Nothing's Forever: Fading Daguerreotypes

[cgw]

Sad to see these literally vanishing:

A Portrait of Immortality, Faded : The New Yorker

If you're unfamiliar with the process, have a look here:

[video=vimeo;14472775]http://vimeo.com/14472775[/video]

 

[vintagesnaps]

Interesting. There's a photographer named Mark Osterman doing alternate processes and did a daguerreotype workshop in July, had the photos of it on his Facebook page. I always thought it was supposed to be too toxic to be practical but apparently there are some photographers working with the technique.

I don't think daguerrotypes were used all that long before being replaced by less hazardous processes; I've read somewhere (don't remember offhand) that the process apparently was as dangerous as what was used for millinery/hat making, and could cause brain damage (which is where the term mad hatter originated.)

Seems like it can depend on how well they were preserved, the Eastman House has some in their collection.
Permanence : The Daguerreotypes of Southworth & Hawes

Wonder what these two daguerreotype photographers Southworth and Hawes would have thought about their photos ending up on something like Flickr?
Southworth & Hawes - a set on Flickr