Archival Photos

I had a nice discussion with New Ipswich resident Norma Dennis Straitiff about digitizing antique photographs. Norma does genealogical research of her family and in possession of a number of
daguerreotypes that were taken in the 1880s.

These present a challenge to photograph because they are fragile and sealed in frames. The surface is highly reflective and the image can appear as a positive or negative depending upon the field of view.

Some of these photos are members of the Grimes/Maxwell family who had a farm in New Ipswich which includes my present home in New Ipswich.

Daguerreotype photos peaked 1842-1858. The process involved exposing a plate of silver coated copper to the fumes and iodine which would react with the silver making it light sensitive. After exposure it would be "developed" by being exposed to mercury vapor. All chemicals are very toxic.

There is no negative, each image is unique. They were often hand tinted as these are.

Norma was most curious about the document that this gentleman was holding which might have been a claim to a gold mine

Of the photographs I find this one to be the most interesting.

This photo is almost contemporary, not unlike photos taken today

I believe this is a membe of the Maxwell family

Nobody smiles in these photos

Serious expression

Possibly a civil war soldier

I'm guessing this woman had blue eyes

Quite an elaborate hat

Emma Maxwell