Tag Archives: Marcellus Kerston

Kertson, Marcellus

N.D.                Address Unknown, Newburgh, New York.[1]

1855-1856       421 Broadway, New York, New York.

1856                419 Broadway, New York, New York.

1857                315, 419, & 429 Broadway, New York, New York.

1858                315 Broadway, New York, New York.

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.

Kertson — I should advise this gentleman to pay more attention to focusing his pictures. As a general thing they are dim and either over or under developed.

1856 July 2.  The New York Herald.  (New York, New York.)  July 2, 1856, Whole No. 7247, P. 5.

Kertson’s Large Size Daguerreotypes, For fifty cents, are all the go now-a-days.  They are better and larger than any taken in or out of the city of New York.  You will find them at 419 and 421 Broadway, corner of Canal street.

1856 July 8.  The New York Herald.  (New York, New York.)  July 8, 1856, Whole No. 7252, P. 5.

Kertson’s Large Size Daguerreotypes, For fifty cents, are actually the best pictures in the known world.  Call and get one, and judge for yourself, at 419 and 421 Broadway, corner Canal street, entrance in Broadway.

1857 November 1.  The New York Herald.  (New York, New York.)  November 1, 1857, Whole No. 7731, P. 1.

Fire In Broadway…Between 2 and 3 o’clock on Saturday morning a fire broke out in the dwelling apartments of Dr. S. B. Henderson, oculist [419] Broadway…

The first floor, on the corner of Canal street…

The store next door…The fourth floor is occupied by Mr. Kertson, ambrotypist, &c.  Damaged by water and smoke.  The fire was just burning through the flooring of this floor when checked by the firemen.  Stock insured for $1,000 in the St. Marks Insurance Company…

1857 November 3.  New York Semi Weekly Tribune.  (New York, New York.)  November 3, 1857, Vol. XIII. No. 71,298, P. 5.

Fatal Conflagration In Broadway.—About a quarter to 3 o’clock on Saturday morning, a fire broke out in the large brick building No. 419 Broadway, corner of Canal street, occupied on the…fourth floor by Mr. Kertson, ambrotypist…

1858 January 17.  The New York Herald.  (New York, New York.)  January 17, 1858, Whole No. 7797, P. 3.

Wanted—Two ¼ And Two ½ Sized Cameras, cheap for cash or daguerreotype stock.  Apply to Rockwell & sic. Kertser [sic.], 315 Broadway.

1858 April 19.  The New York Herald.  (New York, New York.)  April 19, 1858, Whole No. 7899, P. 3.

A Large Store And Basement To Let Or lease; it is about being altered, and will, if applied for immediately, be altered to suit carpet, cabinet, or other business requirements requiring extensive rooms on one, two, three or four floors.  Apply H. M. Kertson, daguerreotype establishment, 315 Broadway. 

1858 October 23.  The New York Herald.  (New York, New York.)  October 23, 1858, Whole No. 8085, P. 3.

List Of Letters Remaining in the New York Post Office, Saturday October 23, 1858…

Kertson, Marcellus.

New York City Directories (New York, New York.)  published by John Fowler Trow.

1854.  Not Listed.

1855.  daguerreotypes, 421 Broadway, h—89 Elm.

1856.  daguerreotypes, 419 Broadway, h—36 Macdougal.

1857.  daguerreotype, 315, 419 & 429 Broadway, h—36 Macdougal

1858.  Not Listed.


[1] Craig’s Daguerreian Registry.

Peter G. Clark

1850                Address Unknown, [Boston], Massachusetts.[1]                                                1851                247 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts.[2]                                                      1851-1852     36 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts.[3]                                                      1852-1854      in San Francisco, California.[4]                                                                          1853                Address Unknown, Boston, Massachusetts.[1]                                                  1854                103 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts.[3]                                                    1854-1856      in New York City.[4]                                                                                                1855                158 Bowery, New York, New York.[5]                                                                      1857                Lower Great George Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.[4]  1859-1862      in San Francisco, California.[4]

Peter G. Clark first appeared in the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association Report for September 1850.  He exhibited daguerreotypes at the sixth exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, no award was given.

Reported on December 20, 1851 in The Carpet Bag (Boston, Massachusetts). A Present.—We have received from the artist, Mr. P. G. Clark, No. 247 Washington street, an elegant and faithful likeness of Mrs. H. M. Stephens, of this city, and we take pleasure in exhibiting the treasure to our many visitors. [We have an adjourned promise of the transcript of another fair face from the East—“down east,”—when the “sometimes operator” shall get back.] Of course we are proud of it, and of course we thank the donor, and commend him to the notice of that public which always patronizes those who favor the printers.

Reported in the September 1853 report of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association.  Peter G. Clark exhibited daguerreotypes at the sixth exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. Award a bronze medal for daguerreotype views of California.

Reported in an advertisement on December 22, 1855 in the New York Daily Tribune (New York, New York). 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.

Peter G. Clark is known see the following publications for more information Pioneer Photographers of the Far West, A Biographical Dictionary 1840-1865Craig’s Daguerreian Registry, A Directory of Massachusetts Photographers 1839-1900.

The new Information, is the fact that he showed at the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association in 1850 and in 1853, the advertisement in the Carpet Bag newspaper with the 247 Washington Street address, and the December 22, 1855 New York Daily Tribune advertisement with address of 156 Bowery, New York.

[1] Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association records, 1850 & 1853.                                        [2] The Carpet Bag (newspaper).                                                                                                                        [3] Directory of Massachusetts Photographers 1839-1900.                                                                          [4] Pioneer Photographers of the Far West.                                                                                                        [5] New York Daily Tribune (newspaper).