| Show Again Is Raised the Question of Who Made the First Camera in the U. U S. S and Took the First Photographic Portrait By fly y E ELMO SCOTT WATSON A le lefly by W t m pap r Union I HO made the first WHO camera In America j f What pioneer photographer pho pho- photographer first used a fast action taking picture picture taking machine machine machine ma ma- chine to get a successful portrait portrait portrait por por- trait of a human being According to a recent Associated Asso Asso- Associated dated Press dispatch from Hampden Sydney Va honors honors honors hon hon- ors belong to Dr John William William Wil Wil- liam Draper an Englishman who was educated at the University University University Uni Uni- of Pennsylvania became became became be be- came a professor of chemistry chemistry chemis chemis- try at Hampden Sydney college college col col- lege more than a century ago and achieved a wide reputation reputation reputation tion not only in chemistry but butin butin butin in physiology history and philosophy as well This dispatch dispatch dis dis- patch said An old shaped box-shaped camera left at Hampden Sydney college ini in i 1839 by Dr John William Draper I is going to be taken from its cen cen- tury-old tury resting place to a niche in the Smithsonian Institution officials of which have accepted it as the first camera in America and the first fast action camera in the world The presentation probably will take place at the June commencement To 10 prove that it was the first camera of modern type eight years ears of research was conducted by the Rev Howard C. C Cobbs who was a professional photographer phot photographer grapher g- g at Charleston W W. Va before before before be be- fore he began his studies for forthe forthe forthe the ministry The college asked Mr Cobbs to tomake tomake tomake make a picture of the camera in 1932 for George W. W Eastman president of the Eastman Kodak company The young student learned earned its history from Dr J J. J II 11 C. C Bagby professor of chemistry He tried it with modern film and it worked He lie learned that Dr Draper Draper made his famous first portrait of a living person at New York university In 1839 or 1840 soon after leaving Hampden Sydney p. p I I Mr Cobbs became convinced that the camera here was older than the one used at N N. Y U U. U i and was the first type modern-type camera Everything he unI unearthed un- un I indicated that he was fright right in his belief but he could iron clad get no proof I Mr Cobbs took his data to the Smithsonian Officials congratulated congratulated I him on his work then suggested suggested sug sug- that he study records I there lie He found just what he needed and it was in Dr Drapers Draper's own words in a letter I I to the Photographic and Fine Art Arti i Journal I published in 1858 in an an- answer I ewer to an inquiry who made the first photographic portrait i Dr Draper explained that he hei i had worked with sensitive plates I before anything was published in Europe by Daguerre or Talbot that he had tried a lens of large aperture and short focus to speed speedUp i up action enough to permit portraits portraits por- por I traits of living persons that he heI I j succeeded notably later with inI in in- I formation about Daguerre's more moret t sensitive plates I t It was while at Hampden Sydney Sydney Syd Syd- I ney that he carried on his experiments ex ex- experiments he said said even trying mirrors from a telescope before obtaining a lens The telescope is here and will be presented with I the camera I II I Ills His connection with portraiture I he he said dated to the summer I before publication of Daguerre's 1 process Daguerre's process was Published in August 1839 Dr Draper went to New York university sity in September 1839 and with Daguerre's more sensitive plates I I land and his methods succeeded I i Iliad Had he discovered the more morer I r sensitive plate Virginia might ha have ve claimed the honor bonor of the first portrait as well feU as the first camera I Despite the assertions in inI that news story however it itis itis I is possible that some one may soon rise to challenge Dr I Drapers Draper's right to the honor of having made the first camera in America and being the first to get a successful portrait por por- trait Heres Here's why Last year was celebrated the Centennial of Photography durIng during during dur dur- ing which honors were paid to Louis Jacques Mande the Frenchman who is universally universally universally sally acclaimed as The Father of Photography On the eve of that celebration the MacMillan company of New York published Photography and the American Scene Scene Scene-A A Social History 1839 94 9 4 1 4 I 1889 the result of more than six A tr v 1 years of research by Dr Robert fj L Taft prof professor sor of chemistry at att atthe ii t the University of Kansas f. f 3 r In the first two chapters of his r book Dr Taft gives a well doc i doe account of the work of I s the pioneer In Inis Inthis is it this country who became interest gar r. r f t II s. s f ff f w fi 1 S Si Si J i i s SS f t tX lii- lii X r t. r f to J. J t d hi sS d 1 t Ss 1 f J. J J 9 o ti r DK DR JOHN i W. W DRAPER I From ro an r made a by Mathew W W. Brady about o 1857 ed in the new art very soon after articles about Daguerre's process process process proc proc- ess had been reprinted from French and English journals in American newspapers as early as March 1839 One of these was D. D W. W Seager an Englishman who was living in New York in 1839 As a result of Dr Tafts Taft's Investigations he ho makes the statement that Seager was the first person to make a successful daguerreotype in the United States which he did on September Septem Septem- ber 27 1839 As for the claim that Draper made the first successful portrait of a human being Dr Tafts Taft's conclusions conclusions conclusions con con- also give that honor to another man Alexander S. S Wolcott Wolcott Wol Wol- cott of New York Wolcott who was an instrument maker and manufacturer of dental supplies took a daguerreotype of his partner partner part part- ner net John Johnson on October 7 1839 according to Taft and this was the first photographic portrait por por- trait Drapers Draper's Contributions I Although denying to Draper the honor of being the first to make a successful photographic portrait portrait portrait por por- trait Dr Taft sums up his important contributions tant to photography thus He lie was among the earliest to attempt photographic portraiture t t tad The earliest photographic portrait portrait portrait por por- trait which has survived It is a daguerreotype of Miss Dorothy Catherine Draper made by her brother Dr John W W. Draper probably in the summer of 1840 18 These attempts were based on such scientific principles as were then known he sent abroad an early daguerreotype portrait apparently apparently apparently ap ap- the earliest which has survived he published an extensive extensive extensive exten exten- sive account of these experiments thereby enabling and encouraging ing tag others to benefit from his experience experience ex ex- ex- ex and he became associated as as- with Morse in the opening opening opening open open- ing of an establishment for the purpose of taking portra portraits ts thus becoming one of the founders of ofa f fa a new profession Dr Tafts Taft's mention of the earliest earliest earli earls est daguerreotype portrait which has survived is a reference to Drapers Draper's famous portrait of his sister Miss Dorothy Catherine Catherin Draper which is still in existence and which is owned by the Rev Sir John C. C W W W. Herschel of England England Eng Eng- land grandson of Sir John F F. F W W. W Herschel the distinguished English Eng Eng- lish scientist to whom Draper sent it in the summer of 1840 It was accompanied by a letter the full tuU text of which is printed for forthe forthe forthe the first time in Tafts Taft's book In Inthis Inthis Inthis this letter Draper stated that I I believe I was the first person here who succeeded in obtaining portraits from life It will be noted that the letter letteris is dated July 28 1840 and that no reference is made to the date on which the portrait was made comments Dr Taft It will also be noted that the exposure of this early daguerreotype portrait was only 65 seconds Previously published published published pub pub- accounts concerning this daguerreotype have given exposures expo expo- exposures ranging from 10 to 20 minutes minutes min raIn utes which have evidently been based upon such general information inform information a- a tion as was available in Seagers Seager's exposure table printed in the American Repertory of Arts Sciences and Manufacturers for March 1840 the first ever printed in this country Judging from these facts the date of the letter the relatively short exposure required and an examination of the the- portrait itself which shows rather great contrasts contrasts contrasts con con- I am of the opinion that it was taken outdoors during the summer of 1840 In September 1840 Draper published an article in the London London London Lon Lon- don Edinburgh and Dublin Pl Philosophical Philosophical Philo Philo- o. o Magazine in which he described in detail his method of making photographic portraits such as the one of his sister He stated that in his earlier attempts he dusted the face of the person sitting for the portrait with white powder probably flour to secure greater contrast but that a few trials showed him that there was no advantage in this To get greater illumination on the subject subject sub sub- he used mirrors to reflect the sun directly upon the sitter but butin butin butin in the reflected sunshine the eye can not support the effulgence of the rays In order to support the head and keep it still during the long exposures required for these early pictures a staff terminating terminating ter ter- ter in an iron ring was attached attached attached at at- to the sitters sitter's chair and so arranged as to have motion in all aU directions to suit any stature and any altitude Instrument of Torture The modern patron of the photographers photographer's pho pho- photographers photographers photographer's art may not recognize recognize nize the instrument of torture de- de de de- scribed above writes Dr Taft but to those who had photographic photo photo- photographic graphic portraits made in the long ago it will be remembered as the familiar head rest which was part of every photographers photographer's equipment equipment equip equip- ment a device which was used as can be seen from the early inception in in- of the art up to fairly modern times It must have been a very trying try try- ing experience for Miss Dorothy Catherine Draper and it is doubtful doubtful doubtful doubt doubt- ful if many of the belles of 1840 would have been willing to endanger endanger ger their complexions by having flour Hour smeared over it or sitting exposed to strong sunlight for forlong forlong forlong long minutes while trial pictures I were being taken not to mention men men- mention tion enduring the discomfort of that instrument of torture the theIron theiron theiron iron head rest So she deserves great credit for her contribution to the development of the art of 01 photography and even though it to M debatable if her brother can just justly ly claim the honor of being tho thoo first to make a photographic portrait portrait por por- trait there is little doubt that one distinction does rest with the Draper family Dorothy Catherine Draper was the first photographic model the ancestor of the glamour gals who smile amne so bewitchingly bewitching bewitching- ly Iy at us from the pages of thousands thousands thou thou- sands of magazines and newspapers newspapers pers flers today |
