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Camera

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probably made in Paris

Camera
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Alexis Gaudin of Paris designed this cylindrical-bodied camera in 1841, which was made commercially by the instrument maker N.M.P. Lerebours (1801-1873). It used the single-image daguerreotype process, which produced reversed photographs on metal.

This example has been adapted to take small rectangular images, and is fitted into a wooden box, fitted with compartments for chemicals, which gives it the external appearance of a wooden box camera. The achromatic lens was fitted with a rotating disc, which had three apertures for different exposures: the largest gave soft definition, and was recommended for taking portraits of plain people!

The daguerreotype process, named after its inventor, Louis Daguerre (1789-1851), produced a single unique reversed image, with a delicate surface which had to be protected by a cover glass against abrasion, and sealed to prevent tarnishing through contact with the air. Although the process proved to be a cul-de-sac, it was taken up with enthusiasm by amateurs, particularly in France and the United States.

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