On this day (September 13) in the year 1851, the following advertisement appeared in the "Daily National Intelligencer" (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 39, No. 12,024 (13 September 1851) back page: - - - - - - - SUPERIOR DAGUERREOTYPES!--First Pre- mium!--J. H. WHITEHURST has extended the field of his operations over more ground than any daguerreo- typist in the country. His galleries may be found on Penn- sylvania avenue, between 4 1/2 and 6th street; No. 207 Balti- more street, Baltimore; corner Broadway and Leonard street, New York; No. 77, Main street, Richmond; Sycamore street, Petersburg; Main street, Norfolk; and Main street, Lynch- burg, Virginia. His beautiful and highly-finished electro daguerreotypes are an extraordinary improvement, ensuring faithful and highly- finished likenesses in a few seconds. The rotary back-ground, invented by J. H. Whitehurst, gives an airy and living appearance to the picture. He is the patentee of the Morteotype, the art of embedding daguerreotype likenesses in tombstones, so as to make them resist the ravages of time and weather. Whitehurst's establishments now distribute more than thirty thousand pictures annually, and have never given dissatisfac- tion! This is certainly a flattering proof of the superiority of his likenesses. J. H. W. calls the attention of the public generally to his elegantly furnished gallery over Lane and Tucker's new store, where a free exhibition of pictures will be given. Notwithstanding the unusual competition in daguerreotypes at the recent Fair of the Maryland Institute, he was awarded the first medal by the judges. Likenesses of every description copied, and post mortem cases attended to. dec 5--1yr (With thanks to Lynne and Mark White for today's item.) -------------------------------------------------------------- 09-13-99