1876 Deadwood photography

[Bill]

Looking for what type of photography was used by photographers in 1876 Deadwood. Meaning, did they produce tin type pictures? Commercially they used wet plates?

Thanks, Bill

[anthony martin]

  Bill,

   Although the dry plate gelatin process was invented by Richard Maddox in 1871 and numerous photographers were experimenting with it throughout the 1870's a factory to produce the plates on a wide scale basis wasn't established until 1879.The vast majority of photographers would have still been using the wet plate process,making ferrotypes and various types of paper prints mounted on card stock or even on glass(ambrotypes).We tend to think of ambrotypes as a type of photo from the 1850'sup to about 1870 or so but I've seen some from as late as the mid 80's.Tintypes were actually produced well into the twentieth century-it was cheap and durable.The dry plate process eventually supplanted card mounted photos.By 1910 the vast amout of photographs were mounted in sleeves or folders and most suppliers of cabinet and carte de visite cards had ceased producing them.

  Curiously despite it's dangers and drawbacks the wet plate process was still being used by a few photographers into the late 80's and early 1890's for standard paper prints.

[Bill]

Thanks...good information !!

[anthony martin]

  Bill,

    I've been both a collector and user of early photographica for years now.There is something very special about bringing a 100+ year old camera back to life and putting it through its paces.My friend Matt is preparing to do a series of wet collodion tintypes and cabinets and I'm quite excited about participating on the project.I'm even exploring re creating Bristol board enamelled card mounts for the paper prints.I've a good number of photographic supply catalogues that illustrate many of the materials that were available 120 years ago.By 1910 most of this material was no longer being made and the last of the cabinet portraits wound up before World War I.Cabinet format was employed in Europe for about ten more years than here,finally dying out there about 1921-22.

[Bill]

Sounds like an interesting project. Is he writing a book or posting online?

[anthony martin]

  Bill,

    Apart from recreating the actual photos and placing them in galleries I've no idea of his ultimate plans.The images that I help with will be posted online eventually with all due credit to participants,historic artifacts used and locations.

[Bill]

Please post if they are posted online. I'm very interested.