1856 222 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts.
1857 Business address not recorded, Worcester, Massachusetts.[1]
D. Chase of the partnership of Chase & Welch were recorded in four advertisement in the Worcester Daily Spy. (Worcester, Massachusetts). The first advertisement ran from July 26 to August 28, 1856. Special Notice. Re-Opened by a New Company.—The subscribers would respectfully inform the citizens of Worcester and vicinity, that they have purchased the Ambrotype Rooms in Foster’s Block, No. 222 Main Street, and will be in operation on and after Monday, July 28, 1856. In re-opening this beautiful suit of rooms, the proprietors are happy to announce to the citizens of Worcester and vicinity, that they have secured the services of Mr. Wm. Hathaway, as their Operator and Artist. Those wishing for pictures of themselves or friends, are respectfully informed that every picture emanating from the establishment will be warranted to give entire satisfaction. The Ambrotype has now become the prevailing style of Picture in all the principal cities of the Union. We shall, as soon as necessary arrangements can be made, be able to supply the public with all kinds of Photographic Pictures.
N.B. Ambrotypes at the same price of good Daguerreotypes. The public are respectfully invited to call and examine specimens. Chase & Welch. Wm. Hathaway, Artist
The second advertisement ran from November 4 to November 18, 1856. We would advise all who are in want of superior pictures of themselves or friends, to call at the rooms of Chase & Welsh, in Foster’s Block, 222 Main Street. We pronounce their pictures superior to those taken at any other establishment in the city. We have observed the beautiful pictures in their show case, and to say that they were most natural and lifelike, is to use a hackneyed expression; but no other would be appropriate in this case. Their pictures are bold and clear, and for brilliancy of tone and finish, we do not hesitate to say that they are superior to any other establishment in the city; and we would say to all, if you want a likeness that you will not be ashamed to look at, and show to your friends, call at their rooms, and you will not be disappointed. Their prices are very moderate, and their pictures will give entire satisfaction.
The third advertisement ran on November 13 & 14, 1856. Take Notice, that our friend Chase proposes to make single glass pictures. Why this condemnation to what he calls humbug!
The only place to procure the genuine improved Ambrotype on double glass, is at B. D. Maxham’s. He will tell you the truth and nothing but the truth; that in his opinion the Daguerreotype is far more durable, being composed entirely of mineral substances, whereas the Ambrotype is vegetable. As for the patent, it was given up six months since Mr. Cutting, as also was the use of gum. The only way to seal up a picture to make it permanent, is to seal them up in tin boxes, the same as sardines are sealed.
The fourth advertisement appeared on November 25, 1856. We see by the Spy of Nov. 18th, that B. D. Maxham wants the public to take notice that friend Chase proposes to make single pictures, and wants to know why this condecentson (Sic.) to what he calls humbug. I have never have called the single glass picture a humbug; what I call humbuging the community is, for a man professing what he does, to deceive the public by selling a single glass picture, and telling them that it is an Ambrotype, when he knows that it is not, and never can be an Ambrotype. He knows very well what constitutes an Ambrotype, and he knows that to make it an Ambrotype, it must be sealed between two plates of glass with Fir Balsam, or its equivalent. He knows that he has not a right to take the Ambrotype picture, and therefore cannot take them, but if he can deceive and impose upon the public by misrepresentation and deception, it will answer his base purpose. In his advertisement he says, that he will tell the truth and nothing but the truth, but he forgets to tell the whole truth for he says that the patent was given up some six months ago by Mr. Cutting, as also the use of gum. Now, if his object was not to deceive, why did he not tell that Mr. Cutting surrendered his patent and applied for re-issue and got it, against the combined forces of the Daguerreotypist, who brought every thing to bear against it which they possibly could, to break it down and prevent a re-issue, but it proved a decided failure. The government granted a re-issue covering the whole ground; and now, if he can dupe and deceive the public by telling them that his pictures are Ambrotypes, he will not hesitate to do it. Now where is the deception? why does he wish to impose upon the public by selling a spurious article for a genuine? Can there be any thing manly in this? Does this look like having a just regard for other people’s rights? I leave it with the public to decide, and will say that the only place where you can get a genuine Ambrotype, is at Chase & Welch’s rooms in Foster’s Block, No. 222 Main street. We have the exclusive right for taking Cutting’s patent Ambrotypes, for the City of Worcester, and all pictures emanating from any other room in the city, called Ambrotypes, are spurious and worthless. Chase & Welch.
D. Chase is recorded in other photographic directories as being active in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1857. In Craig’s Daguerreian Registry, John speculates that David Chase is the same person. David Chase was active in Clinton, Massachusetts and his information comes from History of the Origin of the Town of Clinton, Massachusetts 1653-1865 by Andrew E. Ford, 1896. Daguerrean Artists. P. 397. …David Chase, who had a stand in a little building on Church Street, near the present position of the Y. M. C. A. rooms, stayed here for a longer time. He was a good musician and an organizer of a brass band… Unfortunately no footnotes were used in the book. In reviewing the known newspapers published in Clinton the likely candidate is the Saturday Courant, published between 1850-1862.
[1] A Directory of Massachusetts Photographers 1839-1900.
Pioneer American Photographers, 1839 - 1860 