Category Archives: Lecturer

Davis, Ari

Daguerreian Stock and Materials, Lecturer, , ,

1839-1841       11 Cornhill, Boston, Massachusetts.[1]

1842                19 Court Sq., Boston, Massachusetts.1

1843                75 Court, Boston, Massachusetts.1

1844-1845       Business Address Unknown, Boston, Massachusetts.1  

1811 May 18.  Vital Records of Princeton, Massachusetts.

Born May 18, 1811 to Daniel & Lydia Davis.

1838-1845.  Boston City Directories.  Boston, Massachusetts.

Philosophical Instrument Maker.

1840 June 9.  Boston Daily Evening Transcript.  (Boston, Massachusetts.)  June 9, 1840, N. P.

Daguerreotype apparatus, of every variety, and of variety superior quality, for sale at the very low price of $25 a set, by A. Davis, No. 11 Cornhill.

Advertisement ran from June 9 to June 23, 1840

1841 April 2.  Lowell Advertiser.  (Lowell, Massachusetts.)  April 2, 1841, Vol. 5, No. 113, P. 2.

We would call attention to the Lecture advertised in another column, at the City Hall, by Mr. A. Davis, on the Daguerreotype, this evening.  Mr. Davis is the gentleman who lectured, a few evenings since, before the institute, on Electro-Magnestism, to the great satisfaction of the audience.  It may be presumed that the proposed Lecture will be exceedingly interesting, as the subject is one of universal interest; and may be expected to be properly handled.

The public will please take due notice, and govern themselves accordingly.

1841 April 2.  Lowell Advertiser.  (Lowell, Massachusetts.)  April 2, 1841, Vol. 5, No. 113, P. 3.

Daguerreotype Apparatus.  The subscriber having been engaged for some time in constructing Daguerreotype Apparatus, as brought it to a high degree of perfection, and as those who have purchased his apparatus have been eminently successful in obtaining solar paintings, he offers it to the public with much confidence.  He has modified somewhat the apparatus, as described by Daguerre, and has rendered it more portable, lighter and more elegant, and as every part of it is put together with his patent dove-tailing machine, it insures strength and tightness in every portion of the apparatus, and effectually prevents all warping and cracking.  He also affords it cheaper than any other person can make it.

To those who have never seen solar painting, it may be proper to say, that no description can convey any idea of their beauty, accuracy, and wonderful minuteness.  It can be applied to every object on which the rays of light (sun-light is not necessary) can be made to fall; landscape, buildings, paintings, engravings, statuary, miniatures, &c. &c., may be copied in a few minutes, with an accuracy that no draughtsman could ever attain. 

The process is simple; it requires no acquaintance with Chemistry, and no knowledge of drawing, for the light engraves itself upon the prepared plate, and it may be performed by any one by following the process which is fully described in a pamphlet accompanying each set of apparatus.  As some have no idea of the case with which it may be done, it may be well to give a hasty sketch of it.

The drawings are made upon plates of copper silvered on one side.  The plate, previously polished, is first exposed to the action of iodine in the box marked A; in 3 or 4 minutes it is sufficiently coated.  It is than exposed, for a few minutes, to the image of whatever object we with to copy in the camera marked B.  It is next placed in the box C.  in the bottom of which is a small cup containing mercury is heated until the thermometer indicates the degree mentioned in the pamphlet, and rising in vapor covers the plate the plate wherever the light has faded off the iodine.  It is afterward washed with salt and water, and the process is complete.  The picture may be preserved an indefinite length of time without change.

For colleges or academies, and all public lectures, this forms one of the most interesting experiments that can be exhibited to an audience; the process requires but about 15 minutes in a bright day to complete it, and the result being o all so surprising and beautiful, that it never fails to excite the greatest interest.  The theory of it also is elegant and in the greatest interest.  The theory of it also is elegant and ingenious.

The price for a complete set is $25.00.  Orders from any part of the country, accompanied by the money, will be immediately executed.

Plates, polishing powder, & c. &c.. Always on hand.  Apply to A. Davis, No. 11 Cornhill, Boston, Mass.  Remember Mr. Davis’s Lecture on the daguerreotype this evening at the City Hall. 

1841 April 2.  Lowell Advertiser.  (Lowell, Massachusetts.) April 2, 1841, Vol. 5, No. 113, P. 3.

Lecture at City Hall, Thursday Evening, April 2, At 7½ O’clock.  By Mr. A. Davis, Of Boston.

On the Daguerreotype, at 7½ o’clock, when the principles of the Daguerreotype apparatus will be explained and the manner of using it clearly illustrated in taking likenesses of individuals, or any object in nature or art, it will be clearly shown, that by this operation exact imitations must necessarily be produced, the Daguerreotype having recently been essentially improved by Mr. Plumbe, making the production still more perfect; he, together with Mr. Davis feel additional confidence in their ability to satisfy the demands and expectations of the curious.

N. B. During the afternoon from 4 to 6 o’clock previous to the Lecture, a view or portrait will be taken at the City Hall, when those holding tickets of admission to the Lecture, will be afforded an opportunity of seeing the apparatus and the process of using it.

Gentlemen’s Tickets, 25 cents; Ladies’ Tickets, 12½ cts. May be had at the Bookstores, at Carletons’ and of the Librarian, at the Mechanics’ Hall, and at the door.  March 29, 1841.

[1] A Directory Of Massachusetts Photographers 1839-1900.

Mr. Long

Daguerreotypes, Lecturer, ,

1840                Hall of The Augusta House, Augusta, Maine.

Mr. Long was recorded in one announcement that appeared on June 13, 1840 in the Gospel Banner (Augusta, Maine).  The Daguerreotype.  Mr. Long, a competent lecturer, is in this place, and delivered a lecture and gave an exhibition on the Daguerreotype art at the Hall of the Augusta House on Monday last.  In consequence of a misunderstanding amongst our citizens, the day not being supposed to be sufficiently pleasant for the exhibition, the attendance was small.  He proposes to repeat the lecture and exhibition at the same place, this (Saturday) P. M. at 2 o’clock.  Tickets 25 cents each.  Those who were present on Monday are invited to be present again at that time gratuitously.

We have had some conversation with Mr. Long and are satisfied that his lecture must be highly interesting and valuable, as exhibiting many important facts in natural Philosophy.  The pictures taken are to the very life.  Nothing can be so perfect.  Even images impressed upon the plate, which are, in the distance, to small to be minutely examined by the naked eye, will, by an application of the microscope, be enlarged and then every minute feature of the original will be distinctly seen .  Nearer objects, of course, appear perfect.  The exhibition is worthy of patronage.

Mr. Long (first name is unknown) is not recorded in other photographic directories as being active in Maine.

George C. Wood

Daguerreotypes, Lecturer, , ,

1850                Address Unknown, Boonville, Missouri.

George C. Wood appeared in one article on October 30, 1850 in the Democratic Banner  (Bowling Green, Missouri).  Itinerant Scamp.—For some weeks past one George C. Wood has been lecturing the people of Boonville on the subject of Phrenology and taking Daguerreotype portraits.  Indeed his “name has been in the papers” of that city and he seems to have been quite a lion.  It suddenly turns out however that he is a great scamp—that he had left his own wife and run off with the wife of a Mr. Larned of Tecumseh, Michigan.  Mr. Wood hearing this information had reached Boonville, suddenly decamped—leaving the editors and citizens who had toasted him, in a nice p-h-i-x!  So much for a hasty endorsement of a stranger.—[Mo. Statesman.

George C. Wood is not recorded in other photographic directories as being active in Boonville, Missouri.  Craig’s Daguerreian Registry does record a George C. Wood who was active in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1851-1852.