1845-1850 201 Broadway, New York, New York.
1852 201 Broadway, New York, New York.
1855-1856 264 Broadway, New York, New York.
18571861 411 Broadway, New York, New York.
1845 April 7. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) April 7, 1845, Vol. XI, No. 96, Whole No. 4058, P. 3.
Voigtaender’s Daguerreotype Apparatus. Arrangements recently made with their brother-in-law, Mr. Voigtlaender, Vienna, enable the subscribers to sell those Apparatus at reduced prices, viz:–
Largest size Apparatus, with three inch lenses for full size plates, at $145.
Medium size Apparatus, with two inch lenses for half size plates, at $78.
Small size Apparatus, with one-and-a-half inch lens for quarter size plates, at $50.
Gentlemen sending remittances in accordance with the above prices, may depend upon receiving the genuine Voigtlaender Apparatus, and not a worthless imitation article, they having procured the sole agency for the United States.
Plates and Chemicals, of their own importation, as well as all other articles connected with their art, for sale at lowest market price. Philadelphia Exchange. W. A. F. Langenheim.
Referring to the above advertisement, the subscribers inform the Daguerrean Artists in general that the above Apparatus and other materials can be procured to the stated prices, at their Daguerrean Atelier, No. 201 Broadway, New York. Langenheim & Beckers.
Advertisement ran from April 7 to May 3, 1845.
1845 May 13. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) May 13, 1845, Vol. XI, No. 131, Whole No. 4093, P. 3.
Voigtaender’s Daguerreotype Apparatus. Arrangements recently made with their brother-in-law, Mr. Voigtlaender, Vienna, enable the subscribers to sell those Apparatus at reduced prices, viz:–
Largest size Apparatus, with three inch lenses for full size plates, at $145.
Medium size Apparatus, with two inch lenses for half size plates, at $78.
Small size Apparatus, with one-and-a-half inch lens for quarter size plates, at $50.
Gentlemen sending remittances in accordance with the above prices, may depend upon receiving the genuine Voigtlaender Apparatus, and not a worthless imitation article, they having procured the sole agency for the United States.
Plates and Chemicals, of their own importation, as well as all other articles connected with their art, for sale at lowest market price. Philadelphia Exchange. W. A. F. Langenheim.
Referring to the above advertisement, the subscribers inform the Daguerrean Artists in general that the above Apparatus and other materials can be procured to the stated prices, at their Daguerrean Atelier, No. 201 Broadway, New York. Langenheim & Beckers.
Advertisement ran from May 13, to June 27, 1845.
1845 July 3. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) July 3, 1845, Vol. XI, No. 181, Whole No. 4043, P. 3.
Voigtlaender’s Daguerreotype Apparatus. Arrangements recently made with their brother-in-law, Mr. Voigtlaender, Vienna, enable the subscribers to sell those Apparatus at reduced prices, viz:–
Largest size Apparatus, with three inch lenses for full size plates, at $145.
Medium size Apparatus, with two inch lenses for half size plates, at $78.
Small size Apparatus, with one-and-a-half inch lens for quarter size plates, at $50.
Gentlemen sending remittances in accordance with the above prices, may depend upon receiving the genuine Voigtlaender Apparatus, and not a worthless imitation article, they having procured the sole agency for the United States.
Plates and Chemicals, of their own importation, as well as all other articles connected with their art, for sale at lowest market price. Philadelphia Exchange. W. A. F. Langenheim.
Referring to the above advertisement, the subscribers inform the Daguerrean Artists in general that the above Apparatus and other materials can be procured to the stated prices, at their Daguerrean Atelier, No. 201 Broadway, New York. Langenheim & Beckers.
Advertisement ran from July 3 to August 27, 1845.
1845 October 5. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) October 5, 1845, Vol. XI, No. 254, Whole No. 4136, P. 3.
Daguerreotype General Furnishing Establishment And Agency For The Sale Of Voigtlaender’s Apparatus. Besides a new supply of the above Apparatus, the subscribers have received best Plates, Chemicals and Polishing substances, and the newest improvements in the Art. Instructions given in the Art, and orders from every part of the country promptly attended to, by addressing (post-paid) to W. & F. Langenheim, Philadelphia Exchange. Langenheim & Beckers, New York, 201 Broadway.
Advertisement ran from October 5 to January 5, 1856.
1845 October 30. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) October 30, 1845, Vol. XI, No. 279, Whole No. 4151, P. 3.
Improvement In Daguerreotype. By a Mathematically Correct Mirror the subscribers are now Producing Portraits without reversing the image, showing the parting of hair, watch chains, finger rings, &c., precisely as they are worn; but what is more important their portraits cannot fail to be in every respect correct likenesses, whereas, in the usual mode of Daguerreotyping it is impossible to obtain a perfectly correct portrait of any one, they being reversed.
N. B.—Our pictures, taken with this instrument, were awarded a Silver Medal by the American Institute, at its late fair. Langenheim & Beckers, 201 Broadway.
The only agents in the United States for Voigtlaindes Instruments, are W. & F. Langenheim, Philadelphia, and Langenheim & Beckers, New York.
Advertisement ran from October 30 to November 9, 1845.
1846 January 10. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) January 10, 1846, Vol. XII, No. 9, Whole No. 4222, P. 3.
Daguerreotype Several Furnishing Establishments and Sole Agency for the sale of Voigtlaender’s Apparatus.
The genuine Voigtlaender Apparatus, also the best plates, Chemicals, Polishing Materials and Morocco Cases, &c., &c. may be procured at the subscribers’, wholesale and retail, by addressing (post paid) to W. & F. Langenheim, Exchange, Philadelphia, or Langenheim & Beckers, 201 Broadway, N. Y.
The following gentlemen have agreed to act as Agents for the sale of the genuine Voigtlaender Apparatus:–
Messrs. Litch & Whipple, Boston, Mass.
Mr. James L. Lyon, Richmond, Va.
Mr. S. Broadbent, Columbia, S. C.
Mr. James P. Perry, Charleston, S. C.
Mr. S. Noessel, New Orleans.
Messrs. Johnson & Jacobs, New Orleans.
W. & F. Langenheim, Exchange, Philadelphia.
Advertisement ran from January 10 to February 19, 1846.
1846 April 5. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) April 5, 1846, Vol. XII, No. 94, Whole No. 4307, P. 3.
Langenheim & Beckers, Daguerreotypers, 201 Broadway, Below Fulton Street, have enlarged their Atelier, and are now provided with the best kind of light—the style and quality of Pictures they produce with it are like those made at the Exchange in Philadelphia, by W. T. Langenheim, their partners.
Their new mode of deadening the background of Pictures, by sundry permanent colors, is now patented, and gives such beauty of effect to Daguerreotypes, as to be for the public very inviting, at least to examine specimens of this art.
Langenheim & Beckers, Agents for Voigtlaender & Sohn’s German Cameras and L. Beckers, Daguerreotype Chemicals, &c.
Advertisement ran from April 5 to June 13, 1856.
1846 June 25. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) June 25, 1846, Vol. XII, No. 175, Whole No. 4398, P. 3.
Daguerreotype General Furnishing Establishment And Sole Agency for the Sale of Voigtlaender’s Apparatus, Philadelphia, Exchange Rooms 26 & 27.
The Subscribers have just received a new supply of the above Apparatus, of all sizes, and warrant them to be genuine Voigtlaender Apparatus. They also have on hand best French Plates, Chemicals, Polishing Substances, and every other article used in this art.
Orders from any part of the Union, South America and the West Indies, shall be promptly attended to when accompanied with remittances, address (post paid) to W. & F. Langenheim, Philadelphia, or to Langenheim & Beckers, New York, 201 Broadway.
Advertisement ran from June 25 to July 2, 1846.
1847 January 6. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) January 6, 1847, Vol. XII, No. 5, Whole No. 4602, P. 3.
Agency For The Sale Of Voigtlaender’s Daguerreotype Apparatus. A New supply of the different sizes of the above apparatus, just received. W. & F. Langenheim, Philadelphia; or Langenheim & Beckers, 201 Broadway, New York.
Advertisement ran from January 6 to February 11, 1847.
1847 April 7. Delaware Gazette. (Delhi, New York.) April 7, 1847, Vol. XXIII, No. 26, P. 3.
Daguerrian Atelier. Langenheim & Beckers, No. 201 Broadway, two doors from Franklin House, New York, sole agency for the sale of Vorgslander’s Daguerreotype Instruments and L. Beckers’ Chemicals.
Advertisement ran on April 7 & 14, 1847.
1847 November 24. The New York Herald. (New York, New York.) November 24, 1847, Vol. XIII, No. 322, Whole No. 4919, P. 3.
Voightlaender’s Quick Daguerreotype Instruments, with four times intenser light; lenses of three inches and a quarter diameter, to work on medium plates, for $140. At Langenheim & Becker, 201 Broadway. Camera Box extra $5.
Advertisement ran from November 24 to December 3, 1847.
1849 April 24. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) April 24, 1849, Whole No. 5436, P. 5.
Daguerreotypes Of Children Of Any Age are taken at Langenheim & Beckers’, 201 Broadway, instantaneously and without difficulty.
1849 May 1. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) May 1, 1849, Whole No. 5443, P. 5.
Daguerreotypes Of Children Of Any Age, taken at Langenheim & Becker’s. 201 Broadway, instantaneously, and without trouble, from 11 o’clock, A. M. until 3 o’clock, P. M.
1849 June 15. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) June 15, 1849, Whole No. 5483, P. 3.
Voigtlaender’s Daguerreotype Instruments, with improved arrangements, for sale at the agency of Langenheim & Beckers, 201 Broadway, above Earle’s carpet store.
1849 September 25. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) September 25, 1849, Whole No. 5589, P. 3.
Dissolution.—The Firm Of Langenheim & Beckers is this day dissolved by mutual consent. The business of the concern will be settled by A. Beckers. W. & F. Langenheim. A. Beckers.
We have conferred the Agency for the sale of Voigtlaender’s Optical Instruments on Mr. E. White, 217 Broadway. W. & F. Langenheim. Alex. Beckers will continue the Daguerreotype business, with all the facilities and instruments as before, at 201 Broadway; above T. Earle’s Carpet Store.
1849 December 18. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) December 18, 1849, Whole No. 5673, P. 2.
Beckers & Piard, Daguerrean Artists, may be found at 201 Broadway. Alexander Beckers, Late firm, Langenheim & Beckers. Victor Piard, Late with Anthony, Clark & Co.
Advertisement ran on December 18 & 25, 1849.
1850 April 23. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) April 23, 1850, Whole No. 5798, P. 2.
Important to Daguerrean Artists. To Mr. Victor Bishop, No. 23 Maiden lane, N. Y.
Dear Sir—We cheerfully testify that we have used for some time Louis L. Bishop’s plates, and that they are decidedly superior to all others, either imported or manufactured here. Beckers & Piard, 201 Broadway.
Those plates are marked in full with the name of Louis L. Bishop, and are for sale only at Victor Bishop’s, No. 23 Maiden Lane.
Advertisement ran from April 23 to 30, 1850.
1852 December 14. New York Herald. (New York, New York.) December 14, 1852, Whole No. 7348, P. 4.
The Great Invention of Daguerreotypes.—Now is the time for persons to make their Christmas and New Years gifts, and there is nothing prettier, or more appropriate than a daguerreotype. Of course, you want one the beauty and perfection of the great new discovery, by which persons are taken with the speculum, without being reversed , in actual position. Call, them, at the only place to get an elegant daguerreotype picture. Beckers & Piard, 201 Broadway.
1852 December 30. New York Daily Tribune. (New York, New York.) December 30, 1852, Vol. XII, No. 3652, P. 7.
New Years Gift.—A new and elegant style of Daguerreotypes is taken at Beckers & Piard’s, No. 201 Broadway, by speculum instruments, avoiding reversion of the picture—a fault so detrimental to all other Daguerreotypes—and children are taken by their treble achromatic instrument instantaneously.
1855 December 22. New York Daily Tribune. (New York, New York.) December 22, 1855, Vol. XV, No. 4579, P. 8.
Handsome Ladies!—Pictures Taken Gratis!—The time fixed for the opening of Barnum’s Gallery Of Beauty has been extended for a short period $20,000 will be expended in Premiums to the 100 handsomest Ladies and for painting their portraits. Highest prize $1,000. For particulars see circulars at the Museum. Daguerreotypes for this Gallery will be taken free of all expense to the sitter, if application be made to them immediately, by all the principal artists in the United States, including the following superior Daguerreotypist in the City of New York.
J. Gurney, No. 489 Broadway; M. M. Lawrence, No. 831 Broadway; S. Root, No. 363 Broadway; Meade Brothers, No. 233 Broadway; R. Anson, No. 589 Broadway; Beckers & Piard, No. 264 Broadway; M. H. Kimball, No. 407 Broadway; J. W. Thompson, No. 315 Broadway, and 182 Fulton-st, Brooklyn; M. Kerston, No. 421 Broadway, cor. of canal; P. Welling, Cor. of Bleecker and Carmine-sts; P. G. Clark, No. 156 Bowery; Jullus Brill, No. 204 Chatham-st; R. A. Lewis, No. 142 Chatham Square.
1856 January 1. Photographic and fine Arts Journal. (New York, New York.) January 1, 1856, Vol. IX, No. 1, P. 19.
In an article entitled the Photographic Galleries of America. Number One, New York. The author visited 69 Galleries in New York City.
Beckers & Piard — This is an excellent gallery. I was really pleased with their specimens of stereoscope ambrotypes. These gentlemen excel in this branch of the art. The gallery contains a large collection of stereoscopic views which are worth looking at. Both these gentlemen have been connected with the art ever since its first introduction into this country, and their talents in an artistic point of view, as well as their skill in manipulation, is proverbially of the highest order.
1857 November 7. New York Daily Tribune. (New York, New York.) November 7, 1857, Vol. XVII, No. 5164, P. 6 & 7.
Premiums Awarded at the Twenty ninth Fair of the American Institute…Daguerreotypes, Photographs, Hallotypes, &c.
M. B. Brady, No. 359 Broadway, N. J., for best plain and retouched photographs.
………………………………………………………………………………….Small Gold Medal
J. Gurney, No. 349 Broadway, N. Y., for plain and retouched Photographs (a Gold Medal having been before awarded)……………………………………………………………………..Diploma
M. M. Lawrence, No. 381 Broadway, N. Y., for the best Daguerreotypes and Miniatures in Oil
…………………………………………………………………………………Large Silver Medal
Meade Brothers, No. 233 Broadway, N. Y., for instantaneous Daguerreotypes.
……………………………………………………………………………………….Bronze Medal
J. Gurney, No. 349 Broadway, N. Y., for the best life-size Photographs in Oil (a Gold Medal having been before awarded)………………………………………………………………Diploma
C. D. Fredricks, Nos. 585 and 587 Broadway, N. Y., for life-size Photographs in Oil (a Gold Medal having been before awarded)………………………………………………………Diploma
C. D. Fredericks, Nos. 585 and 587 Broadway, N. Y., for the best Crayon Photographs and Hallotypes………………………………………………………………………Large Silver Medal
J. Gurney, No. 349 Broadway, N. Y., for Crayon Photographs and Hallotypes.
……………………………………………………………………………………….Bronze Medal
J. Gurney, No. 349 Broadway, N. Y., for the best Photographs in Aquerille.
…………………………………………………………………………………Small Silver Medal
C. D. Fredericks, Nos. 585 and 587 Broadway, N. Y., for Photographs in Aquerille.
……………………………………………………………………………………….Bronze Medal
S. C. Holmes, No. 289 Broadway, N. Y., for the best Photographic Views.
…………………………………………………………………………………Small Silver Medal
B. Hafnagel, No. 413 Broadway, N. Y., for photographic Views and copies of Prints.
……………………………………………………………………………………….Bronze Medal
Phillip E. Bogart & Co., No. 58 Pine street, N. Y., for Photographs by the Solar Camera.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….Diploma
G. N. Bernard, Syracuse, N. Y., for Photographs on Wood.
…………………………………………………………….…………………………Bronze Medal
C. C. Harrison, Fifty-third Street, near East River, N. Y., for Photographic Cameras (a Silver Medal having been before awarded………………………………………………………Diploma
Robert A. Werner, No. 25 East Broadway, N. Y., for an ingeniously planned Diaphragm.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..Diploma
A. Beckers, No. 411 Broadway, N. Y., for a Stereoscopic Panorama.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..Diploma
R. Newell & Co., Philadelphia, Pa., for three delicately tinted Portraits.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..Diploma
J. Gurney, No. 349 Broadway, N. Y., for the best Photographs in Pastel.
……………………………………………………………………………………….Bronze Medal
C. D. Fredricks, Nos. 585 and 587 Broadway, N. Y., for Photographs in Pastel.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..Diploma
1889 March 9. Anthony’s Photographic Bulletin. (New York, New York.) March 9, 1889, Vol. XX, No. 5, P. 144-146.
Fifteen Years’ Experience of a Daguerreotyper. By Alexander Beckers. Read before the Society of Amateur Photographers of New York, January 31, 1889.
In response to the request of your Corresponding Secretary, Mr. Duffield, I hereby give an outline of my experience ‘in the history of the daguerreotype, for a period of fifteen years.
The details of this antiquated, senior branch of your art can interest you only in such parts as are similar. A comparison of the two, however, will show the progress of the half century we commemorate to-day, as also the centennial of the birth of Daguerre.
The first daguerreotype I saw, was made by Robert Cornelius, in Philadelphia. His laboratory was conspicuous. On the outside could be seen a large mirror, swung on a bracket, for illuminating his sitters with reflected sunlight The use of bromine was not yet known in 1840, but Boudine introduced it soon after. In the same year Robert Chilton called on my brother to make hyposulphite of soda, offering four and a half dollars per pound, stating that the French article cost over five dollars to import, although still impure. Thus the first hypo was made here at the corner of 23d street and Fourth avenue, the present site of the Young Men’s Christian Association. Orders for other chemicals followed, and in 1843 Louis Beckers was the first to manufacture photographic chemicals exclusively, at Old York Road, Philadelphia.
In the same year I entered the daguerreotype business of Mr. Fred Langenheim, in the Merchants’ Exchange of Philadelphia. Here there was little to be seen of the things you see nowadays in a photographic art gallery. A kind of a hiding-place for a dark room, and a spyglass-like camera were all the indications of the mystery 1 was to learn. The camera rested on a candlestick-like tripod, with three set-screws for adjustment, and was placed on an ordinary table. To interchange the ground glass and round daguerreotype plate, it was necessary to unscrew a flanged ring, and replace the same by a reverse motion. For the adjustment of the focu?, there was the rack and pinion, as Voightlander’s instruments still have. This instrument was one of the first made according to the mathematical calculations of Professor Petzval, of Vienna, having two achromatic lenses. It had been sent by young Voightlander to his college-mate, WiHiam Langenheim, as a present, with supplies and instructions, but also the warning not to try daguerreotyping, unless he had courage enough to try five hundred times more after failing with the first hundred pictures. William Langenheim, a lawyer, did not have the courage, but his brother Fred had, and succeeded so well that he was offered six hundred dollars for that odd camera.
The manipulations of preparing a daguerreotype plate will not interest you much. I should state, however, that the production of a chemically clean surface on silver, is a difficulty that increases four-fold with the size of the plate. Another difficulty is the use of the chemicals in a volatile state. The iodine can be controlled by sight with faint day-light, but the bromine only by even temperature and constant practice.
At Langenheim’s necessity soon introduced a square camera, with square plates and holders. A high tripod was also used instead of the table. In the summer of 1843 dozen of small Voightlander objectives, such as are still on tlie market, were imported. Soon after, four larger ones, for 6 x 8-inch pictures, arrived. In the fall of that year, Phillip Hass, formerly of Paris, showed Fizeau’s method of fixing the image on the plate by cold gilding. Soon after the picture was made more brilliant by heating the plate while the gold solution was on it. In that winter the first polishing wheel was made. It was constructed like an ordinary grindstone, worked by a treadle, the wheel being cushioned and covered with buckskin. With the aid of this machine, and after weeks of hard labor and many experiments, we succeeded in making the first good large daguerreotype of 6 x 8 inches, called whole size; half and twothirds size were advertised and made with success. At that time we also succeeded in making a picture of a sick lady at her own residence, which had been considered impossible.
In the spring of 1844 Mr. Edward White bought one of the large Voightlander instruments, and for him I made the first large daguerreotypes in this city at 175 Broadway. There were then but a few daguerreans here. They were I. Gurney, Anthony, Edwards & Chilton, Augustus Morand, Van Loan, Burgess, Brush, Weston, Artho, Insley, Plumb, and others I cannot recall.
I remained with Edward White until December, 1844, when it became impossible to make a picture in his operating room on account of the extreme cold, for Mr. White would not allow a fire in the place over night. Then I commenced business for myself, at the comer of Nassau and John streets, and after May, 1845, 201 Broadway, under the firm of Langenheim & Beckers, agents for Voightlander & Louis Beckers.
At that time the large Voightlander objectives had a chemical and a visual focus, so that in order to make a large, near picture, the lenses were moved out one-eighth of an inch, while for usual work the ground glass was set permanently one-sixteenth of an inch nearer than the plate. That summer I look a view of High Bridge before the scaffolding was removed. This picture was taken for the engineers, and was perhaps the first one ever taken here in aid of architecture. By taking out-door views I discovered that the plates increased in sensitiveness with the time between the preparation and exposure, and in 1848 obtained a sharp picture of a procession in motion.
In 1847 I began to use a speculum metal mirror, in order to have my pictures not inverted. For very unsymmetrical faces this arrangement was quite indispensable in order to get a likeness. The mirror was attached to the instrument at an angle of 4 5 degrees. The use of the mirror required double the time of exposure. It was made by Fitz, Senior, the optician, and was used for years after.
In 1848 Fred Langenheim bought the Fox-Talbot patent for the United States, at six thousand dollars. He introduced it here and failed in the undertaking. Our daguerreotypes were taken so perfect that they were preferred to any Talbotype. Abroad the superiority of our pictures was attributed to our clear atmosphere until American Daguerreotypists, as Dentists, took the lead all over the world.
In 1849 “*y firm was changed to Beckers & Piard. Having now more time, we succeeded in substituting machinery for cleaning our plates, and thus obtained cleaner and better plates in one-third the time required by hand.
In 1852 M. M. Root, of Philadelphia, made two pictures on one plate. We succeeded m making four on one plate, and in such a way that the exposed quarter was in the center of the field of the lens. It was then a great relief, as locket pictures were in fashion. In 1856 Mr. Ormsbee patented this same multiplying plate holder and collected considerable money on it, until my priority made his claim void.
The production of stereoscopic portraits was the next task. Marchner, of Philadelphia, made patent cases to show these pictures in a very neat way. In 1854 F. Langenheim had commenced to manufacture stereoscopic views on glass. He sent me three dozen of his make, to find sale for them here. At the first exhibit of these pictures one dozen of them were broken. This loss set me to thinking how to find an arrangement to show and secure the pictures against breakage, and in 1857 I obtained a patent for my revolving stereoscope. The increasing demand for this machine induced me to sell my daguerreotype business in 1858.
Thus I was relieved from satisfying the vanity of each individual beauty of this world, and ended my career as a daguerrean.
1889 April 13. Anthony’s Photographic Bulletin. (New York, New York.) April 13, 1889, Vol. XX, No. 7, P. 209-211
The Daguerreotype Experience. By Alexander Beckers. Read before the Photographic Section of the American Institute.
In response to a request of your Chairman of the Executive Committee, Mr. J. B. Gardner, I hereby give you a brief outline of my daguerreotype experience.
The details of this senior branch of photography can interest you, I presume, only in such parts as have a bearing on the more recent modes of picture making. A comparison of these will show the progress of the half century we commemorate and also remind us of the centennial of the birth of Daguerre. The first daguerreotype I ever saw was made by Robert Cornelious, in Philadelphia. His laboratory was conspicuous, for on the outside could be seen a large mirror swung on a bracket to illuminate his sitters with reflected sun-light
The use of bromine was not yet known in 1840 ; but Boudine introduced it soon after. The same year Robert Chilton called on my brother to make hyposulphite of soda, offering $4. 50 per pound ; stating that the French article, though very impure, cost $5 per pound to import. Thus the first hypo was made here, at the corner of 23d street and Fourth avenue, the present site of the Young Men’s Christian Association. Orders for other daguerreotype chemicals quickly followed, and in 1843 Louis Beckers was the first to manufacture these chemicals exclusively, at Old York Road, Philadelphia.
The same year (1843) I entered the daguerreotype business of Mr. Frederick Langenheim, in the Merchants’ Exchange of Philadelphia. Here there was little to be seen of the things you see now in a photo gallery. A kind of hiding place for a dark room and a spyglass-like camera were the only indications of the mystery I was to learn. The camera rested on a candlestick-like tripod, with three set screws for adjustment, and was placed on an ordinary table. To interchange the ground-glass and round daguerreotype plates, it was necessary to unscrew a flanged ring and replace the same by a reverse motion. For the adjustment of focus there was the rack and pinion, as Voigtlander ‘s instruments still have. This instrument was one of the first made according to the mathematical calculations of Professor Petzval, of Vienna, having two achromatic lenses. One of these instruments was sent by young Voigtlander to his college mate, William Langenheim, as a present, with supplies and instructions, but also with the warning not to attempt daguerreotyping unless he had courage enough to try five hundred times more after failing in the first hundred pictures. This young lawyer, William Langenheim, proved not to have the courage, but his brother Frederick had, and succeeded so well that he was offered six hundred dollars for that odd camera. The preparing of daguerreotype plates will not interest you much, though I should state that the production of a chemically clean surface on silver is a difficulty that increases four-fold with the size of the plate. Another difficulty is the use of the chemicals in a volatile state. The iodine can be controlled by sight with faint day-light ; but the bromine only by even temperature and constant practice. The round plates were used only for a short time, and so far as I know Langenheim was the first to introduce a square camera, plates and holders; also a tripod in place of a table. In the summer of 1843 the first dozen of small Voigtlander objectives were imported. One of these, 1 believe, is still in the possession of Mr. J. B. Gardner. Soon after four large ones, for 6×8 pictures, were imported. In the fall of that year Philipe Haas, formerly of Paris, showed Fizeau’s method of fixing the image on the plate by cold gilding. Shortly after this it was found that the picture could be gilded in much less time and made more brilliant by heating the plate while the gold solution was on it, and so Fizeau’s method went entirely out of use. During the winter of 1843 the first polishing wheel was made. It was constructed like an ordinary grindstone, the wheel being cushioned and then covered with buckskin. With the aid of this machine, and after weeks of hard labor, we succeeded in making the first 6×8 daguerreotype. At this time the only sizes used with any degree of success were 3×4 and 5^ x 4 J. There were also many plates used two sizes smaller that were designated as sixths and ninths. At that time we also succeeded in making a picture of a sick lady at her own residence, which was then deemed impossible.
In the spring of 1844 Mr. Edward White bought one of the large Voigtlander instruments, and for him I made the first large daguerreotype in New York City, at 175 Broadway. There were then only a few daguerreans in the city. They were J. Gurney, Anthony, Edwards & Chilton, Van Loan, Burgess, and a few others I cannot recall. I remained with Mr. White until December, 1844, when it was impossible to make a picture on account of the severe cold, for my employer would not allow a fire in his place over night Then I commenced business for myself at the corner of Nassau and John streets, and after May, 1845, at 201 Broadway, under the firm of Langenheim & Beckers, agents for Voigtlander & Louis Beckers.
At that time the large Voigtlander objectives had a chemical and a visual focus, so that in order to make a picture sharp the lenses were moved out one eighth of an inch. This we soon after rectified by having the ground-glass of the camera set permanently one-sixteenth of an inch nearer the lens than the sensitive plate.
That summer 1 took a view of High Bridge, before the scaffolding was removed. This picture was made for the engineers, and was perhaps the first taken in this country in aid of architecture.
By taking out-door views, I soon discovered that the plate increased in sensitiveness by not exposing it immediately after sensitizing. I found, however, that any very long delay (say for three hours or more) made the plate entirely useless. In 1847, the optician, Fitz, Sr., made for me a speculum metal mirror, with which I was enabled to avoid the inversion of my pictures. For many faces and objects this was a great advantage, though it doubled the time of exposure. This mirror was attached to the instrument at an angle of forty-five degrees, and “So well did it serve my purpose that I continued to use it for a number of years.
In 1848 Langenheim bought Fox Talbot’s patent for the United States at six thousand dollars, but financially it proved a failure, as this process never became popular in this country. Why it should not prove a success is quite evident when we remember how infinitely superior the daguerreotype was to any sun picture made on paper. In England Talbot’s process could be received with greater favor, as it did not come in competition with the daguerreotype as made in America. It is true that the daguerreotype was made in many of the large cities of Europe, but in none of these could it compare with the work of this country. The daguerreotypists here took the lead in the beginning ; and up to the time when the collodion process became popular, never allowed themselves to be excelled by any other nation.
In 1849 my firm was changed to Beckers & Piard. Having now more time, ‘we succeeded in constructing a machine for cleaning plates in one-third the time required by hand.
In 1852 we contrived a method for making four pictures on one plate, and in such a way that the exposed quarter was in the center of the field of the lens. To us this was a very useful improvement, for locket pictures were then in great demand. In 1856 Mr. Ormsby obtained a patent for this same multiplying plate-holder, and collected considerable money on it, until my priority claim proved his to be void. The production of stereoscopic pictures was the next task. Mascher, of Philadelphia, made patent cases to show these portraits in a very neat manner. In 1854 F. Langenheim commenced the manufacture of stereoscopic views on glass. He sent me three dozen, to find sale for them in New York. At the first exhibition of these pictures one-third of them were broken. This loss set me to thinking how to contrive an arrangement to show and secure the pictures against breakage, and in 1857 I obtained a patent for my revolving stereoscope. The increasing demand for this machine induced me to sell my daguerreotype business in 1858.
Thus being relieved from catering to the vanity of humanity, my career as a daguerrean was ended. Hoboken March 4, 1889,
Pioneer American Photographers, 1839 - 1860 