1855-1857       6 Union Building, Manchester, New Hampshire.

1855 September 1.  Granite Farmer And Visitor.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  September 1, 1855, Vol. VI, No. 35, P. 3.

The New Patent Ambrotypes And Mezzographs.  Messrs. J. A. (sic.) French, & Co., operating Department conducted by Mr. B. F. Hall, from the rooms of the celebrated Artists, Cutting & Baldwin (sic.) Boston.

Advertisement ran from September 1 to October 6, 1855.

1855 September 5.  The Union Democrat.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  September 5, 1855, Vol. 5, No. 242, P. 3.

The New Pictures!  Cutting’s Patent Ambrotype And Mezzographs!  Messrs. J. U. French, & Co., Rooms, No. 6, Union Building.

Operating Department Conducted by Mr. B. F. Hall, From the rooms of the celebrated artists, Cutting & Bowdoin, Boston.

Advertisement ran from September 5 to 17, 1855.

1856.  Manchester City Directory, Business Directory.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  1856. P. 177.

French, J. U. & Co., 6 Union Building.

1856 February 16.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  February 16, 1856, Vol. X, No. 2, P. 3.

Ambrotypes!  “See yourselves as others see you.”  If you want a perfect likeness, get one of Cutting’s Patent Ambrotypes.  They can be taken in cloudy weather as well as fair and in less than one fourth the time of a common daguerreotype; are much clearer and more lifelike—will never fade—and are better in every respect.

The Only Place In The City where they can be obtained is at No. 6 Union Building.

Pictures put up in Lockets, Rings, Pins, &c., with neatness and dispatch.

All Pictures warranted to give satisfaction. 

Prices ranging from One to Twelve Dollars.

Remember the place.  J. U. French & Co.  feb13.

Advertisement was recorded from February16 to August 13, 1856.

1856 September 27.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  September 27, 1856, Vol. XI, No. 38, P. 3.

Ne Plus Ultra.  J. U. French & Co., No. 6 Union Building, Elm Street, Have The Only Gallery In The County Where Ambrotype Pictures Can be obtained.  All others are only imitations of the genuine Ambrotypes.  Citizens and Visitors should bear this in mind, and call and examine for themselves.—French & Co. put up Ambrotypes & Ambrotypes, In all the customary forms of Frames, Cases and Lockets.

All pictures to give satisfaction, or no pay.  Re-Issue of the Ambrotype Patent.  The great merit of the Ambrotype Pictures has been most signally shown by the unite efforts of some of the principal Daguerreotypist to break down and prevent a re-issue of the Patent.  They have been defeated by the Government in their attempts and 2 new Patent has been issued, covering the entire claims of the Patentee, in making pictures on Glass, and hermetically sealing them between two plates of Glass, with Balsam of Fir or its equivalent, giving exceeding brilliancy and beauty of tone, which cannot be affected by the atmosphere, water, or acids, making it as enduring as the Glass in which it is secured.

The word Ambrotype, coined expressly to designate the picture, is also patented.  All persons, not having purchased the rights, that are making use of the term to sell a worthless imitation, taken on a single Glass, and covered with varnish and black paint will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The genuine Pictures all have the Patent stamp.  Cutting & Brown (sic.) [Bowdoin], Originators and Proprietors. 

Advertisement ran from September 27 to November 13, 1856.  

1856 September 30.  The Union Democrat.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  September 30, 1856, Vol. 6, No. 298, P. 3.

Ne Plus Ultra.  J. U. French & Co., No. 6 Union Building, Elm Street, Have The Only Gallery In The County Where Ambrotype Pictures Can be obtained.  All others are only imitations of the genuine Ambrotypes.  Citizens and Visitors should bear this in mind, and call and examine for themselves.—French & Co. put up Ambrotypes & Ambrotypes, In all the customary forms of Frames, Cases and Lockets.

All pictures to give satisfaction, or no pay.  Re-Issue of the Ambrotype Patent.  The great merit of the Ambrotype Pictures has been most signally shown by the unite efforts of some of the principal Daguerreotypist to break down and prevent a re-issue of the Patent.  They have been defeated by the Government in their attempts and 2 new Patent has been issued, covering the entire claims of the Patentee, in making pictures on Glass, and hermetically sealing them between two plates of Glass, with Balsam of Fir or its equivalent, giving exceeding brilliancy and beauty of tone, which cannot be affected by the atmosphere, water, or acids, making it as enduring as the Glass in which it is secured.

The word Ambrotype, coined expressly to designate the picture, is also patented.  All persons, not having purchased the rights, that are making use of the term to sell a worthless imitation, taken on a single Glass, and covered with varnish and black paint will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The genuine Pictures all have the Patent stamp.  Cutting & Brown (sic.) [Bowdoin], Originators and Proprietors. 

Advertisement ran from September 30 to October 14, 1856. 

1856 November 25.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  November 25, 1856, Vol. XI, No. 87, P. 2.

It seems by the daily papers that Mr. Brown ad Mr. Hopkins are obliged to discuss the durability of their pictures—say nothing of merits, and Mr. French & Co. seem determined to patent the Greek language, but I would inform the public that at Goddard’s rooms, Smyth’s Block, they can get a picture either Ambrotype or Daguerreotype, that will speak for itself.  Call and see his 50c cases.

Advertisement ran from November 25 to December 5, 1856.

1856 December 23.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  December 23, 1856, Vol. XI, No. 111, P. 3.

Gifts For The Holidays!  All those who are looking for Christmas And New Tear’s Presents, Will bear in mind that one of French’s Beautiful and Life-Like Ambrotypes, Would be the most acceptable gift you could make; especially when put up either in one of his splendid new-style cases, or one of those beautiful Gold Pins or Lockets, which he is selling very cheap or the occasion.

The only Ambrotype Gallery in the City.  No. 6, Union Building, J. U. French & Co.

Advertisement ran from December 23 to 31, 1856.

1857 January 1.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  January 1, 1857, Vol. XI, No. 118, P. 3.

Something New.  The Subscriber is now prepared to furnish the public with those new and beautiful pictures, styled “Enamelled Photographs.”  They are taken on fine canvass and resemble a nice painted portrait and are as durable; and a much more correct likeness can be obtained in this way.  They are suitable for sending to a distance, as you can enclose them in a letter and send them to any distance without injury, and they can be furnished for the low price of Fifty cents, or as low as the lowest , ad as good as the best.

Pictures put up in all their various styles, sizes, and prices.  J. U. French, No. 6 Union Building.

Advertisement ran from January 1 to February 26, 1857.

1857 March 14.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  March 14, 1857, Vol. XII, No. 24, P. 2.

Take Notice.  The undersigned, Daguerreotypers of Manchester, will for the future charge from one to three dollars, according to size, for putting pictures in cases bought of Pedlars, so that they will cost at least twenty-five cents more than the same cases and pictures bought at any rooms in the City.  F. A. Brown, F. D. Hopkins, J. U. French & Co., R. A. Miller, A. H. Snow, J. Goddard.

Advertisement ran from March 14 to 17, 1857.

1857 March 31.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  March 31, 1857, Vol. XII, No. 39, P. 3.

J. U. French & Co. Call attention to their increased facilities for supplying the public with Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes and Photographs.  They have now re-fitted their Rooms, and it should be remembered, theirs is the only gallery in the city where Genuine Ambrotypes Can be obtained.  Their Daguerreotypes will also compare favorably with any produced elsewhere,  they have also in operation a complete apparatus for taking Enameled Photographs!  In the best style.  Their whole apparatus is in excellent order.  Call and examine specimens, at No. 6 Union Building, opposite Merchants’ Exchange.  J. U. French & Co.

Advertisement ran from March 31 to May 14, 1857.

1857 May 16.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  May 16, 1857, Vol. XII, No. 78, P. 3.

Melainotypes!  Great Improvements in Picture Taking.  J. U. French & Co.  Wish to announce to the public that this is the only establishment in the city where the new and beautiful variety of pictures, called “Melainotypes,” can be obtained.

These pictures, by a new invention, are taken upon Sheet Iron, which has been expressly prepared for the purpose, and then enameled; and the style constitutes, in many important features, a great improvement on all other methods of taking pictures.  For durability, there is no question of their superiority—They will receive a fall without a fracture; a bend without injury; may be washed off when soiled; be handled without the the face being marred, unless abused by such handling as would deface the best oil painting, and are more suitable for lockets than either Daguerreotypes or Ambrotypes.

They have now excellent facilities for putting up in the best style, and are prepared to furnish the public with superior pictures of this kind; and also, as heretofore, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, And Photographs.

This is the only Gallery where the Genuine Ambrotypes can be obtained.  Melainotypes and Photographs furnished for Fifty Cents Each!  J. U. French & Co.  No. 6 Union Building, Opposite Merchants’ Exchange.

Advertisement ran from May 16 to July 25, 1857.

1857 July 24.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  July 24, 1857, Vol. XII, No. 136, P. 3.

Ambrotypes!  Melainotypes!  Daguerreotypes and Photographs!!  At J. U. French & Co.’s Gallery, No. 6, Union Building, (opposite Merchants’ Ex.)

For firmness of tone and beauty of finish, our Ambrotypes excel any that can be taken in this city.  Call and examine our specimens and see for yourselves.

Pictures taken as cheap as the cheapest, and warranted equal to the best.  J. U. French & Co.

Advertisement ran from July 24 to August 14, 1857.

1857 August 14.  Manchester Daily Mirror.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  August 14, 1857, Vol. XII, No. 154, P. 4.

Letter from New York.—No. 8.  From our New York Correspondent.  Mr. Babbinger has his daguerreotype and bids farewell to Manchester.  New York, Aug, 11, 1857.

Dear Mirror:—I am home.  Congratulate me.  But before leaving Manchester to find this end of the journey, my friends expressed a desire to have a keepsake, and therefore nothing must suit but that I give them a daguerreotype.  We left High street and were not long in finding the spacious rooms of Messrs. J. U. French & Co., No. 6, Union Building (opposite Merchants’ Exchange).—Upon being ushered into their parlor, I was surprised at the many works of art scattered around the rooms.  A gentleman who commanded a distinguishing degree of suavity (I see their advertisement in the Daily Mirror) approach me, and ask the size I preferred.  They had cases from a square inch to a square foot, and I suppose can manufacture them a square yard if required.  They could give a picture on glass, leather, sheet iron, steel, platinum, black board, canvass, or anything else.  As regards cases, their assortment include velvet, leather, gutta-percha, and wood of all sorts.  I had but little to say about it, and therefore, a square inch case, of gutta-percha, and a glass were set aside to receive in an everlasting style, my features.

In the operating room the Co. of the concern took me, and I was deposited without let or hinderance. A phrenological thing with two feelers was set against the rear of my cranium, to make me stay put—and “now Mr. Babbinger.” Said the Co., “hold your head up like a man, and look at this (see muzzle of the camera in daguerreotype).—Don’t wink, don’t sneeze, don’t look sour, but look natural and pleasant.”  He retired behind the curtain, and I commenced to look pleasant,—succeeded with the exception of two winks, and one time I sneezed—notwith-stand his admonition not to sneeze.

He took my newself into a room painted black and soon emerged thence.  It was a success, and so pleased was Mr. Co. that three more were taken, but for what purpose I have never ascertained.  The best one can be seen by those desirous to see my plaintive cast of countenance, at No. 0012 High St.

Let me remark, in leaving, That French & Co., understand their business,—good company they always keep, as here I met the Editor of the prominent paper in Manchester, and others.

Good-buy, Manchester—good-bye, mills,—girls—Bedford—Hanover St. Church,—Daguerreotype Saloons, and apothecary shops,—Farewell, noble warriors of the “Antique and Horrible Regiment”—Miss Perrywinkle and Ganges if you have tears to shed, shed them now.  And in short let me say to the most learned Judges, Senators elect, editors, friends private, and acquaintances, in the busy whirl of political life, au revoir.  When you call upon your friends in New York, remember I should be pleased to meet you at 4444 Manhattan Island.

When I arrived in New York, two days after the above, I was home-sick and glad to read the newspaper and there discovered that the world had not ceased its untiring roll in my absence.

In my next I will give a resume of the prominent news of the past few weeks ad teach your Hodge Podge a lesson.  Peleg Q. C. Babbiger, Manhattan Island.

1859 October 11.  The Union Democrat.  (Manchester, New Hampshire.)  October 11, 1859, Vol. 9, No. 456, P. 3.

Ambrotypes!  Now is your time to get a Good Picture For 25 Cents. At No. 6 Union Building, opposite Merchants’ Exchange, Either Ambrotype Or Melainotype, And warranted to fit.  J. U. French.

Advertisement ran from October 11 to December 27, 1859.