



Produced by Gregory Walker, for the Digital Daguerreian Archive Project.










[Illustration: Title page]



This etext was created by Gregory Walker, Austin, Texas, for the
Digital Daguerreian Archive Project.

Internet: gwalker@netcom.com   CompuServe: 73577,677

Page numbers explicitly referred to in the text are marked at their
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photography and in the modern practice of the Daguerreian Art.


[Updater's note: In this version, the above page numbering convention
has been replaced by "{##}" sequences placed in line with the
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AMERICAN HAND BOOK

OF THE

DAGUERREOTYPE


GIVING

THE MOST APPROVED AND CONVENIENT

METHODS FOR PREPARING THE CHEMICALS, AND

THE COMBINATIONS USED IN THE ART.


CONTAINING THE

DAGUERREOTYPE, ELECTROTYPE,

AND VARIOUS OTHER PROCESSES EMPLOYED IN TAKING

HELIOGRAPHIC IMPRESSIONS.



BY

S. D. HUMPHREY



FIFTH EDITION



NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY S. D. HUMPHREY

37 LISPENARD STREET

1858




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by S. D.
HUMPHREY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern
District of New York.




To J. GURNEY, WHOSE PROFESSIONAL SKILL, SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY, AND
ENERGETIC PERSEVERANCE, HAVE WON FOR HIM UNIVERSAL ESTEEM, THIS WORK IS
MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.




PREFACE.

There is not an Amateur or practical Daguerreotypist, who has not felt
the want of a manual--Hand Book, giving concise and reliable
information for the processes, and preparations of the Agents employed
in his practice.

Since portraits by the Daguerreotype are at this time believed to be
more durable than any other style of "Sun-drawing," the author has hit
upon the present as being an appropriate time for the introduction of
the Fifth Edition of this work.  The earlier edition having a long
since been wholly; exhausted, the one now before you is presented.

The endeavor has been to point out the readiest and most approved
Methods of Operation, and condense in its pages; as much practical
information as its limits will admit.  An extended Preface is
unnecessary, since the aim and scope of this work are sufficiently
indicated by the title.

S. D. HUMPHREY NEW YORK, 1858.




CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

Polishing the Daguerreotype Plate--Buffing the Plate--Coating the
Plate--Exposure of the Plate in the Camera--Position Developing the
Daguerreotype--Exposure to Mercury--Removing the Coating--Gilding or
fixing the Image--Coloring Daguerreotype,..... 18


CHAPTER II.

Coloring Back Grounds--Transparent ditto--Gilding Dissolvent--Solution
for removing Specks--Solarized Impression--To Purify Water--Cleaning
Mercury--Adhesive Paper--Black Stain for Apparatus--Sealing Wax for
Bottles--Rouge--Rotten Stone--Potassa Solution--Hyposulphite
Solution--Substitute for do.--Gilding Solution--Solution for increasing
the Brilliancy of the Daguerreotype--Bleaching Solution;--Cold
Gilding--Neutralizing Agents--Buff Dryer--Keeping Buffs in
order--Cleaning Buckskins--Reflector for taking Views,.... 52


CHAPTER III.

Bromine and its Compounds--Iodine and its Compounds--Chlorine and its
Compounds--Cyanide of Potassium--Hyposul