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 THE DAGUERREOTYPE: AN ARCHIVE OF SOURCE TEXTS, GRAPHICS, AND EPHEMERA


  The research archive of Gary W. Ewer regarding the history of the daguerreotype

On this day (October 22) in the year 1847, the following text appeared in "The Lafayette" Courier (Indiana): - - - - - - - - - - - Daguerreotyping. It may not be generally known that we have an excellent daguerreotypist in our midst; but for the information of all we will state that Gideon Lane has a room on the east side of the public square, where, by an extension and constant practice he has brought "the art preservative of all faces" to a high state of perfection. By request of several citizens of Dayton, he recently paid a visit to that town and took a number of pictures, all of which proved highly satisfactory to the sitters. We would suggest to our neighbors of the surrounding towns, that the best, cheapest and easiest way to get their likenesses Daguerreotypes is to make up a club and send for Gideon to bring his apparatus out to them. He can do them up BROWN (as his picture of Webster, the "colored" barber, can testify)--but whatever color they may choose, he will certainly suit their tastes, if they but will give him a trial. A note from Joan Hostetler (who submitted today's item): According to Mary Anthrop at the Tippecanoe County Historical Association, Samuel Webster was an African-American barber who later moved to Liberia. -------------------------------------------------------------- 10-22-98

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