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an old book with a stamp on it sitting on top of a table
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Estimate €800 - €1,200
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Description
Photography Pauly, Theodor von The Current State of the Daguerreotype in France, or A Comprehensive Guide to Depicting People and Lively Landscapes in a Tenth of a Second. With particular reference to the chemistry involved, as well as details of a process for colouring the images, reproducing them in copper and applying a galvanic gold finish. Together with a description of Herschel’s chrysotype. Dresden and Leipzig, Arnoldische Buchhandlung, 1843. Large 8vo. VI, 87 pp. Modern half-leather binding using the original lithographed cover. Untrimmed Heidtmann, 6085. – Roosens / Salu, History of Photography. A Bibliography, 2846. - First edition of a remarkable, early German-language handbook on daguerreotype. On the title page, the author describes himself as ‘Imperial Russian Hussar Lieutenant (retired)’ and, in the preface, also identifies himself as a practising photographer. Beyond the relevant photographic-historical bibliographies, no reliable biographical details about him have yet been established. Pauly not only provides a general account of the latest French developments in daguerreotype at the time, but also focuses, in the extensive third part, on practical workshop procedures: chemical preparations and formulations, sensitisation and development, plate processing, as well as methods for colouring, transferring to copper and electroplating with gold. The bold claim that portraits and moving landscapes could be captured ‘in a tenth of a second’ also documents contemporary efforts to develop more sensitive plates and drastically reduce exposure times. Of particular significance is the accompanying description of the chrysotype process developed by Sir John Frederick William Herschel in 1842. Pauly is thus likely to have presented one of the earliest, and possibly the first, German accounts of this gold-printing process, which was only tested for a short time. In chrysotype, paper was treated with iron ammonium citrate and the image was developed using gold chloride after exposure in the camera. Compared with calotype, however, the process proved to be significantly less light-sensitive. The brief instructions on the production of calotypes on p. 87 extend the volume beyond daguerreotype to make it an important document of the early competition and experimentation with photographic positive and negative processes. - Title page bearing a small stamp. Overall, a wide-margined, uncut copy with the rarely preserved original lithographed cover. Photography. – First edition of a remarkable and very early German-language manual on the daguerreotype process. On the title page, the author describes himself as a “former Imperial Russian Hussar Lieutenant” and, in the preface, identifies himself as a practising photographer. Beyond the relevant bibliographies on the history of photography, no reliable biographical information about him has yet been established. Pauly offers more than a general account of the then most recent French developments in daguerreotypy. The extensive third part is devoted to workshop practice: chemical preparations and formulae, sensitising and developing, the treatment of plates, as well as methods of colouring, transferring images onto copper, and electro-gilding. The programmatic claim that portraits and animated landscapes could be photographed ‘within one tenth of a second’ also reflects contemporary efforts to produce more sensitive plates and radically reduce exposure times. Of particular importance is the appended description of the chrysotype process developed by Sir John Frederick William Herschel in 1842. Pauly’s account is likely to be among the earliest – and possibly the first – German descriptions of this briefly experimented-with gold-printing process. In chrysotypy, paper was treated with ferric ammonium citrate and, after exposure in the camera, the image was developed in a gold chloride solution. Compared with the calotype, however, the process proved decidedly less light-sensitive. The brief instructions for producing calotypes on p. 87 extend the scope of the volume beyond daguerreotype, making it an important document of the early competition between, and experimentation with, photographic positive and negative processes. Title page bearing a small stamp. A large-margined, untrimmed copy, retaining the rare lithographed original wrapper. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This lot is subject to the standard margin scheme. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
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