Monthly Archives: July 2017

John Plumbe, Jr.

Daguerreotypes, , ,

 

The following is a description of John Plumbe’s gallery in New York that I just found and wanted to share. All I can think of is how incredible and amazing this would have been to see.  Hundreds of daguerreotypes exhibited from floor to ceiling, of some of the most recognizable people of their time.  If we could travel back in time it would be amazing to walk into his gallery and see hundreds of daguerreotypes of this caliber, I personably would be blown away.  I’ve seen some great exhibitions over the years but I think this would have been right up there with the best.  All spelling and punctuation remain the same as in the newspaper article.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle and Kings County Democrat.  (Brooklyn, New York.)  July 2, 1846, Vol. 5, No. 160, P. 1.

Visit to Plumbe’s Gallery.  Among the “lions” of the great American metropolis, New York city, is the Picture Gallery at the upper corner of Murray street and Broadway, commonly known as Plumbe’s Daguerreotype establishment.  Puffs etc., out of the question, this is certainly a great establishment!  You will see more life there—more variety, more human nature, more artistic beauty, (for what created thing can surpass that masterpiece of physical perfection, the human face?) than in any spot we know of.  The crowds continually coming and going—the fashionable belle, the many distinguished men, the idler, the children—these alone are enough to occupy a curious train of attention.  But they are not the first thing.  To us, the pictures address themselves before all else.

What a spectacle!  In whichever direction you turn your peering gaze, you see nought but human faces!  There they stretch, from floor to ceiling—hundreds of them.  Ah! What tales might those pictures tell, if their mute lips had the power of speech!  How romance, then, would be infinitely outdone by fact.  Here is one, now—a handsome female, apparently in a bridal dress.  She was then, perhaps, just married.  Her husband has brought her to get her likeness; and a fine one he must have had, if this is a correct duplicate of it.  Is he yet the same tender husband?  Another, near by, is the miniature of an aged matron, on whose head many winters have deposited their snowy semblance.—But what a calm serene bearing!  How graceful she looks in her old age!

Even as you go in by the door, you see the withered features of a man who has occupied the proudest place on earth; you see the bald head of John Quincy Adams, and those eyes of dimmed but still quenchless fire.  There too, is the youngest of the Presidents, Mr. Polk.  From the same case looks out the massive face of Senator Benton.  Who is one of his nearest neighbors?  No one less than the Storm-King of the piano, De Meyer.  Likewise Chancellor Kent and Alexander H. Everett.

Perico’s statuary of the drooping Indian girl, and the mail figure up-bearing a globe, is in an adjoining frame, true as the marble itself.  Thence, too, beams down the napoleon-looking oval face of Ole Bull, with his great dreamy eyes.  Among others in the same connection, (and an odd connection, enough!) are Mrs. Polk, her niece Miss Walker, marble the comedian, Mayor Mickle, George Vandenhoff, Mrs. Tyler, and Mr. Buen, a most venerable white-haired ancient, (we understand, just dead!)  On another part of the wall, you may see Mrs. J. C. Calhoun, the venerable Mesdames Hamilton and Madison, and Miss. Alice Tyler.  There, also, are Mike Walsh—Robert Owen, with his shrewd Scotch face, but benevolent look—Horace Greely—[the] “pirate” Babe—Grant Thorburn—Audubon, the ornithologist, a fiery–eyed old man—Mr. Plumbe himself.  Besides these, of course, are hundreds of others.  Indeed, it is little else on all sides of you, than a great legion of human faces—human eyes gazing silently but fixedly upon you, and creating the impression of an immense Phantom concourse—speechless and motionless, but yet realities.  You are indeed in a new world—a peopled world, though mute as the grave.  We don’t know how it is with others, but we could spend days in that collection, and find enough enjoyment in the thousand human histories, involved in those daguerreotypes.

There is always, to us, a strange fascination in portraits.  We love to dwell long upon them—to infer many things, from the text they preach—to pursue the current of thoughts running riot about them.  It is singular what a peculiar influence is possessed by the eye of a well painted miniature or portrait.—It has a sort of magnetism.  We have miniatures in our possession, which we have often held, and gazed upon the eyes in them, for the half-hour!  An electric chain seems to vibrate, as it were, between our brain, and him or her preserved there so well by the limner’s cunning.  Time, space, both are annihilated, and we identify the semblance with the reality.—And even more than that.  For the strange fascination of looking at the eyes of a portrait, sometimes goes beyond what comes from the real orbs themselves.

Plumbe’s beautiful and multifarious pictures all strike you, (whatever their various peculiarities) with their naturalness, and the life-look of the eye—that soul of the face!  In all his vast collection, many of them thrown in hap-hazard, we notice not one that has dead eye.  Of course this is a surpassing merit.  Nor is it unworthy of notice, that the building is fitted up by him in many ranges of rooms, each with a daguerrian operator; and not merely as one single room, with one operator, like other places have.  The greatest emulation is excited; and persons or parties having portraits taken, retain exclusive possession of one room, during the time.

Frederick N. Hughes; and the Hughes Brothers. (Frederick N. & C. C.)

Ambrotypes, Daguerreotypes, Photographs, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Activity:

1849-1851       83 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York

1852                Hines Hotel, Fayetteville, Tennessee.

1852                Union Street, Nashville, Tennessee.

1854-1855       59 College Street, Nashville, Tennessee.

1854-1858       26 Union Street, Nashville, Tennessee.

1857                46 Public Square, over Hicks’ China Hall, Nashville, Tennessee.

 

John Craig in his Craig’s Daguerreian Registry list Frederick N. Hughes in New York City from 1849-1851.  To date no articles or advertisements have been found in the New York Daily Tribune or The Evening Post in addition none of the suburban New York papers that have been search have revealed anything. C. C. Hughes reported by Craig was also in New York City from 1851 to 1853. 1851 at 271 Bleecker Street; 1852-1853 at 4 Ames Street; and he speculates that in 1854 that Cyril Hughes is the same person and a daguerreian at 201 east 21st Street.  Like his brother no additional articles or advertisements have been found in the New York papers.

On March 11, 1852 an advertisement places Frederick in Fayetteville, Tennessee taking daguerreotypes at the Hines Hotel, which was on or near the Public Square.  It appears by the number of times that he has advertised that he made at least three visits to Fayetteville in 1852.  The first series of advertisements were on March 11 and on the 18th.  His second visit in which he advertised was on April 29, and his third visit from July 15 through August 5, 1852.  On November 18 he advertises that he has permanently relocated to Union Street in Nashville.

The first advertisement for F. N. Hughes found in the Nashville papers is not until October 31, 1854 in an advertisement for the Hughes Brothers Daguerrean Artists and Daguerreotype Stock Dealers.  It is learned from that advertisement that they purchase the Gallery from Dobyns & Co.  “The subscribers have the honor to inform their numerous friends, that owing to an increase of business they have purchased the Rooms lately occupied by Dobyns & Co.”  C. C. Hughes is listed on Union Street, over Streetch & Orr’s.  F. N. Hughes is listed at 59 College Street with the note (late Dobyns & Co.)  Hughes is not listed in any of the Advertisements for Dobyns, in fact an advertisement appears that list Dobyns’ Galleries and his partnerships.  They go on to say that our galleries are fitted up in a neat style, with powerful Sky-Lights…and in the Union Gallery they have a beautiful Piano for the use of the Ladies.

The Dobyns advertisement appeared on August 17, 1853 and ran until January 15, 1854 in the Nashville Union and American newspaper.

Daguerrean Stock And Picture Establishment.

Dobyns & Yearout, Nashville, Tennessee, College Street

Dobyns & Hall, Louisville, Ky.

Dobyns, Richardson & Morssewet, sic. Moissenet, New York City

Dobyns & Spaulding, St. Louis, Mo.

Dobyns & Yearout, Memphis, Tenn.

Dobyns & Harrington, New Orleans, Louisiana

At any of the above establishments, you can procure as fine Pictures as can be had in any city, of any desired style or finish, as we have every improvement, and expect to keep up with any and all improvements.  We are prepared in either city to furnish artists with every article used in the art.  Our arrangements are such, we can furnish stock on the most reasonable terms.

N.B.—Pictures taken in any kind of Weather. Dobyns & Co.

While we’re talking about Thomas Jefferson Dobyns, the following first names or initials of his partners follows.  Nicholas Hall; William H. Harrington; Felix Moissenet; V. L. Richardson; J. M. Spalding; and John T. Yearout.  Two other advertisements related to Dobyns in Nashville are worth mentioning on October 16, 1853 we learn that Edwin Church has accompanied Dobyns from New York to run the Nashville Gallery.  Then on September 3, 1854 the following notice appears—The Copartnership heretofore existing under the firm of Dobyns & Church and Dobyns & Co., is dissolved.  No one is authorized to collect debts of the concern but Mr. J. T. Yearout.          T. J. Dobyns.

Curious no announcements were located in the Nashville newspapers announcing this partnership.  Yearout was in charge of the Nashville and Memphis galleries prior to Church’s arrival and evidently charged with settling the accounts and disposing of the gallery.

In another advertisement for the Hughes Brothers that appeared on November 1, 1854 and ran until September 8, 1855 they added that they also have a powerful side and sky lights, the only ones in the city…In an advertisement in the Nashville Union and American that ran on September 9 to October 16, 1855 they now list themselves as photographic and daguerrean artists, and dealers in daguerreotype stock and apparatus. The same advertisement ran in the Daily Nashville True Whig from September 10 to November 27, 1855 and is the last time the 59 College Street address was listed.

Reported in the Daily Nashville True Whig on October 11, 1855.  The first annual Mechanics Fair of the Mechanics Institute closed on Saturday night, after having been the center of attraction to citizens and strangers for a week…Of daguerreotypes, specimens were exhibited by Messrs. Hughes Brothers and C. C. Giers, and of photographs by the former gentlemen.  These were highly finished specimens, and such as may be produced at the establishments of the exhibitors… The following day October 12 the list of Premiums appeared.

Class 26—Daguerreotypes, Photographs and Apparatus.

Hughes Brothers, daguerreotypes and photographs…..Diploma.

  1. C. Giers, daguerreotypes……………………………2nd class Diploma.
  2. McLain, daguerreotypes……………………………Honorable Mention.

On January 30, 1856 they start advertising themselves as ambrotype, photographic and daguerrean artists at 26 Union Street, Nashville.  They go on and elaborate ambrotypes, photographs, plain or colored in oil, and warranted as permanent as any other style of painting.  Daguerreotypes, stereoscopic, crayon or vignette, and every other style of pictures taken at this establishment.

They go on to say in the next paragraph that they recently introduced the ambrotype to Nashville and that they have become so popular that they have at great expense secured the services of a celebrated New York artist to attend to this branch of the business exclusively.  No name was ever mentioned in any of the advertisements associated with the Hughes Brothers to determine who this was.

On October 26, 1856 the premiums were announced for the second annual exhibition of the Mechanics’ Institute held on October 13 through 20.

Class No. 6—Marble Work, Paintings, Drawing, Daguerreotypes, Etc.

W. & E. S. Dodge, Nashville, Miniatures on Ivory………………………………5

W. & E. S. Dodge, Nashville, Photographs, plain and colored…………. 5

Larcomb, Nashville, Ambrotypes……………………………………………………….5

Hughes Brothers, Nashville, Daguerreotypes……………………………………5

A side note J. W. Dodge is John Wood Dodge (1807-1893) and E. S. Dodge is possibly Edward Samuel Dodge (1816-1857).  It is not known if there is any relation between the two men.  John Wood Dodge is identified through a website as being in Nashville.  Both are miniaturist John Wood is also described as a dioramist.  In researching both men in The New-York Historical Society’s Dictionary of Artists in America 1564–1860. There is no mention of either one being in Tennessee.  John Craig records in his Craig’s Daguerreian Register Edward Samuel Dodge as a miniature painter in New York City and Poughkeepsie and a Daguerrean in Richmond, Virginia in 1844, and in August, Georgia, between 1850-1853 and possibly earlier.  He sold his gallery in November with the intention to retire.  Craig does not document John Wood Dodge in his Registry.  Advertisements do indicate a partnership of Dodge & Wenderoth in 1855-1856.  On September 29, 1855 an advertisement in The Daily Nashville True Whig announces that they are in St. Louis, Missouri making Photographic Miniature Portraits, (crystalotype likenesses) and that they will be in Nashville in October for a short stay.  August Wenderoth is also a miniature painter.  The last advertisement for the partnership appeared on August 2, 1856.   A little over two months before the second annual exhibition of the Mechanics Institute Fair.

On November 23, 1856 the Hughes Brothers start to advertise that they are making colored ambrotypes and melainotypes for 50 cents.  Put up in first rate style, including case.  Others are charging one dollar, we will take for fifty cents and large ones $1.00. On December 5th they drop their price to forty-five cents.

In the Nashville Union and American on April 14, 1857, J. W. Dodge announces that he has sold his rooms, apparatus, and materials to the Hughes Brothers and plans to reside permanently at his home in Cumberland County.  He takes great pleasure in recommending them as his successors.  He goes on to say that they are gentlemen of skill and experience in their profession and have engaged a corps of artists of superior abilities.

No advertisements appear for J. W. Dodge for his photographic business or for a partnership with E. S. Dodge before or after the 1856 fair, and no death notice was located for E. S. Dodge who died on April 6, 1847.  There are a couple of article and an advertisements for a J. W. Dodge in Cumberland County that are unrelated to photography but are relevant.  On October 18, 1856 at the same fair he is awarded a premium for his display of apples. Pronounced the finest ever seen by all.  On October 22 an announcement that his apples will be sold at auction to-night at 8 P. M.  On November 15th in an article entitled Cumberland Mountain—Fine Fruit And Vegetables.  Which talks about the agricultural resources and access to the Cumberland Mountains and J. W. Dodge.  In this article the possibility that this is the same person changes to probably with the one sentence…Our clever artist friend, J. W. Dodge, Esq.  On December 28, 1856 Dodge advertises that he is selling a tract of land in the Cumberland Mountains.  In this advertisement it is confirms that this is the same person.  A plat of the land can be seen at my painting rooms, over Hick’s China Hall on the square.

The Fourth Annual Fair of the Mechanics’ Institute of Tennessee announced the list of awards on October 22, 1857 where the Hughes Brothers are given a diploma for their photographs, ambrotypes, melainotypes and sphereotypes.  They are the only photographers listed as having an award this year.  (*this should be the third not fourth fair.)

They continue to advertise without mentioning daguerreotypes until January 23, 1858 this advertisement ran until June 3.  A Great Rush!  Hughes Brothers, melainotypes, ambrotypes, photographic and daguerrean artist.  It’s always interesting to see how the daguerreotype is referred to after the introduction of the ambrotype.  Most of the time photographers advertising that they are now taking ambrotypes down play or should I say that they are vehemently opposed to the daguerreotype, they say almost like it’s a caned response in their argument that the daguerreotype is of an inferior quality, they complain about the reflection, and the fact that they are reversed, and that they fade, etc. The argument most photographers give is that the ambrotype is superior, it can be seen in any light, and the tones are richer.  It is refreshing to see that the Hughes Brothers did not use this tactic they continue to offer all processes.

Hughes Brothers, were listed together until 1858.  The last article for the Hughes Brothers was on May 8, 1858 in the Nashville Patriot.  And announce that they have been engaged to execute the likenesses of the delegates and Bishops of the M. E. Church General Conference now in session in Nashville, for the purpose of a steel engraving.

Frederick N. Hughes does not appear in the Nashville newspapers after the June 3d Advertisement.  C. C. Hughes appears through 1859 and continues in business into 1861 in Nashville according to Craig.