Tag Archives: New York City

Pacific Chemical Laboratory

Daguerreian Stock and Materials, ,

1852                Vanderbilt and Charlton avenue, Brooklyn, New York.

Pacific Chemical Laboratory appeared in one advertisement on December 16, 1852 in The New York Herald (New York, New York).  Pacific Chemical Laboratory, Pacific street, between Vanderbilt and Charlton avenue, Brooklyn.—Office No.  11 Wall street, third floor, room No. 16.—A. Fancike & Kraft, manufacturers of pure chemicals.  Reagents daguerreotype apparatus, acids, ethers, ammonia, metallic oxides, and other fine chemicals, &c….

Pacific Chemical Laboratory is not recorded in other photographic directories.

Norton & Carden

Daguerreotypes, , , ,

1854                369 Broadway, New York, New York.

Norton & Carden were recorded in four advertisements, the first three advertisements are from The New York Herald (New York, New York), and one advertisement from The Photographic And Fine Art Journal (New York, New York), followed by three entries from the New York City Directories for 1853/1854; 1854/1855 and 1855/1856 1854.  The first advertisement appeared on June 5, 1854.

Stop! Stop! Stop!—It is the Fashion for all

To go to the daguerrean called International.

Kept by Norton & Carden, two artist of merit,

Who into your portraits throw nature and spirit.

So, quickly step into their gallery of art,

And they warrant a fine picture ere you depart.

Norton & Carden, 369 Broadway, next door to Taylor’s saloon.

The second on June 6, 1854.

Daguerreotypes—Daguerreotypes

Talk of your Browns, your Jenkins or others

Who take portraits of mothers, sisters or brothers,

A [  ?  ] is display’d which ne’er was thought on

In those which are taken by Carden and Norton;

They are all pronounced good, in fact they are fine,

So don’t forget its in Broadway, number three six nine.

The third on June 7, 1854.

Daguerreotypes-Daguerreotypes—“I Say, my friend, where are you going?”  “Why I am going as fast as I can to Norton & Carden’s international daguerrean gallery, to have my portrait taken; they are always good.”  “Are they?  Then I’ll go too.”  Norton & Carden, 369 Broadway, next to Taylor’s saloon.

The fourth advertisement appeared in The Photographic And Fine Art Journal on July 1854. 

Norton & Cardon—Have opened a Daguerrean Gallery at No. 369 Broadway…

1853.  New York City Directory.  (New York, New York.)  1853-1854.

Carden, Robert A., daguerreotypes, 293 Broadway, h-[293] Broadway.

Carden & Co., daguerreotypes, 293 Broadway.

Norton, Elijah F.—not listed.

Norton, William H.—not listed.

1854.  New York City Directory.  (New York, New York.)  1854-1855.

Carden, Robert A., daguerreotypes, 369 Broadway, residence not listed.

Norton & Carden, daguerreians, 369 Broadway.

Norton, Elijah F. not listed.

Norton, William H., actor, 369 Broadway, residence not listed.  

1855.  New York City Directory.  (New York, New York.)  1855-1856.

Carden, Robert A.—not listed.

Norton, Elijah F.—not listed

Orton, William H.—not listed.

Norton & Carden is recorded in Craig’s Daguerrean Registry, but it is misleading the information provided is not consistent as to the identity of Norton, under Robert A. Carden Norton he is identified as W. H. and under Elijah F. Norton, John states that he is possibly the same Norton in the partnership.  W. H. Norton is not listed as being active in New York City, John does list a W. H. Norton in Boston in 1860.  In A Directory Of Massachusetts Photographers 1839-1900 he is recorded in Boston as a piano maker in 1859 and a photographer in 1860 at 49 Tremont.

Morand & Cockroft

Daguerreian Stock and Materials, Daguerreotypes, , , , , ,

1842-1843       73 Chambers Street, New York, New York.

Morand & Cockcroft (Augustus Morand & S. Cockcroft) in five advertisements in The Evening Post (New York, New York) and one listing in the New York City Directory, 1843.  The first advertisement ran on  August 20 & 27, 1842.  Photographic Likenesses;  By an improved Daguerreotype process, are taken at the Van Loan Photographic Establishment, upper story of granite buildings, corner of Broadway and Chambers st. N. Y.  (entrance No. 73 Champers street,)  By S. Cockcroft and A. Morand, Jr.

Likenesses taken from 8 A. M. till sundown, in any kind of weather, clear, cloudy or rainy.

N. B. Apparatus, with all the modern improvements, furnished at the above establishment.  au20.

The second advertisement ran on August 24 to September 14, 1842.Photographic Likenesses;  By an improved Daguerreotype Process, are taken at the Van Loan Photographic Establishment, Upper story of the building corner of Broadway and Chambers st. N. Y.  Entrance No. 73 Champers street.  By S. Cockcroft and A. Morand, Jr.

Likenesses taken from 7 A. M. till sundown, in any kind of weather—clear, cloudy, or rainy.

N. B. Apparatus, with all the modern improvements, furnished at the above establishment. 

The third advertisement ran from August 24 to 26, 1842.  Instruction In Daguerreotype given by Morand & Cockcroft, No. 73 Chambers street, N. Y.

The fourth advertisement ran from September 8 to 10, 1842.  Instruction In Daguerreotype given by Morand & Cockcroft, No. 73 Chambers street, N. Y.

The fifth advertisement ran from September 17 to 26, 1842.  Daguerreotype Miniatures Are taken by Morand & Cockcroft, at Adams’ granite building, corner Broadway and Chambers street, in any dress, one every day, except Sunday.  Entrance 73 Chambers street.

Daguerreotype Plates—A new lot, just received and for sale by Morland, 73 Chambers st., cor. Broadway. 

1843.  New York City Directory.  (New York, New York.)   1843/1844, P. 244.

Morand & Cockroft, daguerreotype, 73 Chambers.

Morand & Cockroft are recorded in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry as being active in 1843-1844.  In looking through the NY City Directories, S. Cockroft does not appear in the 1841/1842; 1842/1843; 1843/1844 or the 1844/1845 directories.  A Samuel Cockeroft does appear as a Lawyer.  First in 1841/42 & 1842/43  at 68 Ann; in 1843/44 at 4 Wall and in 1844/45 at 140 Nassau.  It is unknown if they are the same person.

John Lewis

Daguerreotypes, ,

1851                142 Chatham, New York, New York[1]

1855                Chatham Street, New York, New York.

John Lewis was recorded in the 1851/1852 New York City Directory.  Daguerreotypes—142 Chatham—H-28 Eldridge.  Published by John Fowler Trow.

He was not listed in the 1852/1853 directory—Published by John Doggett; also not listed in the following directories 1853/1854—Published by John Fowler Trow; 1854/1855—Published by John Fowler Trow; 1855/1856—Published by John Fowler Trow; and the 1856/1857—Published by John Fowler Trow.

He was also recorded in one announcement that appeared on October 5, 1855 in the Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, D. C.)  Distressing Occurrence—At New York, on Tuesday, Coroner Kidder was called to hold an inquest upon the body of the wife of Mr. John Lewis, who came to her death under the following circumstances:  Mr. Lewis her husband, had for some time been ill with fever , and occasionally delirious.  On Monday, during one of these spells, he became unmanageable, and persisted in jumping out of the window of his room, which was on  the third floor.  No one but his wife happened to be present at the time, his mother, who resides with them, being down stairs.  His wife, who was a small delicate woman, tried every means in her power to keep him quite, but he, becoming perfectly frantic, made tor the rear window.  She seized him and endeavored to draw him back, when he suddenly leaped through the sash and both man and woman were dashed upon the pavement below, a distance of about twenty-five feet.  Mrs. Lewis struck her head upon the door-step and was instantly killed.  Mr. Lewis was seriously injured, and now lies at the city hospital in a precarious condition.  He is a daguerreotypist, doing business in Chatham street.

John Lewis is recorded in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry as being active in New York City from 1851 to 1853.

[1] 1851/1852 New York City Directory.

Theodore Lessey

Retailer, Stereoviews, , ,

1859                534 Broadway, New York, New York.

Theodore Lessey were recorded in two advertisements in The New York Herald (New York, New York).  The first advertisement appeared on September 3, 1859.  America In The Stereoscope.  A series of American Scenery, Photographed And Published By The London Stereoscopic Company.  Theodore Lessey, 534 Broadway, Manager of the United States Depot.

The second appeared on September 5, 1859.  American Scenery.—The London Stereoscopic Company.  The finest views of American Scenery are those photographed and published by the London Stereoscopic Company, who supply their depot in New York by every steamer with all kinds of stereoscopic groups and views, plain, colored and illuminated.  Stereoscopes of every variety, and at prices ranging from 50c. upwards.  Manager, Theo.  Lessey, 534 Broadway, New York.

Theodore Lessey is not record in other photographic directories.

Professor Laine

Photographs, , ,

1855                165 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York.

Professor Laine was mentioned in an advertisement that appeared on September 2, 1855 in The New York Herald (New York, New York).  Photograph’s—Plain or Colored, by Huylar, 165 Eighth avenue, having fitted up this gallery in connection with our daguerreotype business, we would be happy to have our friends give us a call.  E. Huylar, first operator; Professors Leine and Hunt assistants.

Professor Laine is not recorded in other photographic directories.  In a search of the New York City Directories for 1854/1855; 1855/1856 and the 1856/1857 no additional information was found to help identify who Professor Laine was.

Peter Kohlbeck

Ambrotypes, Portrait Painter, , ,

1856-1858       229 Bowery.

New York City Directories

1855/1856—Painter—h-118 St. Mark’s Place.

1856/1857–Not Listed.

1857/1858—Ambrotypist—h-229 Bowery.

1858/1859—Ambrotypist, 229 Bowery.

1859/1860—Portraits, 229 Bowery.

1860/1861—Artist, 229 Bowery.

Peter Kohlbeck was recorded in one announcement and one entry in The New York Historical Society’s Dictionary Of Artist In America 1564-1860.  The announcementappeared on November 4, 1856 in the New York Tribune (New York, New York).  Fire In The Bowery.  Yesterday morning about 4 o’clock a fire broke out in the rear part of the second story of building No. 229 Bowery, known as the German American Hall, and before the fireman could subdue the flames the upper stories with most of their contents were destroyed.  The Fire extended to a carpenter shop in the rear, occupied by James M. Duff.  The basement of the front building was occupied by Otto Strum as a large beer saloon; first and second floors by Ernst Hanbold as a large-beer saloon and concert room; third floor by Peter Kohlbeck, daguerreotypist.  Loss of Mr. Duff, $[100]; no insurance.  Loss of Mr. Hanbold, $2,000; insured for $2,000 in the Pacific Insurance Company.  Loss of Mr. Kohlbeck, $400; insured for $1,000 in the Rutgers Insurance Company…  The fire is supposed to have been the work of design, as a man was seen to come out of the building and lock the door shortly before the fire was discovered.  The matter will be investigated by the Fire Marshal.

The entry appeared in The New York Historical Society’s Dictionary Of Artist In America 1564-1860.  Kohlbeck, Peter.  Portrait painter on NYC.  He was painting portraits in the latter half of the 1850’s, then turned to taking ambrotypes and photographs.  he was active until 1878.   nybd 1856-61; NYCD 1860-78.

Peter Kohlbeck is recorded in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry as being active 1858-1859.

Conrad Koehler

Daguerreotypes, , ,

1858                236 Houston Street, New York, New York.[1]

1859                236 Houston Street, New York, New York.

Conrad Koehler (or Kohler)was recorded in two announcements.  The first appeared on April 19, 1859 in The New York Herald (New York, New York).  Coroners’ Inquest Yesterday.  Melancholy Case Of Suicide.—Conrad Koehler, a daguerreotypist, doing business at No. 236 Huston street, committed suicide on Sunday afternoon by taking cyanide of potash, under the following circumstances:—On the afternoon in question two ladies called at the deceased’s saloon and requested that he would take their likenesses.  One of the ladies, on being shown her daguerreotype, said it was an imperfect likeness, and refused to take it.  Deceased seemed somewhat annoyed about the matter, and wished they would call again the following day, when he would make an effort to please them.  The ladies then prepared to take their leave, and were arranging their toilet in the reception room when they heard a loud noise in the adjoining apartment.  On looking around they were shocked to see the artist lying upon the floor, apparently in the last agonies of death.  The alarm was promptly raised and every effort made to save the life of deceased, but without effect.  Deceased never spoke after he fell upon the floor.  Coroner Jackman held an inquest upon the body of deceased yesterday, when the evidence of Mrs. Koehler, explanatory of the sudden death of her husband, was adduced, as follows:—

Maria Koehler, residing at No. 236 Houston street, being duly sworn, deposes and says—Deceased was my husband; he was a daguerreotypist by profession; on Sunday I bought three cents worth of cyanide of potash, a drug which the deceased was in a habit of using in the process of taking likenesses; this was about three o’clock in the afternoon; as soon as I gave him the drug he took it and ate some of it.; I asked him “in the name of Heaven” what he did that for; he made no reply, but asked for some water; he immediately went to the water pipe and turning the faucet, put his mouth under it; as soon as I saw this transaction I informed the ladies who were in the reception room having their likenesses taken that they would have to call again, as the apparatus was broken; when I returned to the operating room my husband staggered and fell across the doorway; I asked him to speak to me, but he was unable to do so, and stared wildly at me; he never spoke afterwards; my husband held a very respectable position in Germany; he was a postmaster in the city of Bensheim Hesse Darmstadt; I have three children now living; I can assign no cause for the commission of the rash act.

John Fergnson, M. D., deposed that he made a post mortem examination of the body of deceased; the stomach was intensely congested, and its mucous membrane was softened and corroded, and easily removed with the handle of the scalpel.  The stomach smelled strongly of cyanide of potash; death was caused from the poisonous effects of the drug in question.

The jury in this case rendered a verdict of “death by suicide.”  Deceased was Forty-one years of age, and had been a resident of the United States for the past eighteen months.

The second announcement appeared on April 22, 1859 in The Daily Press (Cincinnati, Ohio).   

Suicide.—On Sunday afternoon two ladies called at the Daguerrean saloon of Conrad Koehler, Houston Street, New York, and had their likeness taken.  One of the ladies objected to her likenesses as not being accurate, and he requested her to call on Monday.  He then went into an adjoining room, and while the ladies were arranging their toilet they heard a fall as of a heavy body, and on looking into the room they saw the unfortunate Koehler lying in the agonies of death.  On the inquest, Koehler’s widow deposed that on Tuesday afternoon she purchased for her husband three cents worth of Cyanide of potash, a drug used by him in his art; as soon as he got it he art some of it, when she exclaimed “What did you do that for?”  Mrs.  Koehler then told the ladies her husband was not well, but before they left the saloon he fell as above described.  She could not assign any cause for the desperate act.  Koehler, who has been about eighteen months in this country, was post-master for a long time in the city of Bensheim, Hesse Darmstadt.

Conrad Koehler is listed in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry under Conrad Kohler as being active in 1858-1859.

[1] Craig’s Daguerreian Registry.

William R. Knapp

Ambrotypes, Daguerreotypes, Melainotypes, Photographs, , , , ,

1843                263 Grand Street, Columbia Hall, New York, New York.

1845-1854       103 Bowery, New York, New York.

1851-1855       559 Broadway, near Prince Street, New York, New York.

1855-1856       477 Broadway, New York. New York.

1857                43 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, New York.

1857                103 Bowery, New York, New York.

1858                469 Broadway, New York, New York.

1860                398 Bowery, New York, New York.

New York City Directories

1838/1839—engineer—88 Lewis.

1839/1840—engineer—88 Lewis..

1840/1841—engineer—88 Lewis—h-70 Lewis.

1841/1842—gunsmith—50½ Houston—h-18  ave. D.

1842/1843—gunsmith—50½ [Houston]—h-55 Houston.

1843/1844—gunsmith—302 Rivington.

1844/1845—gunsmith–302 Rivington.

1845/1846—daguerreotype—103 Bowery—h-302 Rivington.

1846/1847—daguerrian—103 Bowery.

1847/1848—daguerreotype—103 Bowery & 226 Bleeker—h558 Fourth.

1848/1849—daguerreotype—103 Bowery—h-558 Fourth.

1849/1850—daguerreotype—103 Bowery—h-644 Fourth.

1850/1851—daguerreotype—103 Bowery—h-644 Fourth.

1851/1852—daguerreotype—103 Bowery—h-188 E. 19th.

1852/1853—daguerrean—103 Bowery & 559 Broadway—h-188 E. 19th.

1853/1854—daguerreian—103 Bowery & 559 Broadway—h-188 E. 19th.

1854/1855—daguerrean—559 Broadway—h-180 E. 19th.

1855/1856—daguerreian—477 Broadway—h-75 E. 40th.

1856/1857—daguerreotypist—477 Broadway—h-75 E. 40th.

1857/1858—not listed.

1858/1859—daguerreotypes-469 Broadway—h 145 E. 32d.

1859/1860—no occupation listed—h-145 E. 32d.

1860/1861—photographs—398 Bowery—h-142 E. 33d.

1861/1862—not listed.

1862/1863—not listed.

William R. Knapp is recorded in one advertisement that ran from October 21 to November 2, 1843 in the  New York Daily Tribune (New York, New York).  Daguerreotype Miniatures are taken in a superior style by Wm. R. Knapp, at Columbian Hall, No. 263 Grand street, with all the latest improvements, including color.  Persons wanting a correct likeness of themselves or friends are respectfully solicited to call and examine specimens.  Pictures are taken in cloudy, stormy and fair weather.  Prices including case, from $1.50 to $4.  Hours from 8 A. M. until 4 P. M.                                                                                          

William R. Knapp is recorded in other photographic directories.  But is included here in part with new information.  The activity dates are derived from the city directories and newspaper accounts of over 30 typed pages that have not been included in the blog.  

Walter I Kirby

Photographs, ,

1859                Address Unknown, New York, New York.

Walter I Kirby was recorded in one advertisement that appeared on April 1, 1859 in The New York Herald (New York, New York).  A Good Photographer, Accustomed To Working the dry and wet processes, the daguerreotype and life size pictures, wishes an engagement.  Address Walter I. Kirby, box 130 Herald office.

Walter I. Kirby is not recorded in other photographic directories.  Kirby is not recorded in the New York City Directories for 1858/1859; 1859/1860 or 1860/1861.