Show PORTRAITS IN DUST Wonderful Pictures Composed Entirely En-tirely of Dust Deposited by Electricity Elec-tricity in tho Air The most remarkable portrait in the world is owned by a New Yorker It is a photograph of a man and is composed com-posed of fine particles of dust deposited on a pane of glass It is not the handiwork handi-work of man It is a natural phenomenon phenom-enon It formed itself out of the flying dust of the atmosphere which adhered to the glass in varying thicknesses until a perfect likeness of a living human hu-man being was produced It required eight years for completion yet so delicate deli-cate is it that all this wonderful production I pro-duction of nature may be wiped away and totally obliterated by the simple I rubbing of the finger tip Many theories have been advanced explaining explain-ing the cause of the formation Several leading scientists have concluded that it was caused by atmospheric electricity elec-tricity generated by the action of the sun rays shining against an old por trait t It is probable that many persons have possessed dust portraits for years without being aware of the fact It is also possible for any person to make dust pictures not as elaborate as the one mentioned above perhaps but fairly good representations nevertheless neverthe-less The science of dustography as it might aptly be called owes its discovery I dis-covery to an accident W J Hammer the electrical expert happened one day to observe a photographer remove an old photograph from its frame When the pane of glass which had rested in front of the picture was held up to the light it was found that a photograph or tracing the same in every respect as the original picture was printed in I dust on the glass The phenomenon was not due to the pressure of thz old photograph on the glass for the two I had been separated by a mat to the extent tent of onesixteenth of an inch Besides Be-sides the dust picture could be rubbed I off the glass by pressing the fingers against it and It yet bears the finger marks ofpersons who have thus tested its vulnerability How did It happen to come there Scientists puzzled over it for a long while but could not solve the problem Then it was agreed that it must be due to the action of the electricity elec-tricity in the air generated by sun light HOW ELECTRICITY AFFECTS OLD PICTURES Certain objects under the action of direct sunlight anr constantly giving off electric currents Different parts of the same object give off currents of various strength For instance the dark parts of a picture emit a greater electric flow than the light portions In the above dust picture hardly any I dust remained on the glass opposite j I the dark surface of the old photograph I The darker the surface the less dust I there was opposite toit the lighter I the surface the more dust there was opposite to it 513 was because the heavy currents emitted from the dark 1 surfaces scattered the dust which attempted t I erupted to settle ° on the glass in I front of them The weak currents cur-rents emitted from the lighter portions E t por-tions of the picture permitted dust to settle on the glass in more or less 1 quantity Thus the currents coming t f from the several parts of the picture 1 scattered the dust which settled on the I glass according to their strength and I therefore made a perfect copy on the i glass of the original picture behind it This went on for eight years before the perfect portrait was formed Such pictures pic-tures are liable to be formed in any household therefore persons possessing old glasseoVer photographs which may have hung in direct sunlight I I should remove the glass and examine It carefully to see if any electric dust i pictures have been formed The pictures pic-tures will be found naturally on the i inner side of the glass They resemble resem-ble a daguerrotype in appearance and when discovered should immediately be placed between two glass plates to I prevent the picture being rubbed away by the fingers of careless observers I I |