discard the salt 
 formed in the first vessel. To the large manufac- 
 turer it may be worth considering whether some 
 other metallo-cyanuret, formed in a similar man- 
 ner to the ferrocyanuret, might not be more ad- 
 vantageously employed, because the residue of 
 the process last described contains a large quan- 
 tity of cyanogen which the acid is unable to set free. 
 
 " There are other modes of procuring prussic 
 acid, besides the one which has been so tediously 
 described ; but these are found to be more expen- 
 sive. The only one which I shall now notice is 
 the process by which it is obtained from bicya- 
 nide of mercury. The bicyanide of mercury it- 
 
38 
 
 CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM. 
 
 self is formed when peroxyde of mercury is 
 digested with Prussian blue, the peroxyde of mer- 
 cury abstracting the whole of the cyanogen from 
 the blue, and leaving the oxydes of iron at the 
 bottom of the vessel. The solution may be eva- 
 porated to dryness, and one part of the salt dis- 
 solved in six of water ; one part of muriatic acid, 
 sp. gr. 1*15, is then added, and the solution dis- 
 tilled, when the whole of the hydrocyanic acid 
 passes over, and by being conducted into a solu- 
 tion of potassa, as in the former process, forms 
 cyanuret of potassium. This process, though 
 easier than the first described, is rather given as 
 a resource under peculiar circumstances than as 
 one to be adopted by the large manufacturer. 
 The expense is the only objection, but in a small 
 quantity this cannot be a consideration. 
 
 " In giving this very rough outline of the gene- 
 ral mode of forming salts, the minutiae necessary 
 for chemical work have altogether been avoided, 
 and those parts alone are entered upon which are 
 more immediately necessary for the electro metal- 
 lurgist to know and practise for himself. This 
 will account for the long description of the cyanu- 
 ret of potassium, while the preparation of the 
 equally important and even more used acids, the 
 sulphuric, muriatic, &c, commonly found in com- 
 merce, are altogether neglected. 
 
 " In using solutions of cyanide of potassium, 
 the workman should not immerse his arms into 
 them, otherwise it occasionally 'happens that the 
 solution produces very troublesome eruptions over 
 the skin." 
 
HYPOSULPHITE OF SODA. 
 
 38. Hyposulphite of Soda. — This salt forms 
 one of the important chemicals for the Daguerreo- 
 type operator. Its application to this art is of an 
 interesting nature. It is used to dissolve the sen- 
 sitive salt of silver which remains unchanged 
 during the exposure in the camera. It has the 
 property of readily dissolving the chloride, bro- 
 mide and iodide of silver. It should be pure and 
 free from sulphuret of sodium ; should this last 
 be present, it will cause brown spots of sulphu- 
 rated silver upon the Daguerreotype impression. 
 This annoyance is a great source of complaint 
 from many operators, and ever will be, so long 
 as it is prepared by men who have no reputation 
 to lose, and whose eyes are blinded by the " Al- 
 mighty Dollar." 
 
 A good article may be prepared as follows : 
 " Mix one pound of finely pulverized carbonate 
 of soda with ten ounces of flour of sulphur, and 
 heat the mixture slowly in a porcelain dish till 
 the sulphur melts. Stir the fused mass, so as to 
 expose all its parts freely to the atmosphere, 
 whereby it passes from the state of a sulphuret, 
 by the absorption of atmospheric oxygen, into 
 that of a sulphite, with the phenomenon of very 
 slight incandescence. Dissolve in water, filter 
 

 40 
 
 HYPOSULPHITE OF SODA. 
 
 the solution, and boil it immediately along with 
 flour of sulphur. The filtered concentrated sa- 
 line liquid will afford, on cooling, a large quantity 
 of pure, and beautiful crystals of hyposulphite of 
 soda. 
 
 39. Hyposulphite of Gold. — This compound 
 salt is by a few considered preferable to the 
 chloride of gold, §35 ; but our experience has in- 
 duced us to use the latter, believing we are ena- 
 bled to produce a more brilliant and warm-toned 
 impression with it. When the hyposulphite of 
 gold is used in gilding, it requires less heat and 
 a longer application, as there is some danger of 
 producing a glossy scum over some parts of the 
 surface of the plate. We prepare this salt as 
 follows : 
 
 Dissolve one part chloride of gold and four 
 parts hyposulphite of soda in equal quantities of 
 distilled water : pour the gold into the hyposul- 
 phite solution, in the same manner as in mixing 
 the gilding solution ; let it stand until it becomes 
 limpid ; filter and evaporate to dryness. Re-dis- 
 solve and add a few grains of burnt alum. 
 
 After standing a few hours, filter and evapo- 
 rate again. If not sufficiently pure, repeat the 
 crystalization until it is so. For gilding, dissolve 
 in water and use in the same manner as the com- 
 mon gilding solution. 
 
 N. B. — The four following mixtures (40, 41, 
 
MiSCELLANEUS. 
 
 41 
 
 42 and 43) were employed in Neipce's process in 
 his earliest experiments : 
 
 40. Aqueous Solution of Bichloride of Mer- 
 cury. — Eighi grains of bichloride of mercury in 
 10,000 grains of distilled water. 
 
 41. Solution of Cyanide of Mercury. — A flask 
 of distilled water is saturated with cyanide of 
 mercury, and a certain quantity is decanted, 
 which is diluted with an equal quantity of dis- 
 tilled water. 
 
 42. Acidulated White Oil of Petroleum. — This 
 oil is acidulated by mixing with it- one tenth of 
 pure nitric acid, leaving it for at least 48 hours, 
 occasionally agitating the flask. The oil, which 
 is acidulated, and which then powerfully reddens 
 litmus paper, is decanted. It is also a little 
 colored, but remains very limpid. 
 
 43. Solution of Chloride of Gold and Plati- 
 num. — In order not to multiply the solutions, take 
 the ordinary chloride of gold, used for fixing the 
 impressions, and which is composed of 1 gramme 
 of chloride of gold and 50 grains of hyposulphate 
 of soda, to a quart of distilled water. 
 
 With respect to chloride of platinum, 4 grains 
 must be dissolved in 3 quarts of distilled water ; 
 these two solutions are mixed in equal quan- 
 tities. 
 
ACIDS. 
 
 44. Acids. — We shall not go into the prepara- 
 tions of the various acids employed in the Daguerre- 
 otype. This would be useless to the operator, as 
 there are few, if any, that it would be advisable 
 to prepare. It is only necessary for the experi- 
 menter to be made acquainted with their proper- 
 ties, and this in order to prevent any hap-hazard 
 experiments, which are too common among opera- 
 tors. Any person who may be desirous to try an 
 experiment, should first study the agents he wishes 
 to employ. By so doing much time and money 
 will be saved ; while the searcher after new dis- 
 coveries would rarely become vexed on account 
 of his own ignorance, or be obliged to avail him- 
 self of the experience of others in any department 
 of science. 
 
 45. Nitric Acid — Exists in combination with 
 the bases, potash, soda, lime, magnesia, in both 
 the mineral and vegetable kingdoms, and is never 
 found insoluble. It has the same constituents as 
 common air, but in different proportions. The 
 strongest nitric acid contains in every pound, two 
 and a quarter ounces of water. Pure nitric acid 
 is colorless, with a specific gravity of 1.5, and 
 boiling at ',48°. It is a most powerfully oxydizing 
 
 1^ 
 
ACIDS. 
 
 43 
 
 agent, and is decomposed with more or less rapid- 
 ity, by almost all the metals to which it yields a 
 portion of its oxygen. 
 
 The nitric acid of commerce, is generally the 
 article used by the Daguerreotypist. This usually 
 contains some chlorine and sulphuric acid. It is 
 obtained by the distillation of saltpetre with sul- 
 phuric acid. It is employed in the Daguerreotype 
 process for dissolving silver, §36, preparing chlo- 
 ride or oxide, nitrate of silver, [the former used in 
 galvanizing,] and in combination with muriatic 
 acid for preparing chloride of gold, used in gild- 
 ing.. It is also used by some for preparing the 
 plate, §46. 
 
 46. Acidulated Solution. — This solution is 
 used for cleaning the surface of the Daguerreo- 
 type plate. It has the property of softening the 
 silver, and bringing it to a state in which it is very 
 susceptible of being either oxydized or iodized* 
 hence it contributes in increasing the sensibility of 
 the plate. The proportions are to one drop of acid 
 add from 15 to 20 drops of water, or make the 
 solution about like sharp vinegar to the taste. 
 
 47. Nitro-Muriatic Acid. — Aqua Regia is a 
 compound menstruum invented by the alchemists 
 for dissolving gold. It is composed of colorless 
 nitric acid (aqua-fortis) and ordinary muriatic acid, 
 the mixture is yellow, and acquires the power of 
 dissolving gold and platinum. • These materials 
 are not properly oxydized ; it nearly causes their 
 
44 
 
 ACIDS. 
 
 combination with chlorine, which is in the muri- 
 atic acid, §48. 
 
 48. Hydrochloric Acid {Muriatic Acid). — This 
 acid forms a valuable addition to the chemicals 
 employed by the practical Daguerreotypist. This 
 acid is formed by acting upon common salt (which 
 is chloride of sodium) by concentrated sulphuric 
 acid. The water of the acid is decomposed, and 
 its hydrogen combines with the chloride of the 
 salt to form muriatic acid, and this unites with 
 the sulphuric acid to form sulphate of soda ; 60 
 parts of common salt and 49 parts of concentra- 
 ted sulphuric acid, afford, by this mutual action, 
 37 parts of muriatic acid and 72 parts of sul- 
 phate of soda. The muriatic acid of commerce 
 has usually a yellowish tinge, but when chemi- 
 cally pure it is colorless- The former is com- 
 monly contaminated with sulphureous acid, sul- 
 phuric acid, chlorine, iron, and sometimes with 
 arsenic. 
 
 Muriatic acid, from the fact of the presence of 
 the chlorine, is used in the Daguerreotype pro- 
 cess for dissolving gold, and in combination with 
 various accelerators. Its presence can be detected 
 by ammonia. A strip of paper dipped in this 
 and waived to and fro will emit a thick white 
 smoke if the acid vapor be in the atmosphere. 
 The ammonia neutralizes the acid fumes. By 
 reversing the experiment we can determine whe- 
 ther vapor of ammonia be in the air, and also de- 
 prive these suffocating and dangerous gases of 
 
ACIDS. 
 
 45 
 
 their injurious properties, and remove them from 
 the air. Every Daguerreotype operator should 
 be furnished with, at least, a six-ounce bottle o^ 
 aqua ammonia. Its operation is very nearly the 
 same on bromine and iodine vapor. 
 
 49. Hydrqfloric Acid {Florohydric Acid). — 
 This acid is used to form some of the most vola- 
 tile and sensitive compounds employed in the 
 Daguerreotype. It is one of the most dangerous 
 bodies to experiment with : it is volatile and co- 
 rosive, giving off dense white fumes in the air. 
 It combines with water with great heat. At 
 32° it condenses into a colorless fluid, with a 
 density 1.069. It is obtained from decomposition 
 of fluor spar by strong sulphuric acid. It readily 
 dissolves the silicia in glass, and consequently ' 
 cannot be kept in a vessel of that material. It 
 is prepared and kept in lead. It is employed in 
 accelerators on account of its fluorine. 
 
 One small drop on the tongue of a dog causes 
 death. The operator who wishes to use it should 
 pour some of the liquid for which he intends it 
 into a graduate, or other vessel, and then add 
 the desired quantity of acid. If by accident any 
 of the spray should fall upon the skin, it should 
 at once be copiously drenched with water. 
 
 50. Sulphuric Acid. — There are two sorts of 
 this acid : one is an oily, fuming liquid ; this is 
 made in Nordhausen, in Saxony, and is com- 
 monly called " Nordhausen sulphuric acid," or 
 
46 
 
 BROMINE. 
 
 oil of vitriol. The other, which is the kind, used 
 in connection with the Daguerreotype, is common 
 sulphuric acid. It is somewhat thinner, and when 
 undiluted is not fuming. This acid may be ob- 
 tained in a solid and dry state, called anhydrous 
 sulphuric acid. 
 
 The common sulphuric acid is made by burning 
 sulphur, which forms sulphureous acid. To con- 
 vert this into sulphuric acid and gain more oxy- 
 gen, nitric acid, which is ri ch in that body, is add- 
 ed. It forms a limpid, colorless fluid, of a specific 
 gravity of 1 .8. It boils at 620° ; it freezes at 15 ° . 
 It is acrid and caustic, and intensely acid in all its* 
 characters, even when largely diluted. 
 
 Its attraction for bases is such that it separates 
 or expels all other acids, more or less perfectly, 
 from their combinations. Its affinity for water is 
 such that it rapidly absorbs it from the atmosphere, 
 and when mixed with water much heat is evolved. 
 It acts energetically upon animal and vegetable 
 substances, and is a poisonous, dangerous sub- 
 stance to get on the skin. It is a powerful oxydiz- 
 ing agent ; hence its use in the galvanic battery? 
 for which purpose it is mostly used by the Da- 
 guerreotypisi. The fumes of this being so much 
 more offensive than nitric acid, the latter is some- 
 times used. It is also employed in some of the 
 more sensitive accelerators. 
 
ACCELERATING SUBSTANCES. 
 
 51. Remarks on the Accelerating Substances 
 Used in the Daguerreotype. — We have now arrived 
 at a point in this work, where the eye of the Da- 
 guerreotype public will intently search for some- 
 thing new. This search will prove in vain, at 
 least so far as regards those who have enjoyed 
 and embraced the opportunities for studying the 
 principles of our art. Every experienced opera- 
 tor has in a degree become familiar with the me* 
 chanical uses of all the agents employed, while 
 we fear but few understand the properties, and 
 law§ governing those properties, which are so in- 
 dispensible to produce an image impressed upon 
 the silver surface. 
 
 There are three substances which form the 
 bases for producing a Daguerreotype : silver, 
 iodine and bromine. Each forms a separate body, 
 which is indispensible to the operator's success, as 
 the art is now practiced in America. With 
 these three, compounds of great variety are 
 formed. 
 
 The silver surface is first thoroughly cleaned 
 and freed from all organic matter, then exposed to 
 vapor of iodine, producing an iodide of silver, (a 
 salt, $21.) The plate upon which is this salt, is 
 again exposed to the vapor of bromine, forming 
 a bromo-iodide of silver, a salt also. 
 
48 
 
 ACCELERATORS. 
 
 As most of the various accelerators are com- 
 pounds of bromine, with either chlorine or fluo- 
 rine combination, they partake somewhat of the 
 nature of these latter, givhag results which can 
 be detected by the experienced operator. Thus 
 muriatic acid is added for its chlorine, which can 
 generally be detected by the impression produced, 
 being of a light, soft, mellow tone, and in most 
 cases presenting a brilliant black to that colored 
 drapery. Those who wish to experiment with 
 agents for accelerating substances, should first 
 study and well understand the nature of the pro- 
 perties of. itself; as well, also, to endeavor to 
 find out what will be the probable changes it will 
 undergo in combination as an accelerator. This 
 should be done before making the experiments. 
 From the foregoing it will be seen that numerous 
 compounds are formed from the same basis, and, 
 consequently, it would be a waste of time and 
 a useless appropriation to devote more of our 
 space than is necessary to give the principal and 
 most reliable combination. 
 
 In America, the words "Quick" and " Quick 
 Stuff" are more generally used for and instead 
 of the more proper names, " Sensitives," or " Ac- 
 celerators," &c. As it has by use become com- 
 mon, we frequently use it in this work. 
 
 52. Liquid Accelerator, No. 1. — This mixture 
 was used by us in 1849, and we give it as it ap- 
 peared in our " System of Photography," pub- 
 lished at the above date : 
 
ACCELERATORS. 
 
 49 
 
 Take pure rain or distilled water, one quart, fil 
 ter through paper into a ground stopper bottle, 
 and add, for warm weather, one and a half 
 ounce chloride of iodine ; or for cold, one ounce ; 
 then add one ounce bromine, and shake well. 
 Now, with care not to allow the vapor to escape , 
 add, drop by drop, thirty drops of aqua ammonia, 
 shaking well at each drop. Care must be taken 
 not to add more at a time, as it evolves too 
 much heat. This, mixed, in equal proportions 
 with John Roach's quick, forms an excellent 
 chemical combination. For this purpose, take 
 one and a half ounce of each, to which add ten 
 ounces water, for warm weather, or from six to 
 seven for cold. Pour the whole into a large box, 
 and it will work from two to four months. We 
 are now using (1H49) one charged as above 
 which has been in constant use for three months, 
 and works uniformly well. The above is right 
 for half or full size boxes, but half of it would be 
 sufficient for a quarter size box. 
 
 Coat to the first shade of rose over iodine, 
 change to a deep rosy red over quick, and back 
 about one tenth the first. 
 
 We would not now recommend the addition of 
 " John Roach's quick," as we believe equally 
 good results can be produced without it. This 
 liquid is now used by many, and is very good for 
 taking vi£ws. 
 
 53. Lime Water Quick. — This mixture is more 
 used at present than all the other liquids ever in- 
 
50 
 
 ACCELERATORS, 
 
 troduced. It produces the most uniform results, 
 giving the fine soft tone so characteristic in pic- 
 tures produced from accelerators containing chlo- 
 rine. To one quart of lime water (this can be 
 had of any druggist) add one and a half ounce of 
 pulverized alum, This should be shook at inter- 
 vals for twenty-four hours ; then add one ounce 
 of chloride of iodine and three fourths ounce of 
 bromine. See $54. 
 
 54. Tuime Water. — This is easily prepared by 
 putting lime into water, say a piece of quick 
 lime about the size of an egg into one quart of 
 water. This should be shook occasionally for 
 two or three days and allowed to settle, when 
 the water can be poured off and used as directed 
 in §53. 
 
 Use. — To one part of quick add six parts of 
 water ; coat to a light yellow over the iodine, to 
 a rose color over the quick, and re-coat about 
 one tenth. The above coating may be increased 
 or diminished, it matters not, so that there is not 
 too much, and the proper proportions are pre- 
 served. Some add to the above a small quantity 
 of magnesia, say about a tea-spoonful to the quart 
 of liquid. 
 
 55. Liquid Accelerator, No. 2. — The follow- 
 ing was for a long time used by one of the first 
 houses in the United States, and probably was 
 one of the first liquids ever used. It produces a 
 fine-toned picture, but is not considered as sure 
 as the lime water quick : 
 
ACCELERATORS. 
 
 51 
 
 Take rain water one quart, add pulverized alum 
 Until it is a little sour to the taste, and a small 
 piece, say one half inch square, of magnesia. 
 Filter through paper, and add chloride of iodine 
 one half ounce, bromine sufficient to take it up, 
 which is a little less than half an ounze. 
 
 Charge with one of quick to six of water ; coat 
 over iodine to a soft yellow, nearly, but not quite, 
 bordering on a rose ; over quick to a dark pur- 
 ple, or steel, and back one sixth to one tenth. 
 
 56. Wolcotfs American Mixture. — Van Loan 
 Quick. — This- mixture was first formed and used 
 by Wolcott & Johnson, and gained great celeb- 
 rity for its productions. We have now a bottle 
 hermetically -sealed that contains about a half 
 ounce of this mixture, prepared in 1841 by John 
 Johnson, now a resident of this city, and the for- 
 mer partner of Mr. Wolcott. The preparation 
 of this mixture, as furnished by Mr. Johnson him- 
 self, is given as follows : 
 
 " One part of bromine, eight parts of nitric acid, 
 §45, sixteen parts of muriatic acid, §48, water 
 one hundred parts. This mixture should be al- 
 lowed to stand for several days ; it improves by 
 age. 
 
 " Use. — A few drops say, 6 to 12, of this mix- 
 ture should be put into about 6 or 8 ounces of 
 water ; it will require frequent replenishing by the 
 addition of a few more drops. The plate should 
 be coated over the dry iodine to a red just bor- 
 dering on a slate, and then exposed to the mix- 
 
52 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 ture only sufficiently long to change the color. 
 If this is not done in less than six seconds it is 
 not strong enough. Re-coat over the iodine full 
 one fourth as long as first coating." 
 
 This exceedingly* volatile compound is difficult 
 to control from its instability ; it is but little used. 
 The impressions successfully produced by this 
 mixture are very brilliant, and possess a pleasing 
 peculiarity. 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 57. Hydrate of Lime.— The operation by 
 which water is combined with lime is called sla- 
 king. Take a piece of quick lime, common lime 
 used in mortar, and immerse it in warm water for 
 about fifteen seconds ; then place it in an iron or 
 tin vessel. It will soon begin to swell, evolving 
 a great deal of heat and emitting steam, and soon 
 falls into a fine powder, hydrate of lime. This 
 should be well stirred and allowed to cool, and 
 then bottled in order to prevent it from giving off 
 the hydrate and recovering the carbonic acid from 
 the atmosphere. This last is detrimental to its 
 use with bromine, and is one cause of the com- 
 plaint that " it wih not take bromine." The hy- 
 
DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 53 
 
 drate of lime should not be dried over a heat, as 
 has been supposed by many, for in that case the 
 hydrogen is expelled and it returns to a carbonate. 
 It is advisable to cool it in a damp place like a 
 ground cellar. Much of the lime in our market 
 will not, except it be quite damp, combine with 
 the bromine. This is owing to impurities. We 
 have, in the last twelve months, slaked and used 
 some four barrels oftpiick lime in the preparation 
 of accelerators, and find nothing equal to oyster- 
 shell lime, which we use altogether. 
 
 58. Bromide of Lime.— In preparing large 
 quantities of this, we adopt the following method : 
 Fill a four-quart bottle about two thirds full of 
 hydrate of lime, § 57 ; pour into this about one or 
 two ounces of bromine ; then shake well, add 
 more of the bromine, shake well and let it stand 
 for a few hours, adding sufficient bromine to 
 give it a fine red color. It is better when kept 
 in the large bottles, as it forms a more perfect 
 combination : in other words, it improves by age. 
 
 Use. — Coat over the iodine to a rose red, and 
 then over this mixture to a purple or slate ; re- 
 coat over the first about one fourth as long as first 
 coatinsr. 
 
 59. Gurnefs American Compound. — Of this 
 compound there are two combinations, one for 
 use, when the temperature of the atmosphere is 
 above 65 or 70 ° , and the other at a lower tempe - 
 rature. The first is called No. 1, the second No. 2. 
 
54 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 No. 1 is prepared by placing hydrate of lime in 
 a Dottle, same.as described in §58, adding- to three 
 quarts of the hydrate, one ounce of pulverized 
 ^burnt alum, as much chloride of lime as can be 
 put on a quarter of a dollar, and from 15 to 30 
 grains of dry pulverized iodine, or enough to 
 change the color of the hydrate of lime, to the 
 slightest possible tinge of yellow. There had bet- 
 ter be less, than carry th6 color to a deeper 
 shade. The object of using the iodine is to form 
 a compound with bromine that is not so volatile as 
 the bromine itself. No matter how little iodine is 
 combined with the bromine the vapors possess their 
 relative proportion ; hence, only enough iodine to 
 prevent " flaring," or, as it is often termed, " a 
 scum-coating," is used. The iodine should be 
 thoroughly combined withjthe lime, which will take 
 about one or two days. Should add bromine the 
 same as in bromide of lime, §58, until the com- 
 pound assumes a light red color. 
 
 No. 2 is prepared in the same manner as No. 1, 
 except the addition of the iodine, which is omitted. 
 
 E7.se. — No. 1 . Coat over the iodine to a bright 
 yellow color, then over the compound, No. 1, to 
 red color, re-coat over iodine, about one sixth as 
 long as the time occupied in first coating. 
 
 No. 2. Coat over iodine same as above, except 
 re-coat over the iodine about one fourth to one half 
 as km jr. as first coatinjr. 
 
 60. Dry Quick, No. 1. — Bromide of Lime and 
 Starch. — The following compound forms an ex- 
 
DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 55 
 
 cellent accelerator, and is used by many. Tt is 
 claimed for this preparation, that it will hold the 
 bromine longer than others where starch is not 
 employed. As regards this claim, we do not think 
 it can be substantiated. Our experience in prac- 
 tice has led us to the conclusion that there is no 
 great difference as respects durability, but there 
 is some little difference as regards the tone of the 
 impressions produced by its use. 
 
 To one quart of hydrate of lime add one quart 
 of finely pulverized starch. To this mixture add 
 bromme same as in §58, until it assumes a deep 
 yellow or pink color. 
 
 Starch may be added to any of the Dry mix- 
 tures. 
 
 Use. — Coat over the iodine to a deep yellow, 
 then over this quick to a red color, re-coat about 
 one sixth of the time of first coating. 
 
 We will here again remark, that the exact color 
 of the coating is not essential, provided a proper 
 proportion is preserved. 
 
 We have never seen it stated, though it be a 
 fact worthy of note, that a proportionate time for 
 coating over the iodine and accelerator, will not 
 answer. For example ; if a plate exposed to the 
 vapor of iodine be perfectly coated in sixteen 
 seconds, and then exposed to an accelerator, (not 
 having iodine in its combination) receives its coat- 
 ing in four seconds, it will be found that a proper 
 proportionate coating cannot be preserved by 
 adopting a proportion of time, but on the con- 
 trary, the time will diminish ; for exposure over 
 
56 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 the accelerator, as in the above example, if it be 
 desired to coat the plate with twice as much io- 
 dine as in the above exa mple, the time would be, 
 over iodine thirty-two seconds, and over the ac- 
 celerator (to possess a proper proportion) from six 
 to seven seconds. Hence it is that many inexperi- 
 enced operators, when wishing to vary their usual 
 manner of coating, fail in producing a favorable 
 result. They coat calculating a proportion of 
 time when they should not. 
 
 61. Dry Quick, No. 2,. — Bromide of Lime and 
 Magnesia. — To one quart of hydrate of lime, §57, 
 add one quart of magnesia, and mix them well 
 together; add bromine same as in, §58; coat the 
 same as in §60. This combination produces very 
 uniform results, and is worked with much success 
 by beginners. 
 
 62. ChForo-Bromide of Lime, — To the bro- 
 mide of lime, §58,. add chloride of bromine until 
 the mixture becomes a pale yellow color, resem- 
 bling sulphur. It should be shook well, and 
 enough of the chloride of bromine added to bring 
 the compound to a deep blood red color. 
 
 Use. — Coat over the iodine to a pink color, 
 and then over the above to a red, or just chang- 
 ing the color. It should be remembered that ac- 
 celerators containing chlorine do not admit of a 
 great change of color of coating on the plate. 
 
 63. Iodide of Starch. — This mixture can be 
 
DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 57 
 
 employed for coating over in warm weather, and 
 prevent the flashing resulting at high tempera- 
 tures. It may be used the same as the iodide 
 alone. 
 
 To six ounces of finely pulverized starch, add 
 one fourth ounce of dry iodine. 
 
 Use. — Same as the dry iodine alone. 
 
 The same combination may be made with lime, 
 magnesia and other substances. 
 
 64. Concentrated Solution of Iodine for Fist 
 Coating. — It may appear strange to some of 
 our old operators that an aqueous solution of io- 
 dine can be used for coating the plate and forming 
 the iodide of silver. It has long been ' a cry 
 among most operators that it is impossible to suc- 
 ceed when the iodine box contains dampness. 
 Now this is a great mistake, and we will here 
 state that in all cases where dampness appears 
 upon a properly prepared Daguerreotype plate, 
 it is the result of a different temperature of the 
 metal, from the air which surrounds it. Mr. Sen- 
 ter, of Auburn, was the first of our operators 
 who used a solution of iodine for coating the 
 plate, and we several years since saw his results, 
 which would rival the production of any other 
 operator. A concentrated solution of iodine is 
 prepared by putting into a common bottle two 
 thimblesful of hyposulphite of soda ' and a rather 
 larger quantity of iodine, so that there may be 
 more than sufficient. Add to it about 40 ounces 
 of common water, (heated to 60 or 70 degrees,) 
 3* 
 
58 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 by little and little, moving the bottle to warm it, 
 for fear of breaking. After shaking it a short 
 time, the water is rapidly and strongly colored. 
 The solution should be poured into a bottle with 
 a ground stopper, and when cool used for io- 
 dizing. 
 
 • A solution of sufficient strength can be made 
 by moistening or just covering the iodine with 
 water. 
 
 65. Chloride of Iodine (§31) as an Accelerator. 
 — This is probably one of the best accelerators 
 that can be used for coating the plate for taking 
 views ; it works too slow, however, to meet the 
 wants of the operating room, yet its use was for- 
 merly, for a long time, adhered to by some of our 
 best professors. In producing views with this, we 
 are successful in obtaining well-developed im- 
 pressions, with a depth of tone and richness of 
 appearance not to be met with in the productions 
 of any other substances. We give its use as fur- 
 nished us by an old and experienced operator, 
 and was published in Humphrey's Journal, vol. I, 
 page 1 80 : 
 
 " As theprocess of using chloride of iodine may 
 be of interest to some of your subscribers, I take 
 pleasure in giving the following manipulation : 
 To one ounce of chloride of iodine add two 
 ounces of water ; place this mixture in a coating- 
 box, the same as quick stuff; coat the plate with 
 dry iodine to a light yellow, or lemon color ; then 
 bring the coating to a deep pink over the chlo- 
 
DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 59 
 
 ride. The plate must be re-coated over the dry 
 iodine. 
 
 This combination has been very successfully 
 used in one of our most extensive establishments 
 in this city, and the superiority of the pictures 
 produced by it were considered as an equivalent 
 for the additional time required to bring out the 
 impressions. 
 
 66. Chlorine as cm Accelerator, §26. — We shall 
 here refer to but a single experiment in which we 
 employed ehlorine gas for coating the plate. We 
 were provided with a retort, the neck of which 
 was fitted to the jar of our coating-box, through a 
 hole drilled for its reception. This was fitted 
 perfectly tight in our coating-box. We plaeed 
 gome pure undiluted bromine water, and the 
 agents (§26) necessary for producing chlorine gas 
 (in small quantity) in the retort. The result was 
 that our first experiment produced an impression 
 completely solarized in all its parts, by an exposure 
 of four seconds of time, which would have required 
 an exposure of twenty seconds to produee a per- 
 fectly developed impression by the usual process. 
 
 Another trial immediately produced one of the 
 finest toned impressions we ever saw, perfectly 
 developed in one second of time. . 
 
 Our next two or three experiments proved total 
 failures. We were unable to produce even a sign 
 of an impression. By accident we broke our retort, 
 and not being in a locality convenient to obtain 
 
60 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 another, our experiments were necessarily sus- 
 pended. 
 
 Our attention was not called to this subject again 
 for several years, when we noticed an account of 
 some similar experiments by F. A. P. Barnard and 
 Dr. Wm, H. Harrington, the latter of whom is 
 now of the firm of Dobyns & Harrington, of New 
 Orleans. 
 
 From reading this article, we found our own 
 difficulties explained. Too much of the chlorine 
 gas was present in our coating jar. We would like 
 to see some of our enterprising operators investi- 
 gate this combination. 
 
 It is a singular fact, that the vapors of bromine 
 and chlorine combining upon the iodide of silver, 
 produce a more sensitive coating than when the 
 two are combined in solution, as in chloride of bro- 
 mine solution. Those having Humphrey's Journal 
 at hand, can refer to vol. 1, p. 142. 
 
 67.. To Use Bromine Water or other Accelera- 
 tor in Hot Weather. — An excellent plan for using 
 bromine water, is as follows : 
 
 Fill a two ounce bottle quarter full of it, and 
 then fill the bottle with fine sand, which serves to 
 preserve a low temperature ; then place the bottle 
 in a porous cup, same as used in the battery ; fill 
 this also with sand, and close the end with plaster 
 of Paris. Place this in a coating-box, and it will 
 be found to act with great uniformity and be quite 
 permanent. 
 
DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 61 
 
 Bromide of Lime, another accelerator, can be 
 used in the same manner, except it is only neces- 
 sary when a solid sensitive is used, to mix it with 
 the sand, without placing - it in a bottle. This me- 
 thod is employed with great success by a few, 
 who have regarded it as a secret worth keeping. 
 
 68. A Combination, requiring the Use of only 
 One Coating-box. — It is often wondered by begin- 
 ners, why some solution requiring only one coat- 
 ing cannot be employed. This can be done, but 
 the results are not so satisfactory as when two 
 or more are employed. Such an accelerator may 
 be produced by adding alcoholic solution of iodine 
 to a solution of chlorate of potash, until the latter 
 will take up no more of the former, and to each 
 ounce, by measure of this solution, ten drops of a 
 saturated solution of bromide in water are added. 
 The solution of chlorate of potash is made by 
 diluting one part of a saturated solution of the 
 salt with ten parts of water. The use of the 
 chlorate is simply as a solvent of iodine. 
 
 69. Fats as Accelerators. — The use of fats, oils, 
 or greasy substances, has been one of the most 
 emphatic prohibitions about the Daguerreotype 
 plate. Yet it has been proved that its presence 
 in a small quantity upon the silver surface has 
 the effect of reducing the time of exposure in the 
 camera, from two-thirds to three-fourths. An ap- 
 plication may be made as follows : Pour sweet 
 oil, or rub beef or mutton fat, on a common buff, 
 which is free from all polishing powders. With 
 
62 
 
 DRY SENSITIVES. 
 
 this, buff a well-cleaned plate, and it will leave a 
 scum, which should be mostly removed by using 
 another buff, which should be clean. Coat the 
 plate in the usual manner, and the result will be a 
 great reduction in the time of exposure in the ca- 
 mera. The impression produced upon a plate so 
 prepared, presents when coming from the vapor of 
 mercury, a gray, scummy appearance, which on 
 the application of heat in gilding, does not im- 
 prove ; hence its use is not generally adopted. 
 
 We have instituted some investigations upon 
 this subject, and in the present volume, we shall 
 not refer to it further. Those wishing to learn 
 more fully the effect of light upon organic sub- 
 stances, will find Robert Hunt's " Researches on 
 Light," an invaluable work. 
 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 70. To Color Back-grounds. — To obtain a properly- 
 colored back-ground is a matter of no little im- 
 portance to the Daguerreotype operator. We had 
 nearly exhausted all patience, and tried the skill 
 of painters to obtain a back-ground that would 
 be suitable to our purpose ; but all to no avail. 
 At last we adopted the following method, and at 
 a cost of coloring of twenty-five cents, have now 
 in our operating department a back-ground far 
 more valuable than those we had paid five dollars 
 for. 
 
 Take common earth paint, such as is used in 
 painting roofs ; mix this with water to about the 
 consistency of cream ; then to four quarts of this 
 mixture add about one pint of glue water (com- 
 mon glue dissolved in water, also about as thick 
 as cream). This last will cause the paint to ad- 
 here to the cloth, to which it is applied with a 
 common white-wash brush. By applying the 
 brush on the coating while it is wet, it may be so 
 blended that not a line can be seen, and a per- 
 fectly smooth color of any shade can be ob- 
 tained. The shade of color we use is a light 
 reddish-brown. Tripoli, rotten-stone, or any 
 earthy matter, may be applied in the same 
 manner. 
 
 .>■ 
 
f>4 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 71. Transparent or Invisible Back-Ground. — 
 We give this as originally published by us in 
 our System of Photography, 1 849 : 
 
 Take a large woolen blanket with long nap, 
 the longer and rougher it is the finer will be the 
 effect produced ; stretch it on a frame of sufficient 
 size, and suspend the frame at the center of the 
 upper end by a string fastened to a nail in the 
 ceiling, from three to five feet back of the sitter. 
 Having arranged this, fasten another string to 
 the side of the frame, and while the operation is 
 going on in the camera, sw 7 ing the back-ground 
 from right to left, continuing this during the whole 
 time of sitting, arid you have a clear " transpa- 
 rent " back-ground, which throws the image out 
 in bold relief, and renders the surface of the plate 
 invisible. If equaled at all, it is only by atmos- 
 pheric back-ground. We consider it to be the 
 best ever known, and think it needs but to be 
 tried to afford satisfactory proof that it is so. 
 Although used by few before, since the first edi- 
 tion of this work at least two thirds of the opera- 
 tors have adopted its use ; for any one can at once 
 understand the principle and the- effect which it 
 produces. 
 
 We would add, at this date, that a motion im- 
 parted to any back-ground where softness is de- 
 sired, produces an excellent effect. 
 
 72. Gilding Dissolvent. — To one quart of mu- 
 riatic acid add as much sesquioxyde of iron as it 
 will dissolve in two days. This may be done by 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 65 
 
 putting in the sesquioxyde in excess. It should 
 be frequently shook, and when wanted for bottling 
 it should be allowed to stand in order to settle. 
 When this is done the solution may be poured 
 off, and reduced by adding to it an equal quan- 
 tity of water ; then it is ready for use. This con- 
 stitutes a g-ildinsr dissolvent now in our market. 
 
 73. Solution for Removing Specks. — There is 
 probably no one cause of complaint so general as 
 "what makes those black specks?" There are 
 several causes which produce them, and probably 
 the most general are dust, rouge, or a spray of 
 moisture on the plate. If this be the case there 
 is no solution which can remove them, as they 
 have prevented a chemical action with the silver, 
 and their removal would only expose the surface 
 of the plate, which in itself would afford a contrast 
 with the impression. Another and less danger- 
 ous source of these specks is organic matter con- 
 tained in the solution employed in dissolving 
 the chemicals, or the water in washing. Much 
 of the hyposulphite of soda in market contains a 
 sulphuret, which, coming in contact with the sil- 
 ver surface, immediately causes oxydation. Such 
 spots, as well also as most all others found on 
 the plate after it has been exposed in the camera, 
 can be removed by the following solution : To 
 one ounce of w r ater add a piece of cyanide of po- 
 tassium ($37) the size of a pea ; filter the solu- 
 tion and apply by pouring it on the surface of the 
 plate. In all cases the plate should first be wet 
 
66 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 with water. Apply a gentle heat, and soon the 
 spots will disappear, leaving the impression clear 
 and free from all organic matter. 
 
 In the absence of cyanide of potassium, a so- 
 lution of hyposulphite of soda will answer as a 
 fair substitute. 
 
 74. To Redeem a Solarized Impression. — The 
 Daguerreotype plate, prepared in the ordinary 
 manner, should be exposed in the camera suffi- 
 cient time to solarize the impression. Then, be- 
 fore it be exposed to the vapor of mercury, expose 
 it for a very brief period to the vapor of either 
 chlorine, bromine or iodine. Then expose over 
 mercury, as usual. We have produced some 
 singularly interesting results by this process. 
 
 75. To Purify Water. — Filter the water well, 
 and then add about three drops of nitric acid to 
 the pint. This can be used as absolutely pure 
 water, but we would recommend the use of dis- 
 tilled water as preferable. 
 
 76. Cleaning Mercury. — Make a small bag of 
 chamois skin, pour in the mercury, and squeeze 
 it through the leather. Repeat this several times, 
 and filter by means of a funnel made of paper, 
 with a very small aperture, through which it will 
 escape and leave the particles of dust, or other 
 substances, in the paper. A paper with a pin- 
 hole through it will answer as well, and it is less 
 difficult to make. 
 
 I 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 67 
 
 77. Adhesive Paper. — Take gum arabic, four 
 ounces, put it in a wide-mouthed bottle and pour 
 on water about one-third above the. gum. Add 
 half ounce of isinglass, or fish glue, and a small 
 piece of loaf sugar. Let all dissolve, and spread 
 over French letter paper or bank note paper, with 
 a brush or piece of sponge. If once spreading is 
 not enough, perform the same operation a second 
 time. 
 
 78. Black Stain for Apparatus. — Dissolve gum 
 shellac in alcohol, or procure shellac varnish at 
 the druggists', stir in lampblack, and apply with a 
 sponge or bit of rag. This will adhere to metal, 
 as well as wood, and is used for the inside of ca- 
 mera tubes, &c. 
 
 79. Sealing Wax for Bottles. — Melt together 
 six parts rosin and one beeswax, and add a small 
 quantity of lampblack ; or, if red is preferable, 
 add red lead. Common white wax is best, as 
 most chemicals act less upon it. 
 
 When bottles containing bromine are to be seal- 
 ed, it is well to grease the stopper. This, how- 
 ever, only when the bottle is in frequent use, for 
 if it were to be sent by any conveyance it would 
 be likely to fly out. 
 
 80. Rouge. — The method employed by Lord 
 Ross is probably unsurpassed in the production of 
 rouge. He has given his process as follows : 
 
 " I prepare the peroxide of iron by precipitation 
 
68 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 with water of ammonia, from a pure dilute solu- 
 tion of sulphate of iron ; the precipitate is wash- 
 ed, pressed in a screw press till nearly dry, and 
 exposed to a heat which in the dark appears a 
 dull, low red. The only points of importance are, 
 that the sulphate of iron should be pure, that the 
 water of ammonia should he decidedly in excess, 
 and that the heat should not exceed that I have 
 described. The color will be a bright crimson in- 
 clining to yellow. I have tried both potash and 
 soda, pure, instead of water of ammonia, but after 
 washing with some degree of care, a trace of the 
 alkali still remained, and the peroxyde was of an 
 ochrey color, till overheated, and did not polish 
 properly." 
 
 Care should be observed to apply rouge in a dry 
 state to the surface of the plate. 
 
 We would remark that so far as our experience 
 has led us, we consider good rouge fully equal to 
 any other polishing material for the last or finish- 
 ing polishing ; consequently we shall not take up 
 our space in innumerating any of the great variety 
 that find but few advocates. 
 
 Why Rouge is to be Preferred. — " Because it 
 burnishes better, and because it assists in fixing 
 the layer of gold, rendering it less susceptible of 
 beinff removed in scales when heated too much.'' 
 
 Purchase the best ground 
 
 81. Rotten Stone 
 rotten stone of the druggist, put a few ounces at a 
 time in a wedgewood or porcelain mortar, with 
 plenty of clean rain water. This should have 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 69 
 
 about forty drops of nitric acid to the quart. Grind 
 well, and after letting the mortar stand two min- 
 utes, pour into a third. After remaining undis- 
 turbed eight minutes, finally pouf off into a fourth 
 to settle. Rinse back the sediment in the second 
 and third, and grind over with a new batch. Re- 
 peat the operation till you have all in the fourth 
 vessel. Let this stand several hours, and pour off 
 the water very carefully. Set the deposit in the 
 sun, or by a stove to dry. When perfectly dry, 
 pulverize, and it is ready for use. With a little 
 trouble you will obtain in this way a much better 
 article than *can generally be bought of dealers. 
 For the last washing, alcohol, or a mixture of al- 
 cohol and water, is preferable. 
 
 82. Potassa Solution. — The use of a solution 
 of potassa in the preparation of the plate was sug- 
 gested in the early history of the Daguerreotype. 
 It was thought to possess some peculiar property 
 for improving the tone of the impression. It is 
 used for moistening the rotten stone in polishing 
 the plate, and may be prepared by putting about 
 an ounce and a half of alcohol in a close bottle, 
 and add half a stick of caustic potash. This will 
 soon become of a deep red color. For use, fill 
 your small bottle, having a quill in the cork, with 
 alcohol, and add a few drops of the above, or 
 enough to change it to a bright orange or saffron 
 color. 
 
 Hyposulphite (38) Solution. — This solution is 
 
70 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS, 
 
 used for dissolving the chemical coating off the 
 plate. This is performed after the plate has 
 been exposed to the mercurial vapors. Care 
 should be observed not to make the solution too 
 strong. The proportion most commonly adopted 
 is 80 grains of hyposulphite of soda to one pint of 
 water. We refer to this more fully in another 
 place. 
 
 84. A Substitute for the Hyposulphite Solution. 
 — M. Daguerre recommends the use of a solution 
 of salt water for removing the coating off the 
 plate. We found this of some service at one 
 time during our travels. Our hyposulphite bottle 
 got broke and its contents lost, so as only to 
 leave enough for preparing gilding. We resorted 
 to the use of salt solution, and found it to answer 
 well. Make a saturated solution of salt in water. 
 First wash the plate with clear water ; then im- 
 merse it in the saline solution, when it should be 
 agitated, and the coating will soon disappear. 
 Another process with a salt solution of half the 
 strength of the above is very interesting and ef- 
 fectual. The plate having been dipped into cold 
 water, is placed in a solution of common salt, of 
 moderate strength ; it lies without being acted 
 upon at all ; but if it be now touched on one cor- 
 ner with a piece of zinc, which has been scraped 
 bright, the yellow coat of iodide moves off like a 
 wave and disappears. It is a very pretty process. 
 The zinc and silver forming together voltaic couple, 
 with the salt water intervening, oxydation of the 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 71 
 
 zinc takes place, and the silver surface commen- 
 ces to evolve hydrogen gas ; while this is in a 
 nascent condition it decomposes the film of iodide 
 of silver, giving rise to the production of hydrio- 
 die acid, which is very soluble in water, and hence 
 instantly removed. 
 
 This process, therefore, differs from that with 
 hyposulphite. The latter acts by dissolving the 
 iodide of silver, the former by decomposing it. It 
 is necessary not to leave the zinc in contact too 
 long, or it deposits stains, and in large plates 
 the contact should be made at the four corners 
 successively, to avoid this accident. 
 
 85. Gilding Solution. — To one pint of pure 
 rain or distilled water add fifteen grains of pure 
 chloride of gold, and to another pint add sixty 
 grains of hyposulphite of soda. When dissolved, 
 pour the gold solution into the hyposulphite by 
 small quantities, shaking well after each addition, 
 The soda solution must not be poured into the 
 gold, as the gold would be immediately decom- 
 posed, and the solution turns black, and is unfit 
 for use. 
 
 Some operators add muriate of potash and other 
 substances, but these do not possess any advan- 
 tage except in cases where it is necessary to bleach 
 the solarized portions of the impression, and when 
 such is the case, chloride of sodium (common 
 salt) is probably as effective and is the most con- 
 venient. Add about a teaspoonful to two ounces 
 of the gilding. 
 
72 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 86. Solution for Increasing the Brilliancy of 
 the Daguerreotype. — This solution will have the 
 effect to thoroughly cleanse the surface of the 
 gilded plate and excite a powerful influence on 
 the general character of the impression. To a 
 solution of 3 ounces of water, in which is dissolved 
 a quarter of an ounce of cyanide of potassium, 
 (§37) add one teaspoonful of a solution containing 
 6 ounces of water and half an ounce of each 
 pure carbonate of potash, alum, common salt, 
 gallic acid, sulphate of copper and purified borax. 
 While the plate is wet, pour on a little and heat 
 it with a powerful blaze. The effect will be 
 quickly produced, in from three to fifteen sec- 
 onds. Rinse and dry, as in the gilding. 
 
 87. Bleaching Solution. — Make a saturated 
 solution of muriate of ammonia (sal ammoniac) in 
 pure water, and filter through paper. Reduce 
 with an equal quantity of water when used. 
 When the linen or any other portion of the im- 
 pression is badly solarized, after removing the 
 coating rinse with water ; then pour this upon the 
 surface in the same manner as the gilding solu- 
 tion. If the solarization be very deep, apply the 
 lamp heneath and warm the plate a trifle. Now 
 pour off, and without rinsing, apply the gilding. 
 The whole operation must be quickly performed 
 or the chlorine soon attacks the shades of the pic- 
 ture. When properly done, however, the solar- 
 ized parts are restored to a clear, transparent 
 wdiite. 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 73 
 
 88. Electro, or Cold Gilding. — This process 
 we have adopted, and it produces exceedingly 
 beautiful impressions for the stereoscope, adding 
 a great charm to the pleasing effect of that instru- 
 ment. It also possesses a pretty and curious ef- 
 fect on views. It is easy of trial, and may be 
 used by dissolving one gramme of chloride of gold 
 in half a litre of ordinary water, and thirty 
 grammes of hyposulphite of soda in another half 
 litre of similar water ; then pour the solution of 
 chloride of gold into that of soda, by little and 
 little, agitating it exactly as in M. Fizeau's pre- 
 paration, of which there is but a variation. 
 
 When you wish to use it, pour some into a 
 plate or any other vessel of the same kind, suffi- 
 cient to cover the proof; then, after having ad- 
 ded lo it a drop of ammonia, immerse the plate 
 in it as soon as you take it out of the mercury- 
 box, after having wiped its back and edges, and 
 agitate the mixture quickly from right to left, so 
 as to dissolve rapidly the coating of iodide of sil- 
 ver as usual. As soon as the plate appears white, 
 cease all rapid motion, but continue to give it a 
 slight undulating one ; for if it were allowed to 
 remain still for only a few minutes, the proof 
 would be clouded. By little and little, the surface 
 of the plate takes a yellow tint, which darkens 
 more and more, approaching to bistre. You stop, 
 therefore, at the color you wish ; and when the 
 proof has been washed and dried, in the manner 
 previously explained, it will be found to be fixed, 
 without any stain, with a limpid surface, and an 
 4 
 
74 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 extraordinary warm tone. If you were to aug- 
 ment the proportions of the ammonia or chloride 
 of gold, the operation would progress much quick- 
 er, but then the middle of the proof would be al- 
 ways much clearer than towards the border. The 
 mixture may be used several times without being 
 renewed. It does not, however, give such a beau- 
 tiful color to the impression as when it is newly 
 prepared. By communicating to the vessel con- 
 taining the solution a continual motion, the im- 
 pression, when once immersed, will be fixed. 
 During that time, and while attending to anything 
 else, watch its color ; and at the end of ten min- 
 utes or a quarter of an hour, take it out of the 
 bath and dry it. 
 
 89. Agent for Destroying Bromine, Chlorine 
 and Iodine Vapors. — Aqua ammonia, sprinkled 
 about the chemical or coating room will soon neu- 
 tralize all the vapor in the atmosphere of either 
 chlorine, bromine or iodine. No operator should 
 be without, at least, a six-ounce bottle filled with 
 ammonia. A little of its vapor about the camera 
 box has a decided and happy effect, Burnt cof- 
 fee, pulverized, has also the property of destroy- 
 ing the vapors of the above chemicals, as also 
 almost any other agent employed about the Da- 
 guerreotype room. Its deodorizing properties 
 are such that if brought in contact with air filled 
 with the odor of decomposing meat, it will in- 
 stantly destroy all disagreeable smell. It can 
 easily be used in the Daguerreotype room by 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 75 
 
 placing a little of the raw bean, finely pulverized, 
 on an old plate, and roasting it over the spirit 
 lamp. 
 
 90. Buff Dryer. — There are various methods 
 for keeping buffs dry and free from dust. Some 
 place a sheet of iron against the wall at an angle 
 sufficient to put a lamp between it and the wall, 
 and then let the buff rest against the top of the 
 sheet. By this method the buff, is for its full 
 length close to the heated iron, and at the same 
 time exposed to the heated atmosphere and any 
 dust that may be free. We would recommend 
 some arrangement by which the buff would be 
 inclosed. We have found the following to answer 
 the purpose well, which is a box of sheet iron 
 twenty inches long, eight wide and five high, 
 with one end left open and the other closed ; the 
 cover is made of the same material, with the 
 edges bent over to go on and off. There are 
 several wires running through the center of the 
 sides, which it is necessary to- cover with cloth or* 
 paper to absorb all the moisture that may be made 
 by applying the heat, and the buffs are put in 
 . afnd taken out at the open end. In order that the 
 heat may be as nearly uniform as possible, an 
 iron bar one inch wide, eighteen inches long and 
 one half inch thick, is so bent that the center is 
 one quarter inch from the bottom of the box, and 
 that at least two inches of each end come in con- 
 tact with the bottom ; .this being riveted on the 
 bottom, and a lamp with a small blaze applied 
 
76 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 to the center of the bar of iron. This will con- 
 stitute one of the best and cheapest buff dryers in 
 use. It maybe suspended from the wall by plac- 
 ing wires around it, or it may stand upon legs. 
 Perhaps a more convenient plan is to place it 
 under the workbench in a similar position to a 
 drawer. One precaution is necessary : when first 
 heating the dryer, apply but a very gentle heat. 
 This will prevent an accumulation of moisture, 
 which would otherwise pass off in steam, coming 
 in contact with the buff, thus causing a dampness. 
 Another caution : never have the temperature of 
 the air in the heater more than ten degrees above 
 that which surrounds it. 
 
 When wheels are used, they should be encased 
 in a sheet iron or wood case. All those made 
 for our market are provided in this respect. 
 
 91. — Keeping Buffs in Order. — This is one of 
 the most important objects to arrest the attention 
 of the operator. Every buff is more or less liable 
 to get out of order by dust falling upon or coming 
 in contact with the polishing powder employed in 
 cleaning the plate. The edge of every plate 
 should be thoroughly wiped and freed from any 
 material that may adhere while cleaning. We 
 have adopted the following method, which proves 
 highly successful : 
 
 Rub the buff leather, holding the face down, 
 with the sharp edge of a pair of shears or a 
 piece of glass. This brings out any portion of 
 the skin which may have become matted from any 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 77 
 
 moisture, and also takes out any substance im- 
 bedded in it, and prevents it from scratching. 
 Then, with a stiff brush, rub the buff well, and 
 it will be found to work well. This same process 
 employ on wheels and hand buffs every morning, 
 or oftener, as occasion requires. 
 
 92. Preparing Buffs. — Two of these are neces- 
 sary. That part of the stick to be covered should 
 be about eighteen or twenty inches long, and 
 three wide, and made crowning on the face from 
 one end to the other, about one-half inch. Be- 
 fore covering, these are to be padded with two or 
 three thicknesses of Canton flannel. The buff 
 should not be too hard, but padded with flannel, 
 so that by drawing it over the plate, it may touch 
 across the surface. The only proper material for 
 buffs is prepared buckskin ; and if prepared in a 
 proper manner, this needs nothing but to be tacked 
 upon the stick. There are several varieties of 
 wheels employed, the one most generally adopted 
 in Lewis' Patent, which consists of several vari- 
 eties of shaped wheels. Any operator can make 
 a suitable wheel on the same plan of a turning 
 lathe. 
 
 93. To Clean Buckskins. — When the operator 
 is compelled to purchase an unprepared buckskin, 
 the following is a good process for cleaning it : 
 There is always in the buckskin leather that is 
 purchased, more or less of an oily matter, which 
 is acquired in its preparation, sometimes even 
 
76 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 amounting to a third of its weight. The follow- 
 ing is the mode of riddirig it of this noxious ingre- 
 dient : Dissolve, in about six or seven quarts of 
 filtered water, about five ounces of potash ; when 
 dissolved, wash with the solution an ordinary- 
 buckskin ; when it has been well stirred in 
 the liquid the water becomes very soapy, owing 
 to the combination of the potash with the oily 
 matters contained in the skin. Throw away this 
 solution and use some fresh water without potash, 
 and rather tepid ; change it several times until it 
 remains quite limpid. Then gently stretch the 
 skin to dry in an airy shaded place. When thor- 
 oughly dried, rub it well between the hands. It 
 thus becomes very pliant and velvet-like. 
 
 94. Reflectorsfor Taking Views. — There has 
 been an excellent camera introduced by Mr. Har- 
 rison for taking views, but the time of exposure, 
 which is increased in proportion to the focal length, 
 is considered an objection ; consequently many 
 adhere to the old plan of using the speculum, or, 
 ' rather, substitute a mirror. We now have one 
 we have used for several years, and find it equal 
 to any article of the kind we have ever tried. 
 One is easily made by a. tinman, at a trifling ex- 
 pense. Procure a piece of best plate looking- 
 glass, two and a half by five inches for a quarter, 
 or four by eight for a half-sized camera ; put a 
 piece of pasteboard of the same size on the back, 
 to protect the silvering, and stick around the 
 edge in the same manner as in putting up a pic- 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 79 
 
 tare. Take a sheet of tin for the large size, or a 
 half sheet for the other ; place the glass cross 
 wise in the center ; bend the ends of the tin over 
 the edge of the glass and turn them back so as to 
 form a groove to hold the glass, and still allow it 
 to slide out and in. These ends of the tin must 
 be turned out flaring, that they may not reflect in 
 the glass. 
 
 Have a tin band about an inch wide made to fit 
 close on the end of the camera tube ; place it on, 
 and taking the tin containing the glass, bring it 
 to an angle of forty-five degrees with the tube, 
 extending nearly the whole length of the glass in 
 front of the lenses ; lap the loose ends of the tin 
 on each side of the tin rim, and having your ca- 
 mera turned on the side to throw the view length- 
 wise, arrange the exact angle by examining the 
 image on the ground -glass. When you have it 
 exactly right, hold it while it is soldered fast to 
 the band. Take out your glass and stain the tin 
 black, to prevent reflection. 
 
 There has recently been introduced a new arti- 
 cle, called by the inventor " Catham's Metalic 
 Reflectors." They consist of a very simple ar- 
 rangement, and are entitled to some consider- 
 ation. 
 
PROCESS FOR PRODUCING DAGUERREOTYPE. 
 
 95. Polishing the Daguerreotype Plate. — We 
 shall endeavor to present to the reader the process 
 we have found productive of good and satisfactory 
 results, presenting the same in a clear and concise 
 manner, so that any one may, by following us 
 through the various manipulations, be enabled to 
 succeed. If there is any one part of the process 
 in Daguerreotype in which operators fail more than 
 all others, it is in not properly preparing the plate. 
 It has truly been said that it would take a volume 
 to describe all the methods that have been sug- 
 gested for polishing the plate. 
 
 We shall confine ourselves to the following de- 
 scription, which has been successfully practised, 
 also most generally adopted by our operators-, and 
 we believe equal, if not superior, to any other 
 method, yet at the same time it is not of so much 
 importance what particular method is employed, 
 so that it be thoroughly and skilfully carried out. 
 
 There is a general tendency with beginners to 
 slight this operation ; hence the necessity of adopt- 
 ing a method w T hich precludes the possibility of 
 doing so. During many years study and practice 
 in the art, we have tried numerous methods and 
 substances for the better accomplishment of the 
 end in view, and have finally settled upon the fol- 
 lowing, as being (so far as our experience allows 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 81 
 
 us to judge) the modus operandi best suited to 
 all circumstances ; under no condition would we 
 approve of a method less rigorous or precise. 
 
 The operator being provided with a bottle of 
 finely prepared rotten stone, cover the mouth of 
 the bottle with a piece of thick paper, this perfo- 
 rated with a pin so that the rotten stone can be 
 dusted on the plate. Fasten the plate on the 
 holder,* take .the rotten stone, (Becker's canal- 
 ways be depended upon,) and dust on lightly un- 
 til the surface is freely covered, now drop on the 
 plate's surface a few drops of an alchoholic solu- 
 tion.! 
 
 Take a patch of Canton flannel ; in order to 
 prevent the moisture from the hand it should have 
 a thick, firm texture ; with this rub the plate in 
 circles across, then back, covering one-half of the 
 former row of circles in each crossing until you 
 have gone over the plate and back to the point of 
 beginning, occupying at least half a minute in the 
 operation, for a small plate, and so in proportion 
 for the other sizes. 
 
 * There are many kinds of holders in use. Peck's pat- 
 ent is very well liked by the operators. We have recent- 
 ly seen a very economical and good holder invented by 
 Mr. Black of Boston. 
 
 f This solution is composed of equal parts of alcohol 
 and water, for the summer, and in winter three parts al- 
 cohol t& one of water ; a few drops of potassa solution, 
 ^82, may be added, and is known to have a decided ef- 
 fect upon the plate. 
 4* 
 
82 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 Care should be observed to keep the patch wet 
 with the alcoholic solution forming a paste on the 
 surface of the plate, the motion of the hand should 
 be brisk and free, not hurried, and the pressure 
 about equal to that of a pound weight. When the 
 cotton is disposed to adhere to the plate, and slip 
 from under the finger, spread the fore and middle 
 fingers a little apart, then pressing down, bring 
 them together in such a manner as to form a fold 
 in the cloth between them, by which means you 
 will hold it perfectly secure. 
 
 Avoid wetting the fingers, and should they per- 
 spire, wipe them often, as the moisture penetrating 
 the cotton and coming in contact with the plate, 
 would cause streaks, it would be difficult to re- 
 move. We will here remark that many operators 
 use much more cotton flannel than there is need 
 of. We have found in our experience that a sin- 
 gle patch about one and a half inch square will 
 be better for cleaning a number of plates, than a 
 new piece for every plate. This is the case for 
 the wet, . and for the dry rubbing two or three 
 pieces will be found to answer. Thus with four 
 or five cloths a dozen plates may be prepared. 
 
 Some operators use prepared cotton and think 
 it more convenient than the flannel. This may 
 be had prepared free from seeds and in a very per- 
 fect state if wished. 
 
 In going over the plate and back, great care 
 should be observed in touching its surface as equal- 
 ly as possible. The greatest care should be taken 
 neither to touch the plate with the fingers, nor 
 
DAGUEERROTYPE PROCESS. 83 
 
 that part of the cotton flannel which is to come in 
 contact with its surface ; take a clean piece of 
 flannel by one corner, snap it smartly to free it 
 from dust and loose fibres, lay it face-side upward, 
 dust on a little fine rotton stone, with this polish 
 around, or across, or in circles, lightly and briskly, 
 passing gradually over the whole surface of the 
 plate, as was done before with the wet. The 
 plate should now exhibit a bright, clear, uniform 
 surface, with a strong metalic lustre, perfectly 
 free from any appearance of film ; if not, the last 
 polishing should be continued until the effect is 
 obtained, and when once obtained the plate is 
 ready for buffing. 
 
 96. Buffing the Plate. — There are a variety of 
 ways and means employed in this part of the ope- 
 ration. Some choose wheels, and others prefer 
 the ordinary hand-buff. We have been unable to 
 detect any peculiar advantage in the use of the 
 wheel except in the facility of the operation ; no 
 doubt, however, but there is a saving of time, 
 particularly in the preparation of the larger plates. 
 For general use, we have not seen a wheel bet- 
 ter adapted for this purpose than the one patented 
 by Messrs. Lewis, §92. 
 
 It is generally well to use a hand-buff* before 
 placing the plate on the wheel ; this is in order to 
 prevent, as far as possible, the dust or other sub- 
 stance that may be on the surface of the plate. 
 We will here follow out the use of the hand-buffs 
 (two are necessary) as they are mostly used. 
 
84 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 In the morning, before using the buffs, brush 
 both as clean as possible, in order to free them 
 from dust ; then with the blade of shears, held 
 perpendicular, rub the buffs from end to end ; then 
 knock them both together in order to free them 
 from all dust or other substances, occasionally 
 exposing them in the sun or to the fire. §91. 
 
 With one of the buffs, (reserving the finest and 
 softest for the last operation,) powder its face with 
 fine rouge arid brush off slightly, leaving only the 
 finest particles in it. Every operator should 
 have two plate-holders ; one for cleaning and one 
 for buffing the plate ; for using only one, the rot- 
 ten stone is liable to get on the buff and scratch 
 the plate. 
 
 Rest the finders of the left hand on the back of 
 the buff, near the farther end, with about the same 
 pressure as in cleaning, while with the right you 
 bear on the handle to correspond, and give the 
 buff a free, easy, horizontal motion, passing it 
 very nearly the whole length over the plate each 
 time. Continue this operation in such a manner 
 that the plate will on all parts of its surface have 
 received an equal amount of polish. This buff 
 once well filled with polish, add but little after, 
 say a small quantity once in two or three plates. 
 The polish as well as the buffs must be kept per- 
 fectly dry. 
 
 The second buff should always be in the best 
 order, and if this is the case, but little polish after 
 the first need be used. Much depends upon the 
 last finish of the surface of the plate, and as a fine 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 85 
 
 impression is desired in the same ratio, the opera- 
 tor must exercise care and skill in this operation. 
 
 Some buff the smaller plates on the hands, by 
 resting them on the fingers in such a manner that 
 the buff cannot touch them ; some by holding the 
 edges with the thumb and little finger, with the 
 remaining fingers under, or on the back ; and 
 others buff on the holder. When this last method 
 is adopted, it requires the greatest caution to pre- 
 vent the dust from getting on the buff. The holder 
 should be wiped clean. 
 
 The plate frequently slips off or around, and 
 the buff comes in contact with the bed of the 
 holder. When, however, the operator is so un- 
 fortunate as to meet with this mishap, the utmost 
 care must be observed in thoroughly cleaning the 
 buff cover before further buffing. 
 
 In this last buffing it may be continued as be- 
 fore, except without the application of polish pow- 
 der to the last buff. Examine the surface occa- 
 sionally, and buff more lightly towards the close 
 of the operation, using at last the mere weight of 
 the buff. This last buffing should occupy as long 
 time as* the first. 
 
 The point to be aimed at, is, the production of 
 a surface of such exquisite polish as to be itself 
 invisible, like the surface of a mirror. The secret 
 of producing pictures discernible in any light, lies 
 in this : the more dark, deep and mirror-like the 
 surface of the plate, the more nearly do we ap- 
 proach to perfection. 
 
 In all cases, very light and long-continued buff 
 
86 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 ing is productive of the greater success, since by 
 that means a mdre perfect polish can be obtained. 
 
 The question is often asked, why is it that the 
 plates receive the coating so unevenly ? We will 
 answer by saying that it may arise from two 
 causes : the first and most general cause is that 
 those parts of the plates' surface which receive 
 the heaviest coating have been more thoroughly 
 polished, and the consequence is that it is more 
 sensitive to the chemical operation. Second, and 
 might perhaps be considered a part of the first, 
 the heat of the plate may not be equal in all its 
 parts ; this may arise from the heat caused by the 
 friction in buffing. It is a well-known fact, with 
 which every observing practitioner is familiar, 
 that a silver plate at a temperature of 45° or 
 less, exposed to the vapors of iodine, is less sen- 
 sitive and takes a longer time to coat, than when 
 it is at a temperature of 60° or more. 
 
 Whenever a view is to be taken, or any im- 
 pression which requires the plate to be turned on 
 the side, it should be buffed in the other direction, 
 so that the marks will always be horizontal, when 
 the picture is in position. With the finest possi- 
 ble polish, the plate is ready for the coating-box. 
 
 The question is often asked by operators, 
 What is the state of the plate when polished and 
 allowed to stand for a time before using? To 
 meet this point we have only to consider the sil- 
 ver and the power acting upon it. Pure atmos- 
 phere does not act upon silver ; but we do not 
 have this about our operating rooms, as it is 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 87 
 
 more or less charged with sulphurated hydrogen, 
 which soon tarnishes the surface of the plate with 
 a film of brown sulphurate. It is this that some- 
 times causes the black specks which appear on 
 finishing the impression, and are a great annoy- 
 ance. Hence we see that the plate should be 
 buffed just before receiving the vapor of iodine. 
 Mr. Hunt gives his opinion of the use of diluted 
 nitric acid as the best solution for freeing the sur- 
 face of the plate ; he says : 
 
 " Numerous experiments on plated copper, pure 
 silver plates, and on silvered glass and paper 
 have convinced me that the first operation of pol- 
 ishing with nitric acid, &c, is essential to the pro- 
 duction of the most sensitive surface. All who 
 will take the trouble to examine the subject will 
 soon be convinced that the acid softens the silver, 
 bringing it to a state in which it is extremely sus- 
 cept'ble of being either oxydized or iodized, ac- 
 cording as the circumstances may occur of its 
 exposure to the atmosphere or the iodine." 
 
 We cannot see the objection to this solution ; it 
 is not, however, in general use. Our operators 
 do not find it of sufficient importance to the suc- 
 cess of their pictures to accept it, the alcoholic 
 solution being in its nature less objectionable. 
 
 We will say here, that a plate submitted to only 
 an ordinary polish is found to contain numberless 
 minute particles of the powder made use of. 
 Should the same plate be buffed for a long time, 
 the polish will nearly all disappear, leaving the 
 cavities in the surface free for the action of agents 
 
88 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 employed in subsequent operation. For this rea- 
 son we find that a great amount of polishing pow- 
 der should not be applied to the last buff, and it 
 is obvious that three buffs can be employed to ad- 
 vantage ; the two last should not receive any pol- 
 ishing materials. We have examined a plate 
 that was considered to possess a fine finish, and 
 similar had produced good impressions ; these 
 same plates, when subjected to a long and light 
 buffing, would present a surface no finer in ap- 
 pearance to the naked eye ; but upon exposure to 
 the solar radiation, would produce a well-defined 
 image in one fourth less time than the plate with- 
 out the extra buffing. 
 
 97. Coating the Plate. — For this purpose our 
 mechanics and artists have provided a simple op- 
 eration called a coating-box, which is so arranged 
 as to be perfectly tight, retaining the vapor of the 
 iodine or accelerators, and at the same time al- 
 lowing by means of a slide, the exposure of the 
 plate to these vapors. They can readily be ob- 
 tained by application to any operator, all of whom 
 can furnish them. 
 
 The principal difficulty in coating the plate, is 
 that of preserving the exact proportion between 
 the quantity of iodine and bromine, or quick. It 
 is here necessary to say, that hardly any two per- 
 sons see alike the same degree of color, so as to 
 be enabled to judge correctly the exact tint, i. e. 
 what one might describe as light rose red, might 
 appear to another as bright or cherry red ; conse- 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 89 
 
 quently, the only rule for the student in Daguer- 
 reotype, is to study what appears to him to be the 
 particular tint or shade required to aid him to pro- 
 duce the desired result. Practice has proved that 
 but a slight variation in the chemical coating of 
 the Daguerreotype plate will very materially af- 
 fect the final result. 
 
 The operator will proportion the coating of io- 
 dine and bromine or accelerators according to 
 the strength and composition of the latter. 
 
 Experience proves that the common impression 
 iodized to a rather light yellow gold tint, and 
 brought by the bromine to a very light rose color, 
 have their /whites very intense, and their deep 
 shades very black. It is also knowm that if you 
 employ a thicker coating of iodine, and apply up- 
 on it a proportionate tint of bromine, so as to ob- 
 tain a deep rose tint, the oppositions will be less 
 marked, and the image have a softer tone. This 
 effect has been obvious to every one who has 
 practised the art. Thus we observe that the light 
 coatings produce strong contrast of light and 
 shade, and that this contrast grows gradually less, 
 until in the very heavy coatings it almost wholly 
 disappears. From this it will readily be perceived 
 that the middle shades are the ones to be desired 
 for representing the harmonious blending of the 
 lights and shades. 
 
 Then, if we examine with respect to strength, 
 or depth of tone, and sharpness of impression, we 
 see that the light coating produces a very sharp, 
 but shallow impression ; while the other extreme 
 
90 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 gives a deep, but very dull one. Here, then, are 
 still better reasons for avoiding either extreme. 
 The changes through which the plate passes in 
 coating may be considered a. yellow straw color or 
 dark orange yellow, a rose color more or less dark 
 in tint, or red violet, steel blue or indigo, and last- 
 ly green. After attaining this last named color, 
 the plate resumes a light yellow tint, and contin- 
 ues to pass successively a second time, with very 
 few exceptions, through all the shades above men- 
 tioned. 
 
 We will here present some excellent remarks 
 upon this subject by Mr. Finley. This gentleman 
 says : — 
 
 " It is well known to all who have given much 
 attention to the subject, that an excess of iodine 
 gives the light portions of objects with peculiar 
 strength and clearness, while the darker parts are 
 retarded, as it were, and not brought out by that 
 length of exposure which suffices for the former. 
 Hence statuary, monuments, and all objects of 
 like character, were remarkably well delineated 
 by the original process of Dagucrre ; the plate be- 
 ing coated with iodine alone. An excess of bro- 
 mine to a certain degree, has the opposite effect ; 
 the white portions of the impression appearing of 
 a dull, leaden hue, while those which should be 
 black, or dark, appear quite light. This being 
 the case, I conclude there must be a point be- 
 tween the two extremes, where light and dark ob- 
 jects will be in photogenic equilibrium. The great 
 object, therefore, is to maintain, as nearly as pos- 
 
DAGtlUrUlKUTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 sible, a perfect balance between the two elements 
 entering into union to form the sensitive coating- of 
 the plate, in order that the lights and shades be 
 truly and faithfully represented, and that all ob- 
 jects, whether light or dark, be made to appear so 
 far conformable to nature, as is consistent with the 
 difference in the photogenic energy of the differ- 
 ent colored rays of light. It is this nicely bal- 
 anced combination which insures, in the highest 
 degree, a union of the essential qualities of a fine 
 Daguerreotype, viz., clearness and strength, with 
 softness and purity of tone. 
 
 " So far as I know, it is the universal practice 
 of operators to judge of the proportion of iodine 
 and bromine in coating the plate, by two stand- 
 ards of color, the one fixed upon for the iodine, 
 the other for the additional coating of bromine. 
 Now I maintain that these alone form a very fal- 
 lacious standard. First, because the color appears 
 to the eye either lighter or darker, according as 
 there is more or less light by which we inspect 
 the coating ; and secondly, because if it occur 
 that we are deceived in obtaining the exact tint 
 for the first coating, we are worse misled in ob- 
 taining the second, for if the iodine coating be too 
 light, then an undue proportion of bromine is 
 used in order to bring it to the second standard, 
 and vice versa." 
 
 The iodine box should be kept clean and dry. 
 The plate immediately after the last huffing, 
 should be placed over the iodine, and the coating 
 will depend upon the character of the tone of the 
 
92 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 impression desired. Coating over dry iodine to an 
 orange color, then over the accelerator, §59, to a 
 light rose, and back over iodine one sixth as long 
 as first coating, will produce a fine, soft tone, and 
 is the coating generally used for most accelera- 
 tors. The plate iodized to a dark orange yellow, 
 or tinged slightly with incipient rose color, coated 
 over the accelerator to a deep rose red, then back 
 over iodine one-tenth as long as at first coating, 
 gives a clear, strong, bold, deep impression. 
 
 We will here state a singular fact, which is not 
 generally known to the operator. If a plate, 
 coated over the iodine to a rose red, and then ex- 
 posed to strong dry quick or weak bromine water, 
 so that a change of color can be seen, then re- 
 coated over the iodine twice as long as at first 
 coating, it will be found far more sensitive when 
 exposed to the light than when it has been re- 
 coated over the iodine one-fourth of the time of 
 the first coating. 
 
 Probably the best accelerating combination is 
 "Gumey's American compound," §59, or some of 
 the combinations of bromide of lime. We have 
 found the first to possess perhaps more uniformity 
 in its action than any other combination we have 
 ever used. 
 
 The plate once coated should be kept excluded 
 from the light by means of the plate holder for 
 the camera box. 
 
 W T e will notice one of the principal causes hav- 
 ing a tendency to prevent the perfect uniformity 
 of chemical action between the iodine and silver ; 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 93 
 
 hydrogen, or the moisture in the atmosphere, 
 makes a very perceptible barrier. This moisture 
 may arise as the result of the cold, from a want 
 of friction in the buffing of the plate, which, com- 
 ing in contact with the warmer air, as a writer 
 on this subject says : " It is well known that as 
 often as bodies, when cold, are exposed to a warmer 
 air, the humidity contained in them is condensed. 
 It is to this effect that we must attribute the diffi- 
 culty experienced in operating in most cases." 
 This is corroborated by the results experienced 
 by our operators. So it is seen that the plate 
 should be of a temperature above that of the at- 
 mosphere. Mr. Gurney submits his plates to a 
 gentle heat from a spirit lamp just before expos- 
 ing them to the vapor of iodine. Our experience 
 has convinced us that a plate heated to about 
 80° before being exposed to iodine will present a 
 far better defined image than a plate at a temper- 
 ature of 50 ° . We account for this by noticing 
 that, at the higher temperature, the plate throws 
 off any larger crystals that might otherwise be 
 deposited, receiving only the finer, thus producing 
 a more perfect chemical combination of iodide of 
 silver. We would call the attention of the opera- 
 tor to this point, as presenting something of in- 
 terest, and may direct in a way of accelerating 
 the future operations. 
 
 That the presence of a film of moisture over 
 the plate is a preventative of a uniform chemical 
 action, may be readily understood from the fact 
 that iodine is almost insoluble in water, requiring 
 
94 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 seven thousand parts of water to dissolve one of 
 iodine, or one grain to a gallon of water. Yet 
 its affinities for silver and other substances are 
 so powerful as to prevent its existing in an insu- 
 lated state, hence we can account for the frequent 
 occurrence of a plate presenting parts of an im- 
 age over its surface. It is quite evident that 
 those parts of the plate's surface covered with 
 moisture are nothing like as sensitive to the io- 
 dine as those parts perfectly free. 
 
 98. Exposure of the plate in the Camera, and 
 Position. — The time of exposure necessary to pro- 
 duce an image upon the Daguerreotype plate, can 
 only be determined by experiment, and requires a 
 liberality of judgment to be exercised on the part 
 of the operator. The constant variation of the 
 light renders it impossible to lay down any exact 
 rule upon this point. Light is not alone to be 
 considered, the amount of coating exercises a de- 
 viating influence, also the subjects to be represen- 
 ted are not equally photogenic, some requiring 
 much longer time of exposure than others. This 
 may be easily observed by exposing the plate at 
 the same time to a plaster bust and a piece of 
 black velvet, the first being a much stronger re- 
 flector of light than the latter : the time necessa- 
 ry to produce a well developed image of the vel- 
 vet being about six times longer than that required 
 to produce an equally defined image of plaster. 
 The manner of judging correctly of the time is 
 by the appearance of the impression after it has 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 95 
 
 been developed by the mercurial vapors. Should 
 it present a deep blue or black,- appearance it is 
 solarized or over-timed. This sometimes is to an 
 extent, that a perfect negative is formed, the 
 white being represented black, and the dark light. 
 An object requiring the particular care and at- 
 tention of the operator is the proper focus. It is 
 not unfrequently the complaint of sitters that 
 their hands are represented as being magnified 
 and greatly out of proportion with the general fig- 
 ure. This "the case also with the nose and eyes, 
 but in a less degree. As this cannot be wholly 
 remedied, it is desirous to come as near as possi- 
 ble, and in order to do tins, it is necessary to pre- 
 sent the figure in such a position as to bring it as 
 nearly as posible upon the same plane, by making 
 all parts nearly at equal distance from the lenses. 
 This must be done by the sitter inclining the 
 head and bust formed to a natural, easy position, 
 and placing the hands closely to the body, thus 
 preserving a proper proportion, and giving a lively 
 familiarity to the general impression. It is not an 
 uncommon fault among our less experienced ope- 
 rators to give a front view of the face of nearly 
 every individual regardless of any particular form, 
 and this is often insisted upon by the sitter,* who 
 
 * We might here picture some curious scenes experi- 
 enced by our operators. Every one is familiar with a 
 certain class of our community whose ideas of the im- 
 portance of a free and easy position of the body are too 
 closely confined with stays, attention to toilet, tightly fit- 
 ting dress coats and the like, to admit of being represented 
 
96 
 
 DAGEURREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 seems to think the truth of the picture exists prin- 
 cipally in the eyes staring the beholder full in the 
 face. 
 
 Nothing, in many instances, can be more out 
 of place in a Daguerreotype portrait than this, for 
 let a man with a thin, long, defeated-politician- 
 face, be represented by a directly front view, we 
 have, to all appearances, increased the width of 
 the face to such an extent as to reveal it flat and 
 broad, losing the characteristic point by which it 
 would be the most readily recognized. The me- 
 thod we should adopt in taking the likeness of 
 such an individual as above, would be to turn the 
 face from the camera, so as to present the end of 
 the nose and the prominence of the cheek bone 
 equally distant from the lenses, and then focussing 
 on the corner of the eye towards the nose, we can- 
 not in many cases, fail to produce an image with 
 the lips, chin, hair, eyes and forehead in the mi- 
 nutest possible definition. 
 
 It should be the study of every operator to notice 
 the effect of the lights and shades while arrang- 
 ing the sitter, and at the same time be very par- 
 ticular to give ease in the position. 
 
 No matter how successful the chemical effect 
 may have been, should the image appear stiff and 
 
 as if nature had endowed them with the power of flexi- 
 bility. To such we would suggest the following, to be 
 well learned and retained in the mind while presenting 
 themselves before the Daguerreotype camera : 
 
 " The experience of one who has o!tcn been Daguerreo- 
 typed, is, to let the operator have his own way." 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 97 
 
 monument-like, all is lost. " In the master-piece, 
 grace and elegance must be combined." 
 
 We will here use the words of. another, which 
 are very true : 
 
 " So great is the difference in many faces, when 
 inspected in opposite directions, that one of the 
 two views, however accurately taken, would not 
 communicate the likeness — it not being the usu- 
 ally observed characteristic form. When the 
 right view of the head is obtained, it is first nec- 
 essary to consider the size of the plate it is to be 
 taken on so as to form an idea of the proportion 
 the head ' should bear to it. The mind must ar- 
 range these points before we commence, or we 
 shall find everything too large or too small for the 
 happy proportion of the picture, and the convey- 
 ing of a just notion of the stature. The work 
 will have to be done over, and time sacrificed, if 
 this is not attended to. The adjustment of the 
 head to the size of the plate (as seen from the 
 margin of the mat), is not to be taught : every 
 one must bring himself, by scrutinizing practice, 
 to mathematical accuracy ; for something will be 
 discovered in every face which can be surmounted 
 only by experience. 
 
 " The eye nearest the camera, in a three-quar- 
 ter-face, is placed in the middle of the breadth of 
 the plate ; the chin, in a person of middle stature, 
 in the middle of the length, and higher according 
 to the proportional height of the person." 
 
 In regard to the proper elevation of the came- 
 ra, we would here state that we have found it best 
 5 
 
98 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 in taking portraits where the hands are introduced, 
 to place the camera at about equal height with 
 the eyes of the sitter, in order to bring the face 
 and hands equi-distant from the .tube. It will be 
 found, if the above be followed, that by attaching 
 a string to the camera tube, and making a semi- 
 circle, that the face and hands of the sitter will 
 occupy a corresponding distance, and the conse- 
 quence is that the impression will appear without 
 the hands being magnified. 
 
 We have found that a person with a freckly 
 face can have as fine, fair, and clear an impres- 
 sion as the most perfect complexion : this may be 
 done by the subject rubbing the face until it is 
 very red. The effect is to lessen the contrast, 
 and the photogenic intensity of the red and yel- 
 low being nearly the same, an impression can be 
 produced perfectly clear. 
 
 When a child is to be taken, and there are 
 doubts of its keeping still, the operation may be 
 accelerated by placing it nearer the window, 
 bringing the screen nearer, and placing a white 
 muslin cloth over the head ; this will enable you 
 to work in one third of the usual time. Should 
 the person move, or the plate become exposed to 
 the light, it may be restored to its original sensi- 
 tiveness by placing it over the quick, one or two 
 seconds. 
 
 99. Developing the Daguerreotype. — After the 
 plate has been submitted to the operation of the 
 light, the image is still invisible. It requires to be 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 99 
 
 exposed to the vapors of heated mercury. It is not 
 absolutely necessary to apply artificial heat to the 
 mercury to develop the image, for we have pro- 
 duced fair proofs by placing a plate over the bath 
 at the 'ordinary temperature of the atmosphere. 
 This plan, however, requires a long time and can- 
 not be adopted in practice, even if it were advi- 
 sable. The time more usually required in develop- 
 ing the image over the mercural vapors, is about 
 two minutes, and the temperature is raised to a 
 point necessary to produce the desired effect in that 
 time. This point varies as indicated by different 
 scales, but for the ordinary scales it is not far 
 from 90° cen. 
 
 The mercury bath is accompanied with a cen- 
 tergrade thermometer, by which we regulate the 
 heat. Those furnished by the manufacturers 
 are not always correct, and it requires some expe- 
 rience to find the proper degree on the scale. 
 
 We would here remark that it is advisable 
 when placing the spirit lamp under the bath to so 
 arrange it that the position of applied heat should 
 always be upon the same point : viz., should the 
 heat be directly under the bulb containing the 
 thermometer it would raise the mercury in the 
 tube to the point marked, and the temperature of 
 that in the bath, would be far below what it should, 
 be, hence it is (where time is followed for develop- 
 ing) that many failures occur. This is observed 
 more readily in large baths made of thick iron, 
 particularly upon first heating. We in practice apply 
 the heat as nearly as possible between the centre 
 
100 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 of the bottom of the bath and the bulb containing - 
 the mercury tube. It is advisable to keep the 
 lamp lighted under the bath from the time of 
 coming in the morning to the close of business at 
 night. By this means we have a uniformity of 
 action, that cannot be otherwise obtained. 
 
 It is well known to the experienced Daguerreo- 
 typist, that different atmosphere, has a decided 
 effect upon the mercury in developing the Da- 
 guerreotype. It will require a greater degree of 
 heat for one atmosphere than for another. Ex- 
 perience alone determines this little difference. 
 
 In summer, on cloudy and stormy days, mercu- 
 rial vapors rise more readily and quickly than in 
 the temperature of autumn or winter. From 60 
 degrees upwards towards the boiling point, (660°) 
 the vapors of mercury rise in greater abundance 
 and collect in larger globules on cold surfaces. 
 
 For various reasons, we prefer a high tempera- 
 ture and short exposure. It accelerates the pro- 
 cess. It renders the lights of the picture more 
 strong and clear, while the deep shades are more 
 intense. It gives a finer lustre to the drapery. 
 The solarized portions also are very seldom blue, 
 especially after gilding. If heated too high, how- 
 ever, the light parts become of a dead, chalky 
 white, and the shadows are injured , by numerous 
 little globules of mercury, deposited over them. 
 Just the right quantity of mercury leaves the im- 
 pression of a transparent, pearly white tone, which 
 improves in the highest degree in gilding. To 
 merculiarize with exactness is a nice doint. If 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 101 
 
 there is reason to suspect having timed rather 
 short. in the camera, reduce the time over mer- 
 cury in a corresponding proportion. A dark im- 
 pression will be ruined by the quantity of mercury 
 which would only improve a light one. 
 
 If practicable, it is most expedient that the 
 plate be submitted to the action of mercury imme- 
 diately on coming from the camera. We frequently, 
 however, carry plates for miles in the plate-hol- 
 ders, and after exposing in the camera, bring them 
 back to expose to mercury, and obtain fair proofs ; 
 but for the reason before given, it is advisable to 
 carry along the bath, and bring out the impression 
 on the spot. 
 
 It is sometimes the practice of inexperienced 
 operators to take the plate off the bath and exa- 
 mine the impression by solar light. This plan 
 should be abandoned, as it is almost sure to pro- 
 duce a dense blue film over the shadows. This 
 we are led to believe is occasioned by the action 
 of light on the yet sensitive portions of the plate, 
 and made to appear only by subsequent exposure 
 to mercury, being equivalent to solarization. 
 
 There has been little said by our professors 
 upon the subject of the position of the plates while 
 exposed to the mercurial vapor. M. Hunt in refer- 
 ring to this subject, says : — Daguerre himself laid 
 much stess upon the necessity of exposing the plate 
 to the mercury at an angle of about 45 • . This, per- 
 haps, is the most convenient position as it enables 
 the operator to view the plate distinctly, and watch 
 the development of the design ; but beyond this, 
 
102 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 I am satisfied there exists no real necessity for 
 angular position. Both horizontally and vertical- 
 ly, I have often produced equally effective Da- 
 guerreotypes." We presume from the last sen- 
 tence of Mr. Hunt, that he has confined his 
 experiments to the smaller sized plates. Hence 
 he may not have thought of the effect of the ver- 
 tical exposure of a large plate, 
 
 In America this is a subject of no little impor- 
 tance. When an impression is to be developed 
 upon a plate fifteen by seventeen inches, were we 
 to use an angle of about 45 ° , it would be found to 
 make, a perceptible difference in the appearance 
 of the image. By examining the wood tops of 
 our baths as formerly made, it will be found that 
 there is a great variation in the distance from the 
 mercury to the different portions of the plate. By 
 measurement of one of these tops for the size 
 plate above mentioned, we find the distance to the 
 nearest point between the mercury and the plate, 
 to be thirteen, the middle point sixteen, and the 
 fartherest point twenty-one and a half inches : by 
 this we see that one point of the plate is eight and 
 a half inches farther from the mercury than the 
 nearest point, even this is not the variation that 
 would necessarily be, were we to adopt the angle 
 of 54° as urged by Daguerre. 
 
 Among our principal professors the bevel top 
 will not be found in use where the large plates are 
 used. Should any one feel desirous to test more 
 minutely the effect produced by a bevel top bath, 
 we would suggest to them to place a frame, so 
 

 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 1Q2 
 
 constructed as to hold three sixth size plates, anc 1 
 fit it to the top of a large bath, and so arrange it 
 with openings that the plates may be placed, oiu 
 at the nearest point to the mercury, the secont 
 midway, and the third to the greatest distance, 
 and by placing the plates over at one and th( 
 same time, the experimenter will be enabled to 
 judge if there exists a difference in the develop- 
 ing. We, in speaking of the above, refer to baths, 
 of the ordinary heights used by operators. 
 
 We will now proceed to examine the effect 
 produced by mercurial vapor upon the plate at 
 different lengths of exposure. In some investiga- 
 tions by us upon the appearance of the Daguer- 
 reotype impressions when developed over mercu- 
 ry at 90° C. (184° F.), the following was the re- 
 sult. Plates coated and exposed to light in our 
 usual manner of operating produced on exposure of 
 
 1-2 minute, whole impression deep blue. 
 
 1 minute, ashy and flat ; no shadows, linen 
 deep blue. 
 
 1 1-2 minute, coarse and spongy ; — shadows 
 muddy — drapery dirty reddish brown. 
 
 2 minutes, shallow or watery ; shadows yellow- 
 ish — drapery brown. 
 
 2 1-4 minutes, soft ; — face scarcely white, shad- 
 ows neutral, drapery fine dark brown linen some- 
 what blue. 
 
 2 1-2 minutes, clear and pearly; shadows clear 
 and positive, of a purple tint, drapery jet black, 
 with the dark shades slightly frosted with mercury- 
 
 2 3-4 to 3 minutes, hard and chalky ; — shadows 
 
104 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 harsh, drapery roughened, and misty with excess 
 of mercury. 
 
 The foregoing results will be found general. 
 
 There are numerous opinions among our opera- 
 tors in regard to the quantity of mercury necessa- 
 ry for a bath. As regards this we need only say 
 similar results occur when two pounds or two 
 ounces are used, but the quantity we generally 
 employ is about a quarter of a pound. We are 
 of the opinion that one ounce will answer as well 
 as a larger quantity. We know of no better 
 proof in favor of a small quantity than that pre- 
 sented in the following incident. Several years 
 since an operator of our acquaintance was reques- 
 ted to go several miles to take a Daguerreotype 
 portrait of a deceased person. He packed up his 
 apparatus and proceeded over a rough road for 
 some distance to the house where he was to take 
 the portrait, and arranging his paraphernalia, with 
 all the expedition which the occasion required, af- 
 ter having every thing in usual order (as was 
 supposed), he proceeded and took some ten or 
 twelve very superior impressions. They were 
 fine, clear, and well developed. After taking the 
 number ordered, he proceeded to re-pack his ap- 
 paratus, and to his surprise when he took up the 
 bottle he carried the mercury in, he found it still 
 filled, and none in the bath, except, only such par- 
 ticles as had adhered to the sides, after dusting 
 and being jolted for several miles over the rough 
 road. From this it will be seen that a very little 
 mercury will suffice to develop fine proofs. We 
 saw some of the impressions referred to above, 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 105 
 
 and they were certainly well developed, and were 
 superior specimens of our art. 
 
 100. Removing the Coating. — After the im- 
 pression has been developed over the mercurial 
 vapor, the next step is to remove the sensitive 
 coating; for this purpose the solution described 
 in §82 is used. It is best that the washing be 
 done immediately on the plate coming from the 
 mercury bath. If allowed to stand long with the 
 coating on, it assumes a very dark tint — as the 
 operation of the light continues, though less act- 
 ive, than while exposed in the camera, and de- 
 stroys that brightness which would otherwise have 
 been obtained. It is preferable to wash and gild 
 a picture without its first being dried ; yet when 
 there are doubts of its giving satisfaction, there 
 would sometimes be a saving by drying and get- 
 ting the decision of the subject before gilding, as 
 this last injures the plate for another impression. 
 First, light your spirit lamp, then w T ith your pliers 
 take the plate by the lower right hand corner, 
 holding it in such a manner that the pliers will 
 form in a line with the upper left hand corner ; 
 pour on, slowly, the hyposulphite solution, slightly 
 agitating the plate, until all the coating is dis- 
 solved off; then rinse eff with clean water, and 
 if it is not to be gilded, dry by holding the plate 
 perpendicular with the bottom left hand corner 
 lowest, and applying the blaze of the spirit lamp 
 to the back, at the sane time blowing gently 
 downward on the face of the plate. 
 
106 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 The hyposulphite solution should be often fil- 
 tered through a sponge, and it will answer for a 
 great number of washings. Yet it is observed 
 that the mercury collects in this solution in small 
 globules, which come in contact with the plate, 
 causing white spots, which spoil the impression. 
 These should be guarded against, and the solu- 
 tion renewed. Again, in order to prevent streaks 
 or scum on the surface of the plate, it is neces- 
 sary that the coating should be removed with a 
 good degree of uniformity. We find in our prac- 
 tice that the hyposulphite of soda in our market 
 varies much as regards strength, and consequently 
 the rule to be adopted is to make a solution of 
 sufficient strength to remove the coating in about 
 ten seconds. We are aware that it may be said 
 that this strong solution would have a tendency 
 to injure the impression by destroying in a measure 
 the sharpness of outline. To meet this, we need 
 only say that the preventative is, to not let the 
 solution rest on the surface of the plate for a longer 
 time than is absolutely necessary, and then it 
 should be drenched copiously with water ; hence 
 a chemical action upon the image is prevented 
 and the general operation facilitated. This plan 
 is adopted by our first operators with the greatest 
 success. 
 
 If the operator should allow the hyposulphite 
 solution to run over the plate unevenly, it is quite 
 likely that white or blue streaks would result. 
 These it is impossible to remove without injury 
 to the impression. Some, in order to prevent 
 
DAGTJEERROTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 107 
 
 this, breathe over the surface, thus moistening it 
 and putting it in a condition to receive the solu- 
 tion with greater uniformity. The plate should 
 be well washed with water before gilding. 
 
 101. Gilding, or Fixing the Image. — The 
 next process we are to give is that for fixing the 
 image on the plate. This is done by precipita- 
 ting a thin film of gold over the surface. This is 
 productive of the most brilliant effect when pre- 
 pared immediately after the plate has been washed 
 with water after the application of the hyposul- 
 phite solution, and before the plate has been al- 
 lowed to dry. When, however, the plate has 
 been dried and allowed to stand for any time, 
 before gilding, the hyposulphite wash should be 
 applied as at* first, in order to destroy any chem- 
 ical coating that may have been formed on expo- 
 sure of the plate to the air. For gilding the 
 larger plates, we have a gilding stand so con- 
 structed that the plate can be put on a perfect 
 level. We, in practice, prefer holding the plate 
 in nippers, fastened at on corner. Hold the 
 plate in same manner as in §100; pour on the 
 gilding', newly filtered, until the surface is wholly 
 covered, and with the blaze of the spirit lamp, at 
 least three inches high, apply it to the back r.f 
 the p.ate, moving it about, that the surface may 
 be heated with as much uniformity as possible. 
 Contnuing this operation,' the surface will gene- 
 rally become covered with small yellow bubbles 
 whic.i soon disappear, leaving the image clear and 
 distil, ct. 
 
108 
 
 B-AGUEKREOTYFE PROCESS. 
 
 It is advisable to make use of a lamp of a suf- 
 ficiently strong flame to produce the effect in a 
 few minutes. If, after a first heating, it is found 
 that the impression can admit of a greater de- 
 gree of intensity, it might be heated anew ; but 
 that is seldom necessary, and often by trying to 
 do too well, the operator, if he persists in heating 
 certain parts of the plate, may find the liquid dry 
 up just above the flame, and inevitably cause a 
 stain*; or else the blacks are covered with a film, 
 or even the coating of gold may suddenly exfo- 
 liate, when small particles are detached from the 
 plate. The impression is then entirely spoiled, but 
 the plate may be re-polished. 
 
 It is not unfrequent that the surface assumes a 
 dark, cloudy appearance. This is generally the 
 best sign that the gilding will bring out the im- 
 pression with the greatest degree of distinctness. 
 Soon, the clouds gradually begin to disappear, 
 and "like a thing of life" stands forth the image, 
 clothed with all the brilliancy and clearness that 
 the combined efforts of nature and art can pro- 
 duce. When in the operator's judgment t he ope- 
 ration has arrived at the highest state of perfection, 
 rinse suddenly, with an abundance of clean water, 
 and dry as before described. 
 
 * This can be remedied, however, if it is immediately 
 washed over with the same solution that is on the plate, 
 so that the surface snail not become cool ; continue for a 
 short time to apply the lamp under, and agitate the plate 
 slightly, and it will soon be free from all imperfectiona 
 and give a fine clear tone. 
 
. 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 109 
 
 When an impression is dark, the gilding pro- 
 cess may be longer continued ; but when light, it 
 should be gilded quickly, as lengthening the time 
 tends to bleach the impression and make it too 
 white. The cause of this appears to be, that 
 with a moderate heat the chlorine is merely set 
 free from the gold, and remaining in the solution, 
 instead of being driven off, with its powerful 
 bleaching properties, it immediately acts upon 
 the shades of the picture. A dark impression can 
 thus, by a low heat, long-continued, be made quite 
 light. To procure the best effect, then, heat sud- 
 denly wish a large blaze, and, judging it to be at 
 the maximum, cool as suddenly as possible. 
 
 When the hyposulphite of gold is used instead 
 of the chloride, a less heat should be employed. 
 
 102. Coloring Daguerreotypes. — Of all the 
 so-called improvements in the Daguerreotype, the 
 coloring is the least worthy of notice. Yet the 
 operator is often, in fact most generally, called 
 upon to hide an excellent specimen under paint. 
 We can conceive of nothing more perfect in a Da- 
 guerreotype than a finely-developed image, with 
 clearness of lights and shadows, possessing the 
 lively tone resulting from good gilding. Such 
 pictures, however, are not always had, and then 
 color may perform the part of hiding the imper- 
 fections. We present the following method as 
 given in WillaCs Manual : 
 
 " Daguerreotype portraits are now commonly 
 met with beautifully colored ; but the coloring is. 
 
110 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 a process requiring great care and judgment, and 
 many good pictures are spoiled in fruitless exper- 
 iments. Several different methods of coloring 
 have been proposed. The simplest mode appears 
 to be that of using, dry colors prepared in the fol- 
 lowing manner : A little of the color required, 
 very finely ground, is thrown into a glass con- 
 taining water, in which a few grains of gum 
 arabac have be*en dissolved. After standing a 
 few moments, the mixture may be passed through 
 bibulous paper, and the residue perfectly dried 
 for use. The principal colors used are Carmine, 
 Chrome Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Ultra-marine and 
 White ; boxes fitted with sets of colors properly 
 prepared, may be obtained of the dealers, and 
 include Carmine, White, Lilac, Sky Blue, Pink, 
 Yellow, Flesh color, Orange, Brown, Purple, Light 
 Green, Dark Green and Blue. With a few co- 
 lors, however, all the rest may be made thus : 
 Orange, by Yellow and Red ; Purple, with Blue 
 and Red ; Green, Blue and Yellow ; Brown, with 
 Umber, Carmine and Lamp Black ; Scarlet, Car- 
 mine and Light Red. While it is true that a lit- 
 tle color may relieve the dark metalic look of 
 some Daguerreotypes, it must not be concealed 
 that the covering of the fine delicate outline and 
 exquisite gradations of tone of a good picture 
 with such a coating, is barbarous and inartistic. 
 
 " The prevailing taste is, however, decidedly 
 for colored proofs, and the following directions 
 will assist the amateur in ministering to this per- 
 verted taste, should he be so inclined. The co- 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 loring should commence with the face, and the 
 flesh tint must be stippled on (not rubbed) with a 
 small camel's-hair brush, beginning from the cen- 
 ter of the cheek, taking great care not to go over 
 the outline of the face, and also not to have too 
 much color in the brush ; the eyes and eyebrows 
 must not be touched with color. After the flesh 
 color is applied, take a piece of very soft cotton 
 and pass it very gently backwards and forwards 
 over the face, so as to soften down the color, and 
 then apply the carmine to give the required tint. 
 For men, the darker tints should predominate, 
 and for women the warmer. Very light hair may 
 be improved by a slight tint of brown or yellow, 
 and brown according to the color. In coloring 
 the drapery, the same care must be used. No 
 rales can be laid down for all the different colors 
 required, and the amateur had better obtain the 
 assistance or advice of some one accustomed to 
 the use of colors. A little white with a dash of 
 blue, or a little silver, will improve white linen, 
 lace, &c. The jewelery may be touched with 
 gold or silver from the shells, moistened with dis- 
 tilled water, and laid on with a fine-pointed sa- 
 ble-hair brush. 1 ' 
 
 Brilliants may be represented by picking the 
 plate with the point of a pin or knife. 
 
 103. Coloring Back- Grounds. — This process, 
 for a long time practised in Europe, has just cre- 
 ated an excitement among our operators. It was 
 introduced several years since by M. Leotard de 
 
112" 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 Seuze, and is easily prepared as follows : To 
 one quart of distilled water add two grains of 
 Russian glue {ichthyocolla) ; boil this until all the 
 glue is dissolved ; filter well through common fil- 
 tering paper or fine linen, when it is ready for 
 use. As no one would be likely to want the 
 above quantity, the same proportions may be pre- 
 served in less quantities. 
 
 Take the common colors, and pulverize or grind 
 them while moistened with spirits of turpentine, 
 then let them dry, which will soon take place, by 
 the co-operation of the turpentine, and when dry 
 again pulverize, when they will be ready for use. 
 
 To Use. — Pour on the gilded impression, a lit- 
 tle of the above solution, enough to cover the 
 plate, then pour off and dry by applying a very 
 gentle heat. The plate is now covered with a 
 transparent membrane, or vegetable paper, which 
 is susceptible of receiving the color with a re- 
 markable degree of fineness, not to be otherwise 
 obtained. The colors are applied by using com- 
 mon water color brushes, such as accompany the 
 small boxes of color to be found in any book 
 store. With care and judgment this coloring can 
 be applied with the greatest uniformity. After 
 the desired quantity of color is on the plate it may 
 be 'well dusted with our common dust brush, and 
 then another coating with the same solution ap- 
 plied in the same manner as above. 
 
 We insert this process under the head of color- 
 ing back-grounds. This we have done as it is 
 mostly used for that purpose, but by no means 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 113 
 
 confined to that portion of the Daguerreotype, but 
 may be applied to any part of the impression. 
 
 104. Securing Daguerreotypes. — For the better 
 safety, of the Daguerreotype it is usually sealed 
 by putting the plate, glass and mat, or diaphragm 
 together by means of adhesive paper, §77. This 
 prevents in a measure the atmosphere from ope- 
 rating readily upon the surface of the plate. 
 When the picture is sealed it is ready for a case 
 or frame. 
 
 105. To make Plates for the Daguerreotype. — 
 We do not give the method employed by our reg- 
 ular plate manufacturers; this is not important, as 
 the operator could not possibly profit by it from 
 the fact of the great expense of manufacturing. 
 The following will be found practical : 
 
 Procure a well planished copper plate of the 
 required size, and well polish it, first with pumice 
 stone and water, then with snake stone, jewelers' 
 rouge. Plates can be purchased in a high state of 
 preparation from the engravers. Having prepared 
 the copper-plate, well rub it with salt and water, 
 and then with the silvering powder. No kind ans- 
 wers better than that used by clock-makers to silver 
 their dial-plates. It is composed of one part of 
 well-washed chloride of silver, five parts of cream 
 of tartar, and four parts of table salt. This pow- 
 der must be kept in a dark vessel, and in a dry 
 place. For a plate six inches by five, as much of 
 this composition as can be taken up on a shilling 
 is sufficient. It is to be laid in the centre of the 
 
114 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 copper, and the figures being wetted, to be quick- 
 ly rubbed over every part of the plate, adding oc- 
 casionally a little damp salt. The copper being 
 covered with the silvering is to be speedily well 
 washed in water, in which a little soda is dis- 
 solved, and as soon as the surface is of a fine sil- 
 very whiteness, it is to be dried with a very clean 
 warm cloth. In this state the plates may be 
 kept for use. The first process is to expose the 
 plate to the heat of a spirit flame, until the sil- 
 vered surface becomes oi a well-defined golden- 
 yellow color ; then when the plate is cold, take a 
 piece of cotton, dipped in very dilute nitric acid, 
 and rub lightly over it until the white hue is re- 
 stored, and dry it with very soft clean cloths. A 
 weak solution of the hydriodate of potash, in 
 which a small portion of iodine is dissolved, is now 
 passed over the plate with a wide camel's hair 
 brush. The silver is thus converted, over its sur- 
 face, into an ioduret of silver ; and in this state it 
 is exposed to light, which blackens it. When 
 dry, it is to be again polished, either with dilute 
 acid or a solution of carbonate of soda, and after- 
 wards with dry cotton, and the smallest possible 
 portion of prepared chalk : by this means a sur- 
 face of the highest polish is produced. The 
 rationale of this process is, in the first place, the 
 heat applied dry off any adhering acid, and effects 
 more perfect union between the copper and silver, 
 so as to enable it to bear the subsequent processes. 
 The first yellow surface appears to be an oxide of 
 silver with, possibly, a minute quantity of cop- 
 
. 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 115 
 
 per in combination, which being removed leave a 
 surface chemically pure. 
 
 Another Method. — The best and simplest mode 
 with which we are acquainted is to divide an 
 earthenware vessel with a diaphragm : one side 
 should be filled with a very dilute solution of 
 sulphuric acid, and the other with either a solution 
 of ferroprussiate of potash, or muriate of soda, 
 saturated with chloride of silver. The copper 
 plate, varnished on one side, is united, by means 
 of a copper wire, with a plate of zinc. The 
 zinc plate being immersed in the acid, and the 
 copper in the salt, a weak electric current is 
 generated, which precipitates the silver in a ve- 
 ry uniform manner over the entire surface. 
 
 Another Method. — A piece of brass or of pol- 
 ished, copper, brass is preferred, is perfectly pla- 
 nished and its surface made perfectly clean. A 
 solution of nitrate of silver, so weak that the silver 
 is precipitated slowly, and a brownish color, on 
 the brass, is laid uniformly over it, "at least three 
 times," with a camel's hair pencil. After each 
 application of the nitrate, the plate should be rub- 
 bed gently in one direction, with moistened bytar- 
 trate of potassa, applied with buff. This coat of 
 silver receives a fine polish from peroxide of iron 
 and buff. Proofs are said to have been taken on 
 it, comparable with those obtained on French 
 plates. 
 
 106. M. SolicVs Process for determining the 
 time of exposure in the Camera. — M. Soliel has 
 
116 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 proposed the use of the chloride of silver to deter- 
 mine the time required to produce a good impres- 
 sion on the iodated plate in the camera. His 
 method is to fix at the bottom of a tube, blackened 
 within, a piece of card, on which chloride of sil- 
 ver, mixed with gum or dextrine, is spread. The 
 tube thus disposed is turned from the side of the 
 object of which we wish to take the image, and 
 the time that the chloride of silver takes to 
 become of a grayish slate color will be the time 
 required for the light of the camera to produce ' a 
 good effect on the iocated silver. 
 
 107. Instantaneous Process for 'procuring Da- 
 guerreotypes. — The following method of produc- 
 ing Daguerreotypes has by some been named as 
 above. Most experienced operators have been 
 long acquainted with the effect of the vapor of 
 ammonia upon the chemically coated plate. We 
 will here insert Mr. W. H. Hewett's plan of pro- 
 ceeding. This gentleman in referring to it, (pub- 
 lished in 1845,) says : 
 
 " This improvement consists in using the vapor 
 of ammonia, as an object to accelerate the action 
 of light upon the plate. The effect is produced 
 upon a simple iodized plate, but still more upon 
 a plate prepared in the ordinary way, with both 
 iodine and bromine. By this means, the author 
 obtained impressions instantaneously in the sun- 
 shine, and in five to ten seconds in a moderate 
 light ; and he hopes to be able to take moving ob- 
 jects. It can be applied by exposing the prepared 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 117 
 
 plate over a surface of water, to which a few 
 drops of ammonia have been added, (sufficient to 
 make it smell of ammonia ;) or the vapor can be 
 introduced into the camera during the action. In 
 fact, the presence of ammonia, in the operating- 
 room, appears to have a good effect, as it also 
 neutralizes the vapors of iodine and bromine that 
 may be floating about, and which are so detri- 
 mental to the influences of light upon the plate." 
 
 108. Galvanizing the Daguerreotype Plate. — 
 In consideration of the importance of galvanized 
 plates we shall endeavor to give as plain and con- 
 cise a manner of manipulation as possible. For 
 some time it was a question among the operators 
 generally, as to the beneficial result of Electro- 
 typing the Daguerreotype Plate, but for a few 
 years past our first operators have found it a fact, 
 that a well electro-silvered surface is the best for 
 producing a portrait by the Daguerreotype. 
 
 From our own experiments, wc have found that 
 a French or Scovill Plate, by being galvanized, 
 can be rendered more sensitive to the operation of 
 the light in proportion of one to five, viz., if a plate 
 as furnished by the market, be cleaned, polished, 
 coated and exposed in the Camera, if the required 
 time to freely develop an impression be ten se- 
 conds, a similar plate prepared in like manner and 
 galvanized will produce an equally well-defined 
 image in eight seconds. In connection with this 
 subject, there is one fact worthy of notice ; a plate 
 with a very heavy coating of pure silver, loill not 
 
118 
 
 DAGURREEOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 produce an equally developed image, as a plate 
 with a thinner coating, hence the tliin 
 coating provided it entirely covers the surface, 
 is the best, and is the one most to be desired. 
 The- experiment is plain and simple. Let 
 the slate receive a heavy or thick coating by 
 the electrotype, then polish, coat, expose in the 
 usual manner, and the result will be a flat, ashy, 
 indistinct impression ; when, on the other hand, 
 the thin coating will produce a bright, clear and 
 distinct image, with all the details delineated. 
 
 The style of battery best for the purpose has 
 been, and now is, a question of dispute among 
 operators ; some preferring the Daniell battery to 
 Smee's. Some claim the superiority of the first 
 from its uniformity of action ; others, of the lat- 
 ter, for its strength. We consider either good, 
 and for the inexperienced would prefer the Daniell. 
 This is more simple in its construction, while it 
 has certainty in action. The more skillful elec- 
 trotyper would prefer Smee's, and this is the one 
 most generally in use. We would remark that 
 the plan of galvanizing plates should be followed 
 by every operator, and when once thoroughly 
 tested, no one will abandon it. We will now pro- 
 ceed to describe the two batteries, Smee's and 
 Daniell' s ; also, the manner of using them. 
 

 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 119 
 
 Fig. 1 represents Smee's battery. A may be 
 a glass or earthen jar. B is a 
 piece of silver attached to the 
 connecting wire from one of the 
 poles. C is another wire with 
 a small bent hook to hold the 
 plate. These two poles are 
 immersed in the earthen dish> 
 Fig. 2, which contains the sil- 
 vering solutions. 
 
 Thus the connection is perfect, and the opera- 
 tion is carried on. DanielVs battery, although not 
 as simple as Smee's, is by many preferred. This 
 battery is represented in Fig. 3. 
 
 2. 3. 
 
 A is an outer copper cylinder. B, zinc con- 
 tained in a porous cup. C, a piece of silver at- 
 tached to the copper by means of a copper wire. 
 D is for the same purpose as C. in Fig. 1. 
 
 Smee's battery may be charged by putting into 
 it sulphuric acid, diluted with water, in proportion 
 of one part acid to ten (by measure) of water. 
 
120 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 This same solution will answer to put in the po- 
 rous cup used in Daniell's battery, Fig. 2. Nitric 
 acid is perhaps preferable when- the battery is 
 used about the operating room, as it gives off 
 less fumes. The copper cylinder in Daniell's bat- 
 tery should contain a saturated solution of sul- 
 phate of copper. This solution may be kept of 
 equal strength by adding an excess of the sul- 
 phate of copper. 
 
 109. Silvery Solution. — With a battery pre- 
 pared as in §107, and a solution in the plate cup, 
 Fig. 2, prepared as follows, the operator will be 
 prepared for coating the plate : 
 
 To any desired quantity of chloride of silver, 
 §3C, in water add, little by little, cyanide of potas- 
 sium,, shaking well at each addition, untf all the 
 cyanide is dissolved. Continue this operation, and 
 add the cyanide, until all of the precipitate is ta- 
 ken up and held in solution. 
 
 This solution is now ready for the plaet-cup, 
 Fig. 2. Enough water may be added to cover 
 any sized plate when held perpendicular in the 
 cup. The strength of the solution may be kept 
 up by occasionally adding the chloride of silver 
 and cyanide of potassium. There should always 
 be a very little excess of the cyanide. 
 
 The plate should be well cleaned and buffed, 
 and the solution well stirred before it is immersed. 
 Care should be observed to keep the solution 
 clean, aud allow no particle of dust to come in 
 contact with the surface of the plate. The plate 
 is now to be attached to the pole of the battery. 
 

 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 121 
 
 After remaining a short time, it assumes a blue 
 color ; take it out, rinse freely with pure water, 
 then dry with a spirit lamp, and it is ready for 
 buffing. Buff and coat in the usual manner. 
 Some operators are in the practice of immersing 
 the plate in the solution and buffing twice. 
 This additional silvering is no improvement 
 wherever there has been a proper first coating. 
 
 Sometimes the operator is troubled with streaks 
 or scum on the plate. This may arise from three 
 causes, all of which experience must teach the 
 experimenter to avoid ; first, too great an excess 
 of cyanide in the solution ; second, a lack of sil- 
 ver ; third, . the current too strong. Another an 
 noyance arises from the solution being dirty and 
 the dirt collecting on the surface. When this 
 is the case, the dirt is sure to come in contact 
 with the surface of the plate as it is plunged into 
 the solution, and the result is a scum that it is dif- 
 ficult to dispose of. This can be prevented only 
 by frequent filtering. One thing should always 
 be borne in mind in electrotyping Daguerreotype 
 plates — that, in order to secure a perfectly coated 
 surface, the plate should be perfectly cleaned. In 
 this point, many who have tried the electrotype 
 process have failed, attributing their ill success to 
 other than the proper cause. 
 
 110. Daguerreotypes without Mercury. — The 
 following process possesses some interest, and is 
 worthy a trial from operators. M. Natterer, of 
 Vienna, discovered a process for obtaining proofs 
 
122 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 on iodized plates with the chloride of sulphur, 
 without the use of mercury. A plate of silver is 
 iodized in the usual manner, and then placed on 
 the top of a vessel six or eight inches high, hav- 
 ing at the bottom, in a small cup, a few drops of 
 chloride of sulphur ; it should remain exposed to 
 the action of the vapor until the sombre yellow 
 color is changed to a red, after which it is brought 
 to a focus in the camera, where it is exposed to 
 the light in the camera, for about the time neces- 
 sary to produce an ordinary Daguerreotype. The 
 plate is then taken out and examined in the cam- 
 era by the light of a candle. It often occurs that 
 no trace of the image is as yet perceptible, but if 
 the plate is heated by placing over a spirit lamp 
 the unprepared side, or if left for some time in the 
 dark, or, lastly, if exposed only a few seconds to 
 a weak, dimmed light, the positive picture then 
 appears with all its shades. Of these three modes 
 of bringing out the image, the second is superior 
 to the others. 
 
 111. Management of Chemicals. — It is neces- 
 sary, first of all, to know that you have a chem- 
 ical which is capable of producing good results 
 when in skilful hands. For this reason it is best 
 to prepare your own quick, after some formula 
 which is known to be good. Those quick-stuffs 
 which contain chloride of iodine are noted for 
 their depth of tone, while they probably operate 
 with less uniformity than those which are desti- 
 tute of it. For operating under ordinary circum- 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 123 
 
 stances, especially with an inferior light, proba- 
 bly no accelerator is more quick and sure than 
 Wolcott's. It also produces a very fine, white, 
 pleasing picture, though lacking that depth of im- 
 pression so much to be desired. The dry quick 
 operates with surety, and its use is simple and 
 easy, producing an impression much like Wol- 
 cott's. For those having a good and permanent 
 light, however, we would recommend a chemical 
 giving more body to the impression. 
 
 There is a class of accelerators called sensi- 
 tives, claiming to work in from three to ten sec- 
 onds, which, however, will be found very little, 
 if any, more sensitive than this. We frequently 
 work it with the ordinary coating in twelve and 
 fifteen seconds. The manner in which the sensi- 
 tives are worked is by coating very light. In this 
 way, a flat, shallow picture is obtained in a few 
 seconds ; and the same can be done with any of 
 the more volatile quicks. 
 
 It is a fact not generally known, that a plate 
 coated in a light chemical room is more sensitive 
 than when coated in darkness. By admitting a 
 free, uniform light, and exposing the plate to it a 
 few seconds after coating, then timing short in 
 the camera, a very light, clear impression is ob- 
 tained. The time in the camera is reduced in 
 proportion to the previous action of light. The 
 shades of course are destroyed, and the tone in- 
 jured ; still, for taking children, we have suc- 
 ceeded better by this method than by the use of 
 " sensitives." The discovery of this principle was 
 
124 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 accidental, while operating where the direct rays 
 of the sun, entering the window just before sunset, 
 fell on the curtain of our dark room, rendering it 
 very light within. 
 
 The selection of iodine is not unimportant. 
 Reject, at once, that which has anything like a 
 dull, black, greasy appearance ; and select that 
 which is in beautiful large crystaline scales, of a 
 purple color, and brilliant steel lustre. 
 
 Solarization, and general blueness of all the 
 light parts of the picture, were formerly great 
 obstacles to success, though now scarcely thought 
 of by first-class artists. Beginners in the art, 
 however, are still apt to meet with this difficulty. 
 It is occasioned by dampness in the iodine box, 
 which causes the plate to become coated with a 
 hydro-iodide of silver, instead of the iodide. The 
 remedy is in drying your iodine. If in summer, 
 you can open your box and set in sunshine a few 
 minutes ; or if in winter, set it under a stove a 
 short time. The true method, however, is to dry 
 it by means of the chloride of calcium. It has 
 such a remarkable affinity for water, that a small 
 fragment placed in the open air, even in the dry- 
 est weather, soon becomes dissolved. 
 
 Take one or two ounces of this chemical, heat 
 it in the drying bath, or in a hot stove, to perfect 
 dryness ; place it in a small glass toy dish, or 
 large watch crystal, and set it in the center of 
 your iodine box. Take this out and heat to dry- 
 ness every morning. Adopt this process, and 
 with your mercury at a high temperature, you 
 will never be troubled with blue pictuies. 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 125 
 
 Young operators are apt to impute all want of 
 success in operating, to their chemicals, even 
 though the cause is quite as likely to be else- 
 where. Failure is quite likely to occur from 
 dampness in the buffs, or in the polish ; it is 
 therefore necessary to be constantly on the guard 
 in this quarter. With a view to this, always 
 scrape your buffs with a dull knife, or with one 
 blade of your shears, the first thing in the morn- 
 ing, and after brushing them thoroughly, dry 
 them, either in the sun, by a stove, or in the 
 buff-dryer. It is equally important that the pol- 
 ish and the brush should be kept dry. 
 
 Want of success may arise from vapors of 
 iodine or bromine in the camera box, mercury 
 bath, or even in the buffs. It is incredible how 
 small a quantity of these vapors will affect the 
 effect of light when coming 1 in contact with the 
 plate, after or during the exposure in the camera. 
 It is therefore necessary to be cautious not to mix 
 chemicals, nor open your boxes or bottles in your 
 room, but take them out to do it. Never hurry 
 the operation through from lack of confidence in 
 the result. The fact of anything being out of 
 order, forms no excuse for slighting the process. 
 If unsuccessful, do not pursue the sajne course 
 every trial, but vary with a view to detect the 
 cause of the difficulty. 
 
 In case of a long series of failures, institute a 
 regular course of investigation, after this man- 
 ner, commencing where the trouble is most likely 
 to occur : 
 
126 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 1 . Are the plates well cleaned ? 
 
 2. Is the iodine dry ? If the impressions come 
 out blue, you may rest assured it is not. Take 
 out the iodine, wipe and dry the box, and dry the 
 calcium. 
 
 3. Is the quick battery of the right strength ? 
 If dry, it must change the plate in from six to fif- 
 teen seconds. If any of the chloride of iodine 
 class, it may vary from five seconds to a minute. 
 Begin by coating light, and increase on each trial, 
 observing the effect. If the light side of the pic- 
 ture seems loth to come out, and shows no con- 
 trast with the dark side, it is to be inferred that 
 your battery is too strong, and must be reduced 
 with water or set out in the open air for a few 
 minutes, with the lid off. If working an old bat- 
 tery, never renew very strong, or it will work 
 dark and heavy. A battery, to work well, 
 should be gradually losing strength, but never 
 gaining. An old battery, however, may be quick- 
 ened up and made to work well for some time, 
 by adding five or six drops of sulphuric acid, re- 
 peating the quantity as often as necessary, provid- 
 ing always that acid be not used in manufacturing 
 the quick. 
 
 4. Have the plates lost their sensitiveness by 
 being many times exposed to mercury ? Clean 
 and burn them ; but if French plates, burn light 
 or you spoil them. 
 
 5. Are the buffs dry and clean ? Examine the 
 plate critically after buffing to detect any appear- 
 ance of scum or film on the surface. If so, the 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 127 
 
 longer you buff the more it shows. Scrape and 
 dry the buffs thoroughly. 
 
 6. Is the mercury free from scum and dirt ? If 
 not, filter. Is it also far enough from the coat- 
 ing boxes ? Should be at least three feet, and 
 kept covered. 
 
 7. Is the mercury sufficiently heated ? This is 
 important. Long exposure, however, will answer 
 the same purpose. 
 
 8. Are your lenses clean, and in proper place ? 
 
 9. Are the tablets in focus with the ground- 
 glass ? If you can attribute the failure to none 
 of these, mix a new box of some other kind of 
 quick, say the dry for instance. If you fail in 
 the same manner here, take time, wash your buffs, 
 overhaul all the chemicals, and start anew. Do 
 not be discouraged. There is no day so -dark but 
 that the sun will shine again. We will close with 
 this brief summary of advice : 
 
 Clean your plates. 
 Keep every thing dry. 
 Keep the mercury hot. 
 
 Follow these instructions carefully and you 
 must succeed. 
 
 112. Hints and Cautions. — First of all, clean- 
 liness should be observed. When there is dust 
 or dirt about your room, particularly about the 
 work-bench, failures will be frequent ; for the 
 smallest particles of rotten-stone, when allowed to 
 come in contact with the buffs, will produce 
 •ratches on the surface of the plate, which very 
 
223 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE TROCESS. 
 
 much injures the operation, and often causes fail- 
 ures. 
 
 Dust flying about the room is injurious, if al- 
 lowed to fall on the plate, cither before or after 
 it has been coated, as it causes black spots which 
 cannot be removed. 
 
 The polished plate should not be allowed to 
 come in contact with a strong current of air, for 
 it tends to oxidize the surface. Breathing on the 
 surface should also be avoided, for the same rea- 
 son. 
 
 The plate should, in all cases, be buffed imme- 
 diately before using, and not allowed to stand any 
 length of time. It should be held with the pol- 
 ished face downward. 
 
 It is always best that the plate should be of the 
 same temperature of the atmosphere in the room. 
 
 Keep the camera and mercury-bath perfectly 
 free from the vapors of iodine and bromine ; for 
 the presence of the slightest degree of either of 
 the above, will injure the impression in no small 
 degree. As a preventive, let the camera be ex- 
 posed to the sun or fire for a few minutes in the 
 morning. 
 
 Filter your mercury often, to keep the surface 
 free from film and dust. 
 
 The hyposulphite solution should be filtered 
 through sponge every time it is used. 
 
 The direct rays of light must not enter the 
 camera in conjunction with those reflected from 
 the object ; or the picture will be veiled, and the 
 color of the plate changed to a thick green. 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 129 
 
 
 If the plate be iodized only to a light-yellow, 
 the result might be of a bluish or gray tinge ; and 
 this is generally the case, when the quick is new 
 and strong, and there is an excess of it on the 
 plate, and yet not enough to form the bromide io- 
 dide of silver ; in which case it would wholly 
 spoil the impression. 
 
 Your iodine will be found to operate more suc- 
 cessfully, when the time required for coating the 
 plate does not fall short of fifteen seconds, or ex- 
 ceed one minute. 
 
 Too quick coating can be avoided by using less 
 iodine in your box. In the summer months, when 
 the weather is 80° and over, one-quarter of an 
 ounce, or even less, will work to advantage. 
 
 113. Electropying . — We are indebted to Mr. 
 J.H. Fitzgibbons, for the following process, which 
 he employed in producing the excellent specimens 
 now on exhibition at the Crystal Palace : 
 
 " I shall endeavor to lay down in as comprehen- 
 sive a manner as possible the method by which I 
 have been enabled to produce the most satisfacto- 
 ry results. I use a Smee's battery (another kind 
 will do). After filling the cell, of common size, 
 nearly full with water ; add about quarter of an 
 ounce of sulphuric acid. Mix this well, and let 
 it stand for about three hours, or until the action 
 of the battery becomes weak, when it is in order 
 to work with a very uniform action. Put one 
 pound of sulphate of copper in one quart of wa- 
 ter ; stir it until the sulphate of copper is all dis 
 6* 
 
130 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 solved, and then add one half ounce of sulpuric 
 acid and quarter of an ounce of nitric acid. This 
 solution well mixed should be filtered, and it is 
 ready for use. It is very important that this so- 
 lution should be kept clean, clear, and free from 
 all foreign substance. The above quantity of this 
 solution will be found sufficient for electrotyping 
 a dozen of the sixth-size plates. When it is re- 
 quired to be strengthened it is only necessary to 
 acid a little of the sulphate of copper. 
 
 "With the battery prepared as above, and the 
 solution of sulphate of copper in a vessel of 
 proper dimensions to receive your plate, connect 
 the galvanic current, and immerse the impres- 
 sioned plate, letting it remain until a thin film 
 of copper has been formed, then the battery can 
 be strengthened, and the impression will be of suf- 
 ficient thickness to be removed in from eight to 
 twelve hours. An old Daguerreotype plate at- 
 tached to the opposite pole of the battery (copper- 
 side toward the face of the plate to be electro- 
 typed,) will answer the same purpose as the sil- 
 ver-plate in §108. 
 
 "The great difficulty in taking an electrotype im- 
 pression, and preserving the original, has been at- 
 tributed to the battery being too powerful. I am 
 led to believe from practice that the principal dif- 
 ficulty has been in the Daguerreotype plate itself, 
 for if we use an impression that has been taken 
 but a few days, and taken in the usual way, we 
 will find it difficult to succeed without spoiling 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 131 
 
 both the copy and original, and so also with an 
 old impression. 
 
 " I have found the most certain method to be as 
 follows : Coat the Daguerreotype plate as usual, 
 except use less of the accelerators, the proportion 
 of iodine coating being greater, of course the time 
 of exposure in the camera will be lengthened. 
 Mercuralize it at about a temperature requiring to 
 develop the image, from six to eight minutes, at 
 least. Gilding the Daguerreotype has much to 
 do towards producing a good electrotype copy. 
 This should be done by applying a little heat, and 
 gilding very slow, giving a coating of gold with 
 the greatest possible uniformity. By this method 
 I have been enabled to produce any number of 
 proofs. I have produced a dozen from one impres- 
 sion, and it remains as perfect as when first taken. 
 
 " By a little judgment and care the operator 
 will be enabled to produce the electrotype copy 
 of the Daguerreotype plate without any difficulty. 
 The electrotype copy should be immediately put 
 under a glass and sealed in the same manner as 
 the ordinary Daguerreotype." 
 
 114. Crayon Daguerreotypes. — This process 
 patented in the United States, by J. A. Whipple, 
 of Boston, and of course no honorable person will 
 use it for his own benefit without purchasing a 
 right. 
 
 A white back-ground is generally employed, 
 and the object being to blur the lower portion of 
 the plate, leaving the head of the subject 
 
 in 
 
132 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 relief.. Lvery Daguerreotypist is familiar with the 
 fact that a motion of any body, between the ca- 
 mera and the sitter will cause a ' blur.' Cut a 
 piece of thin paper and scallop it, making a semi- 
 circle. This is kept straight by means of a wire 
 frame, and it is to be moved in front of the lower 
 part of the body of the sitter during the time of ex- 
 posure of the plate in the camera. Develop over 
 mercury as usual, and the result will be a Crayon 
 Daguerreotype. 
 
 Another method is to have a wheel with a hole 
 cut through it of a diameter of about 12 inches. 
 This hole is so cut as to leave teeth resembling 
 those of a large saw. This wheel is so arranged 
 that it can be turned around, which should be 
 done during the time of exposure in the camera. 
 It must be placed between the camera and the 
 sitter, and at such a distance from the camera as 
 to allow such proportion of the body of the sitter 
 be seen upon the ground-glass as is desired. It 
 will be readily seen that by turning this wheel du- 
 ring the operation will produce the same result as 
 the paper being moved in the other method. The 
 teeth make the " blur." The side of the wheel 
 towards the camera may be black, by which 
 means the result will be a dark instead of a light 
 border. 
 
 115. Illuminated Daguerreotypes. — This pro- 
 cess is also patented, and the remarks in v 114, will 
 apply in this case. The plate is prepared and ex- 
 posed as in the usual method of the Daguerreo- 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 133 
 
 type. A white back-ground is employed. Let the 
 head of the sitter come in the middle of the plate 
 and before exposing it to the vapors of mercury, 
 put a small mat or diaphragm, having a small hole 
 through it, over it directly on the surface of the 
 plate. This diaphragm should be beveled, and 
 the bevel should be towards the surface of the 
 plate ; this in order to prevent too sharp a line, on 
 the impression. It will be readily seen that if an 
 impressioned plate so covered is placed over the 
 mercury, it will be developed on such portion 
 only as are exposed. The principle is so familiar 
 that further explanations are unnecessary. 
 
 116. Natural Colors in Heliograph?/. — This 
 subject is at present creating some little interest, 
 and is worthy the attention of every operator. 
 The following process is so plain and easy of trial 
 that any Daguerreotypist can try it. This is as 
 given by Mr. James Campbell, and was published 
 in Humphrey's Journal of the Daguerreotype and 
 Photographic Arts, vol. 5 r page 11. Mr. Camp- 
 bell has done much to further the process announc- 
 ed by M. Neipce, and his experiments have proved 
 highly successful. Mr. Hill has announced that he 
 has a process for producing impressions, represent- 
 ing all the colors of nature. With his process 
 no orie is acquainted, and it remains his secret, 
 although the results which he has exhibited are 
 said to be truly excellent. Mr. H.was the first to 
 announce to the world that he had discovered 
 such a process. 
 
134 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 The following, referred to above, is submitted as 
 worthy of trial ■ 
 
 " The proper preparation of the chloridated plate 
 to enable it to receive colored impressions, is an 
 object of the first importance to those wishing to 
 experiment on it, and consequently requires partic- 
 ular notice. The plate may be prepared by making 
 it the positive pole of a battery, and letting it at 
 the same time be immersed in chlorine water. 
 The negative pole should be a slip of platinum. 
 All the colors may be produced from a plate so 
 prepared if the chlorine and water are in the right 
 proportions ; but generally one color or the other 
 predominates, according to the amount of chlorine 
 in the liquid. By adding the chlorides of strontian, 
 uranium, potassium, sodium, iron, or copper to the 
 liquid, various effects may be produced, and these 
 bodies will be found to produce the same color on 
 the plate that their flame gives to alcohol. 
 
 The honor of this discovery is due to M. Niepce. 
 Copper gives a variegated flame ; hence many 
 colors may be impressed on a plate prepared with 
 a solution of its chloride. 
 
 M. Niepce recommends a solution of the mixed 
 chlorides of copper and iron, and it is with these, 
 that I have been most successful. As the chlo- 
 rides of copper and iron are not much used in the 
 arts, they are not generally found for sale "in the 
 shops ; and it may be well to furnish those not 
 much versed in chemistry with an easy method of 
 preparing them. 
 
 They may be made directly from either metal. 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 135 
 
 by dissolving it in hydrochloric acid ; but they 
 may be formed by a cheaper method, and by 
 which also the acid fumes are avoided. 
 
 Sulphate of iron or copper, or both together, 
 may be dissolved in water and then neutralized 
 with common crude potash, or its carbonate or bi- 
 carbonate — known commonly as pearlash and sa- 
 leratus. If either of the latter be used, there will 
 be formed sulphate of potash and a carbonate of 
 the metal used, and there will also be a conside- 
 rable effervescence of carbonic acid, which will, 
 if care is not taken, cause the mixture to run over 
 the vessel. After the copper or iron salt is neu- 
 tralized, which is known by its ceasing to effer- 
 vesce, the carbonate of the metal will settle slow- 
 ly, and will at first nearly fill the vessel. The 
 supernatant fluid, which is sulphate of potash in 
 solution, may now be carefully poured off, and its 
 place filled with water ; this operation should be 
 repeated several times, until the water which 
 passes off is tasteless. The carbonate of the 
 metal rapidly changes to an oxide by contact with 
 the air, and it will generally be found, when it is 
 sufficiently washed, that it is at least half oxide. 
 On adding hydrochloric acid cautiously to the 
 mixture, a chloric of the metal will be formed, 
 and carbonic acid will be evolved from the re- 
 maining carbonate. The chloride formed is so- 
 luble ; but as they are two chlorides of these 
 metals, and we wish to produce the one which 
 contains the most chlorine, it is best to add the 
 acid cautiously until the solution is decidedly 
 
136 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS 
 
 acid. After filtering, the solution it is fit for use ; 
 and it should be preserved in well stoppered 
 bottles. The Avater used should be rain or distill- 
 ed water. 
 
 About one part of the mixed chlorides should 
 be used to three or four of water. 
 
 The battery may be either Smee's, Daniell's, or 
 Grove's ; if of either of the former, it should be 
 of two series ; if of the latter, one cup is sufficient. 
 
 The plate, on being immersed in the liquid, 
 almost instantly takes a violet color. It should 
 be allowed to remain from two to five minutes, 
 according to the strength of the battery, and until 
 rt becomes nearly black. It should now be care- 
 fully washed, and afterwards heated over a spirit 
 lamp until it takes a cherry-red color, and it is 
 then ready for exposure in the camera. Before 
 speaking of exposing the plate, it may be well to 
 speak of some difficulties which the inexperienced 
 operator may find in preparing it. If the battery 
 is not in good order, and a sufficient current is 
 not passed through the solution, the plate will 
 become coated — and apparently almost as well as 
 when the battery is working well — but on expo- 
 sure it w r ill give a negative picture, and but little 
 colored ; while if the battery is in good order, the 
 impression is invariably positive. 
 
 Sometimes on heating the plate after washing, 
 the surface is covered with spots, or assumes a 
 variegated appearance. This indicates that the 
 solution is impure, or that the plates have not 
 been thoroughly washed, and are still contaminat- 
 
DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 187 
 
 ed with the soluble chlorides which are containde 
 in the solution. 
 
 From the fact that the plate if prepared with 
 positive electricity gives a positive picture, while 
 if prepared otherwise it .gives a negative, it is 
 evident that electricity plays an important part in 
 this process. The same is true to some extent 
 with the compounds formed with iodine, bromine 
 and fluorine. 
 
 On heating the plate, the brown coating of 
 chloride melts into a translucent enamel, and the 
 heat should be withdrawn when a cherry-red color 
 is produced. If the heat is continued longer, the 
 plate assumes a lighter color, and becomes less 
 sensitive ; and the enamel will finally scale off. 
 To produce a picture by the ordinary process of 
 M. jNiepce, unaccelerated, it should be exposed 
 for from three to five hours to sunlight in the ca- 
 mera, though pictures may be procured by contact, 
 in from fifteen to thirty minutes. 
 
 117. Multiplying Daguerreotypes on one Plate. 
 — We have produced some interesting specimens 
 of the Daguerreotypic art, by exposing in the 
 camera, only a portion of the sensitive plate to the 
 action of light. When on the exposed portion 
 an image is formed, then taking the tablet into the 
 dark room, change ends and expose the sen 
 sitive portion, and produce another image, devel- 
 oping as usual. This plan is adopted for taking 
 likenesses for lockets. Two images can be pre- 
 sented as sitting side by side, by covering half the 
 
138 
 
 DAGUERREOTYPE PROCESS. 
 
 plate with black paper, and exposing as before. 
 In this manner we have been enabled to surprise 
 persons by exhibiting their portrait on the same 
 plate with a stranger's. Daguerreotypists must be 
 cautious in practicing this, as it might not be 
 agreeable to the parties whose likenesses are to- 
 gether, by the above process. It is impossible to 
 produce an impression without a line being seen 
 where the edge of the paper prevented the opera- 
 tion' of the light. 
 
 We have recently seen a fine specimen pro- 
 duced by another plan, which far exceeds the 
 above, there being no line, or any peculiarity 
 denoting two exposures. The specimen referred 
 to, was a gentleman represented on one plate by 
 two full length portraits. This was produced by 
 using a black velvet for the back-ground. The 
 plate was exposed sufficient time to produce one 
 impression, and then the gentleman assumed an- 
 other position, and is repeated as looking at him- 
 self. From the fact that the time required to de- 
 velop black-velvet being so much longer than that 
 for producing a portrait, we are enabled to produce 
 the above interesting results. 
 
♦COMPARATIVE TABLE OF ENGLISH AND FRENCH 
 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 
 
 1 Pound Avoirdupc 
 1 Ounce ditto 
 
 >ise . 
 
 Grains. 
 7000 
 
 
 437.5 
 
 1 Pound Troy 
 1 Ounce ditto 
 
 
 5760 
 480 
 
 Gramme 
 
 
 15.4063 
 
 Decigramme 
 
 
 1.5406 
 
 Centigramme 
 
 
 0.1540 
 
 Milligramme 
 
 
 0.0154 
 
 
 
 
 Yard 
 
 
 Inches. 
 36 
 
 Metre 
 
 
 39-37079 
 
 Decimetre 
 
 
 3.93708 
 
 Centimetre 
 
 
 0.39370 
 
 Millimetre 
 
 
 0.03937 
 
 
 
 
 Imperial gallon 
 Ditto Pint 
 Ditto Ounce 
 Cubic Inch 
 
 Cubic Inches. 
 
 ...277.274 
 ... 34.65925 ... 
 . .. 1.7329625... 
 ... 1 
 
 Grains of 
 Distilled Water. 
 
 70000 
 
 8750 
 
 437.5 
 252.458 
 
 Litre 
 
 ... 61.02525 ... 
 
 15406.312 
 
 Decilitre 
 
 . .. 6.10252 ... 
 
 1540.631 
 
 * These Tables are copied from Faraday's Chemical Manipulation. 
 
Note. — In our credits on the Preface page, we observed 
 too late, (to rectify it,) that our reference to Robert 
 Hunt, to whom we are indebted for some of our selections 
 had been over-looked. We cannot allow this to pass, as 
 Mr. Hunt has proved himself one of the most valuable ex- 
 perimental men that has ever assumed a pen in contributing 
 to the advancement of the Daguerreotype. No Daguerreo- 
 type operator or amateur .should be found without a copy of 
 his " Researches on Light" and " Manual of Photography." 
 This last has just appeared. His works have won for him 
 the esteem of every Dagucreotypist in America. 
 
■■;■:£ 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Accelerating Substances, Remarks on, 
 Accelerating Liquid, No. 1, 
 
 u u t( o 
 
 Accelerators, Dry, . . . 58, 59, 60, 61 
 
 Acids, Remarks on, 
 
 Acid, Nitric, .... 
 
 Acid, Muriatic, .... 
 
 Acid, Hydro-chloric — Muriatic, 
 
 Acid, Hydrofluoric, 
 
 Acid, Sulphuric, 
 
 Acid, Nitro-muriatic, . 
 
 Accidulatcd Solution, 
 
 Acidulated White Oil of Petrolium 
 
 Adhesive Papers, 
 
 Back-ground, Transparent or Invisable, 
 Back-grounds, Process of Painting, . 
 Back-ground, Method of Coloring on the Daguerreoty 
 Bromine, History of, . , 
 Bromine, Preparation of, .... 
 
 Bromine, Properties of, . 
 
 Bromine, Chloride of, .... . 
 
 Bromine Water, Ho w to Use in Warm Weather, 
 
 Bromine, Experiments with, . 
 
 Bromides, ....... 
 
 Bromide of Potassium, ...... 
 
 Bromide of Lime, ...... 
 
 Bromide of Silver, . . ... 
 
 Bromide of Gold, ...... 
 
 Bromide of Magnesia, .... 
 
 Bromide of Starch ..... 
 
 Bromine, Iodide of, ..... . 
 
 Bleaching Solution, ..... 
 
 Bulls, Repairing, ...... 
 
 Buffs, Keeping in Order, ..... 
 
 Buff Dryer, 
 
 § 51 
 52 
 55 
 62, 66 
 44 
 45 
 47 
 48 
 49 
 50 
 47 
 46 
 42 
 77 
 
 71 
 
 70 
 
 pe,103 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4, 30 
 
 67 
 
 13 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 8, 58 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11, 61 
 
 12, 60 
 6, 24 
 
 87 
 92 
 91 
 90 
 
142 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Buffing the Daguerreotype Plate, 
 Black Stain for Apparatus. 
 Buckskins, to Clean, 
 
 17 
 
 Calcium, Chloride of, ... 
 
 Chemicals, management of, 
 Chlorine, preparation of, 
 Chlorine, properties of, . 
 Chlorine, water, ..... 
 
 Chlorine as an accelarator, 
 
 Chlorine for producing natural colors, . 
 
 Chlorides, ...... 
 
 Chloride of Bromine, .... 
 
 Chloride of Iodine, .... 
 
 Chloride of Potassium, .... 
 
 Chloride of Lime, .... 
 
 Chloride of Calcium, .... 
 
 Chloride of Silver, .... 
 
 Chloride of Gold, 
 
 Chloride of Gold and Platinum, 
 Chloro-Bromide of Lime, 
 Coating the Daguerreotype Plate, 
 I 'oating, to remove from the Daguerreotype Plate, 
 '/ Colors, natural, ...... 
 
 Coloring Daguerreotypes, .... 102, 
 
 Crayon Daguerreotypes, - 
 
 Combination requiring the use of only one Coating 
 Box, 
 
 96 
 
 78 
 93 
 
 34 
 111 
 
 2G 
 27 
 28 
 66 
 116 
 29 
 30 
 
 31, 65 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 36, 109, 116 
 
 35, 43 
 43 
 
 > 
 
 Daguerreotype, to make plates for, . 
 Daguerreotypes without Murcury, 
 Developing Daguerreotypes, ..... 
 Daguerreotypes, securing, ..... 
 Daguerreotypes, Solution for increasing brilliancy of, 
 
 62 
 97 
 100 
 116 
 103 
 114 
 
 68 
 
 105 
 
 110 
 
 99 
 
 104 
 
 86 
 
 Electro, or Cold Gilding, . . . • . 88 
 Electrotyping ....... 113 
 
 Electrotyping or Galvanizing the Daguerreotype Plate, 108 
 Exposure of the Daguerreotype Plate to Light, . 98 
 Exposure of the Daguerreotype Plate to Mercury, 99 
 
 Fat, as an Accelarator, ..... 69 
 Fixing or Gilding the Dajjuerreian Image, . 101 
 
 Gold, Chloride of, .... 35, 85, 101 
 
 Gold, Iodide of, • 22 
 
INDEX. 
 
 14:3 
 
 Gold, Bromide of, , 
 Gold, Hyposulphite of, 
 Gurney's American Compound, 
 Gilding, Dissolvent, .... 
 
 ■ Gilding, solution, 
 
 _ Gilding the Daguerreotype, 
 Galvanizing the Daguerreotype Plate, 
 
 I 
 
 17, 
 
 Hyposulphite of Soda, preparation of, 
 Hyposulphite of Gold, 
 >. Hyposulphite of Solution, • . 
 Hyposulphite, Solution, substitute for, 
 Hints and Cautions, .... 
 Hunt, Robert, ..... 
 
 Iodine, History of, ... . 
 Iodine, Preparation of, 
 Iodine, Properties of, ... 
 
 Iodine, Chloride of, ... . 
 
 Iodine, Concentrated solution of, 
 Iodine, Agent for destroying the vapors of, 
 Iodine, Coating the Daguerreotype Plate with 
 Iodine, Experiments with, 
 Iodides, .... 
 
 Iodide of Lime, . 
 Iodide of Potassium, 
 Iodide of Mercury, 
 Iodide of Silver,. . 
 Iodide of Gold, . 
 Iodide of Bromine, 
 Iodide of Starch, 
 ] Instantaneous Daguerreotypes, 
 Illuminated Daguerreotypes, 
 
 Lime, Bromide of, . . . 8, 58, 59, 60 
 
 Lime, Iodide of, ..... 
 
 Lime, Chloride of, ..... 
 
 Lime, Hydrate of, .... . 
 
 Ltme Water, ...... 
 
 Lime Water Quick, ..... 
 
 Magnesia, Bromide of, 
 
 Mercury, Iodide of, . 
 
 Mercury, Aqueous Solution of Bichloride of, 
 
 Mercury, Solution Cyanide of, 
 
 10 
 
 39 
 
 59 
 
 72 
 
 85, 101 
 
 101 
 
 108, 109 
 
 38 
 39 
 83 
 84 
 112 
 Page 140 
 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 31, 65 
 64 
 89 
 97 
 25 
 18 
 23 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 24 
 63 
 107 
 115 
 
 61 62 
 23 
 33 
 57 
 54 
 53 
 
 11, 
 
 61 
 20 
 10 
 11 
 
 Mercury, used for developing the Daguerreian Image, 99 
 
144 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Mercury Process for Cleaning, 76 
 
 Muriate of Potassium, ..... 32 
 
 Muriatic Acid, . . , • . . . . 48 
 
 Neutralizing the Vapors of Clorine, Bromine, 
 
 and Iodine, . . . . . . 8!) 
 
 Potassium, Iodide of, . . . . . . 19 
 
 Potassium, Bromide of, .... 7 
 
 Potassium, Chloride of, ..... 32 
 
 Potassium, Cyanide of, 37, 73 
 
 Potassa Solution, ....... 82 
 
 Polishing the Daguerreotype Plate, ... 95 
 
 Plate, to Galvanize the Daguerreotype, . . 108, 109 
 
 Plate, process for making. .... 105 
 
 Petroleum, Acidulated White Oil of, . . . 42 
 
 Positions for taking Daguerreotype Portraits, . 98 
 
 Quicks, Dry, No. 1. Bromide of Lime and Starch, 60 
 
 Quick, No. 2. Bromide of Lime and Magnesia, 61 
 
 Reflectors for taking Views, .... 94 
 
 Rouge, 80 
 
 Rotten Stone, 81 
 
 Silver, Bromide of, 9 
 
 Silver, Chloride of, 36 
 
 Silver, Iodide of, . . . . . . . 21 
 
 Silvering Solution for Galvanizing, . . . 109 
 
 Specks, Solution for removing, .... 73 
 
 Solarized Daguerreotypes, how removed, . . 74 
 M. Soliels' Process for determining the time of ex- 
 posure of the Daguerreotype Plate in the 
 Camera, . . . . . . .106 
 
 Starch, Bromide of, 12, 60 
 
 Starch, Iodide of, ....... 63 
 
 To Purify Water for Daguerreotype Purposes, 75 
 
 Wax for Sealing Bottles, ..... 79 
 
 Wolcott's American Mixture, (Van Loan Quick,) 56 
 
 Weights and Measures, . . Page 139 
 
%J 
 
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