Customer Reviews

Collector's Guide to Early Photographs (Collectors Guide Series)

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To learn more about old photographs and their care, I ordered three books; An Ounce of Preservation by Craig Tuttle, Collector's Guide to Early Photographs by O. Henry Mace, and Care and Identification of 19th Century Photographic Prints by James Reilly.

Collector's Guide to Early Photographs goes beyond describing the basic types (categories) of old photographs. It provides entire chapters detailing the descriptions of each category and sub-categories of old photographs. There is specific advice regarding collecting each category of old photograph, as well as advice on which photographed subjects (animals, children, etc.) images are most rare / plentiful for collectors. Also detailed are the various markings used to identify the manufacturer of the daguerreotype plates, and the cases (small frames) in which they were mounted. All of which is important for identification of prized photographs in a collection. Also included is a listing of notable early photographers (ten pages long) whose work is of particular interest to collectors. There is rarely a page in the book doesn't include at least one picture / illustration of a category of photographs, photographed subjects, close up details of case markings, brass mats, etc. Approximately half the book is devoted to the non-paper based photographs (daguerreotype, ambrotype, and tintype) with the remaining half addressing the various paper based photographs.

Except for a few pages regarding restoration of "cased images," this book does not provide any significant advice on care and storage of photographs. The advice is that restoration should be left to trained individuals, as just about anything you do will damage the print.

This is an outstanding book for learning the details about the various categories and types of photographs in existence. Also, as the title indicates, it is a guide for collecting. Excellent details are given to help you begin or expand a collection of old photographs. If you prefer a concise overview of! the basic categories of old photographs, or desire details about common damage and how to minimize further damage, "An Ounce of Preservation" is a better book. If you need very detailed information about the care and preservation of paper prints (photographs after the daguerreotype, ambrotype, and tintype era), then "Care and Identification of 19th-Century Photographic Prints" provides that.

This is a marvelous book. It is chock-full of information on the various photographic processes of the early 19th century. It takes us from cased images (daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes) to photography on paper (calotypes, wet plates, albumen prints, cartes de viste, cabinet cards, sterographs) to late 19th century processes (dry plate, silver prints, platinum prints) and has a special section on US Civil War images. An exhaustive reference sure to please.

Perfect book for the beginner in the world of early photography. Details each type of early photo, describes the process used to make it, and explains how to identify it. The author also shares tips on buying: what to look for, what's exceptional, and what to avoid. Gives prices and lots of great picture examples, and details restoration efforts that beginners can and should do, as well as what NOT to do. Loved it and would highly recommend!

This is the 2nd edition of the volume originally published nearly 10 years ago. It contains a wealth of interesting, informative data ranging from Cased Images (1839-1869) to Photography on Paper (1839-1900). Included are details about Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes and Tintypes, Image Cases, Calotypes, Wet Plate and Albumen Prints and much, much more. It provides over 200 examples of various types of images found on today's market. Featured are 200 black-and-white photographs and 16 full-color images. Also provides manufacturer's marks, collector resources, a complete glossary, and a lot more. If you're interested in early photographs you'll consult this book often.

This has it all. I've seen a read a lot of collectable type books and this is the best. It contains everything you need to know about early photographs. This doesn't just tell you the prices but explains why certain photographs are valuable and all the history too.

I was blessed with a box full of old photographs, including some that I called "daguerreotypes", really not knowing what they were. I still have the photos in storage, but after reading this book, and having it on hand to refer to, I feel confident that I will be able to properly identify the photos. Most of these are from the mid 19th to early 20th century and this book covers this period exactly.

This book was great. I collect cabinet cards. They are not as collectible as other forms of photographs, and that makes it very hard to find good information. This book was very helpful. It gave me information to date them, and which one are rare, uncommon, and unusual.

I bought "Early Photographs" as an introduction to the field; I had just decided to start collecting CDVs and cabinet cards (early photos on paper). The book is comprehensive but basic, which is what I needed; it explains the photographic processes and the basic history of photography, and gives general explanations of the subjects and condition of individual items that affect their market value. It gives tips on how to tell ambrotypes from tintypes, for example -- useful stuff when you're starting. At the end of each chapter, there is a somewhat random list of the prices various items in that category sold for in different venues (antique store, auction, dealer, etc.). These are way out of date now (this edition came out in the late 90's), but they give a sense of the relative value of certain features of the photograph (although there was often not enough detail in the description of the item for the price to mean very much).
So, this is an excellent basic introduction to early photographs. The only glaring omission is of online buying, which is of course a huge market now (probably the hugest). I wish they would publish a new edition including that information, or a supplement even, that would cover things like how to spot fake items in large non-specialized sites like ebay.
The book is definitely worth the money. Oh, and there was a short delay in receiving the book because it was not available and had to be found through another seller.

Many people love to collect old photos, from Daguerrotypes to cabinet photos. This book is a great addition to any photograph collector's library. History, care and preservation, and types are all here.

This book is divided into "Cased images 1839-1869" and "Photography on paper 1839-1900". Each specific technique (for example Daguerreotypes) under these divisions includes the history of the technique, the process or manufacturing, and then an introduction to collecting. Perhaps as a complete beginner, I would have liked a little more hints on how to recognize each type if the photograph is not labeled at an antique store. As a postcard collector, I was perhaps most interested in Cabinet Cards, as a precursor. There are great example photographs and favorites included a uniformed man with sword on daguerreotype, a paper picture of Croat chiefs, and an entertaining cabinet card called "The Drummer's latest Yarn". Don't'; miss the appending on "Photographers of note", who includes Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland) and Alfred Stieglitz (Photo-Secessionist).

This review is based on the 1st edition, so included prices and trends may have changed. According the authors web site, he is planning an update.