The Daguerreian Society

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The Daguerreian Society

The Daguerreian Society is an international nonprofit dedicated to the art, scholarship, and preservation of 19th-century photography.

08/07/2026

By Green-Wood's Delicate Light

A delicate light envelopes this image, creating a soft tonality that is rarely seen in outdoor views. The dark trees and leaves against the sky and the tracery of ferns, flowers and fence that surround it accentuate the creaminess of the monument’s surface and create a mood of contemplation. This is the grave site of Cecelia Augusta Wyman, a composer, who died at the age of 32 in 1847. The stanza on the stone comes from a poem titled To the Memory of Mrs. Luther B. Wyman published in the 1858 book Pen and Pencil by Mary Balmanno. The location is Green-Wood cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Half-plate daguerreotype. Collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Submitted by Allen Phillips

08/06/2026

Call for Papers: September 1 Deadline

Have new research and scholarship to share about 19th-century photography?

The Daguerreian Society invites submissions for consideration in The Daguerreian Annual, our peer-reviewed publication devoted to advancing the understanding and appreciation of photography.

Topics may explore the art, history, social impact, and practice of the daguerreotype and other early photographic processes. We especially welcome research drawing upon original historical sources and photographs as primary-source documents.

The deadline is September 1, 2026. Potential contributors should submit a 300-word abstract and 3–6 images for consideration by the Publications Committee. Please do not submit completed articles at this stage.

Learn more and read the complete Call for Papers: https://daguerreiansociety.org/page-18115

Questions and submissions: [email protected]

07/31/2026

The Dog Stole the Portrait

Living close to the Canadian border allows me to go to the Canadian ephemera and camera shows, plus the exchange rate is certainly tilted towards most visitors. This half-plate, full cased ambrotype was at the Old Book and Paper Show in Toronto. I may be a cat person, but I sure wanted to know why that dog had the front and center position. Too bad it moved... No photographer and "no secrets" inside.

Cindy Motzenbecker Collection

The Daguerreian Society brings together photography collectors and dealers, museum professionals, historians, scientists, students, educators, photographers, and artists. We welcome all who share an interest in 19th-century photography. Learn more about us: https://daguerreiansociety.org/

06/20/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘩𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴.

Vernacular Photography Auction
Wednesday, June 24 — 11am Eastern

A curated collection ranging from 19th century photography to 20th century vernacular material.

Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, CDVs, cabinet cards, stereoviews, and real photo postcards.

Register and leave absentee bids in advance.

Free shipping worldwide with purchases of $500 is available exclusively through our platform.

LiveAuctioneers purchases are excluded.

Browse Catalog & Bid Here:
https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/june-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-23574/catalog

05/02/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘩𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴.

VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY AUCTION
Wednesday, May 6 — 11am Eastern

A curated collection ranging from 19th century photography to 20th century vernacular material.

Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, CDVs, cabinet cards, stereoviews, and real photo postcards.

Register and leave absentee bids in advance.

Free shipping within the USA is available exclusively through our platform.
LiveAuctioneers purchases are excluded.

Cased images and early photographic formats.
Full plate daguerreotypes alongside later studio work, including a medical-themed cabinet card, a Rejlander CDV, and vernacular portraiture.

Daguerreotypes, stereoviews, and 19th century studio photography.
Includes a Trinity College daguerreotype grouping, a Mark Twain stereoview, Niagara Falls, and later vernacular subjects, including a sampling of tattoo imagery.

Daguerreotypes, performers, and vernacular curiosities.
Includes a half plate daguerreotype, sideshow material, and later studio portraits of performers.

Cabinet cards, CDVs, and later vernacular photography.
Over 500 lots including Civil War CDVs, post-mortem images, RPPCs, and everyday vernacular subjects from the late 19th and early 20th century.

BID NOW:
https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/may-vernacular-photo-history-auction-22757/catalog

04/29/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘢𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴.

BIDDING CLOSES TOMORROW
THE SKYLIGHT GALLERY 46 AUCTION
Thursday, April 30, 10 PM ET

Bidding closes tomorrow at 10 PM ET in the Skylight Gallery 46 Auction, featuring 63 lots of daguerreotypes and other cased images.

The sale includes pieces from two long-term collections. Images are represented from England, France, Germany, Japan and the United States.

Regional American daguerreotypes include uncommon plates by:

- Clark & DeShong of Memphis, Tennessee
- Edward Jacobs of New Orleans, Louisiana
- Preston Cary of Savannah, Georgia
- Andrew Tubbs of Pittsburgh
- John Fuller of Madison, Wisconsin, and
- Mayall, Van Loan, McClees and Root of Philadelphia.

The sale also contains several beautiful examples of hand-coloring. Unusual pieces include:

- A stereo daguerreotype of a breakfast or tea-time repast with boiled egg
- A strange copy daguerreotype showing bare plate posed against a rock or brick
- A daguerreotype after Sir Edwin Henry Landseer's oil painting 'Suspense'
- Plates of children with a mechanical calendar, a rabbit toy, and a rocking horse.

All lots are offered with no reserve and at modest opening prices.

View auction:
https://cwfp.biz/cgi-bin/sg46/tm.php?vw=main

04/24/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘸𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘩𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗬𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗬 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗥

TOMORROW, Saturday, April 25
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Church of St. Vincent Ferrer
869 Lexington Avenue (between 65th and 66th Streets, near AIPAD)
New York, NY

This one-day event brings together 25 dealers presenting a wide range of photographic material, from 19th-century processes to early modernist work and vernacular images.

The focus is on unusual and actively collected photographs less commonly encountered at larger fairs.

Admission: $20

Website: www.nyphotographyfair.com

Questions? [email protected]

Participating dealers below.

04/18/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘢𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴.

SKYLIGHT GALLERY 46 AUCTION
63 Lots of Cased Images
Closes Thursday, April 30, 10 pm ET

Christopher Wahren Fine Photographs is pleased to announce the opening of the Skylight Gallery 46 Auction, our first all-cased images sale with over 50 lots of daguerreotypes alone, including pieces from two long-term collections. Images are represented from England, France, Germany, Japan and the United States.

Regional American daguerreotypes include uncommon plates by:

- Clark & DeShong of Memphis, Tennessee
- Edward Jacobs of New Orleans, Louisiana
- Preston Cary of Savannah, Georgia
- Andrew Tubbs of Pittsburgh
- John Fuller of Madison, Wisconsin, and
- Mayall, Van Loan, McClees and Root of Philadelphia.

The sale contains several beautiful examples of hand-coloring. Unusual pieces include:

- A stereo daguerreotype of a breakfast or tea-time repast with boiled egg
- A strange copy daguerreotype showing bare plate posed against a rock or brick
- A daguerreotype after Sir Edwin Henry Landseer's oil painting 'Suspense'
- Plates of children with mechanical calendar, a rabbit toy, and rocking horse.
- Lots in the sale are offered with no reserve and at modest opening prices.

View auction:
https://cwfp.biz/cgi-bin/sg46/tm.php?vw=main

04/02/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘨 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺.

GREG FRENCH EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY
Specializing in 19th century photographs

Please visit our eBay store:
https://www.ebay.com/str/gregfrenchearlyphotography

Please visit our website:
https://www.gregfrenchearlyphotography.com

03/22/2026

The January–March issue of The Daguerreian Society Quarterly is now available, featuring new discoveries, research, and collecting insights:

✦ A remarkable acquisition: Member Tim Lindholm and his wife, Lucy Ga***rd, help secure three daguerreotypes of Ada Lovelace for the National Portrait Gallery

✦ Texas’s first photographer: the story of “Mrs. Davis,” a pioneering woman on the 1843 frontier

✦ A tantalizing mystery: a manuscript notation raises new questions about a New York daguerreotype

✦ The 2026 Symposium in Washington, DC: early details on venues, exhibitions, and plans now underway

The Daguerreian Society Quarterly brings together fresh research, discoveries, and market perspectives from leading collectors, scholars, and practitioners in early photography.

Full access is available to members—join today to explore the full issue and back issues.

Learn more about member benefits:
https://daguerreiansociety.org/Join

Join the Society:
https://daguerreiansociety.org/Apply

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Pittsburgh, PA

Telephone

+14122210306

Website

http://www.daguerreiansociety.org/

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