A Manual Of Photography

CHAPTER V. THE TALBOTYPE AS NOW PRACTISED, AND ITS MODIFICATIONS. In the historical section the description of the calotype, as published by Mr. Fox Talbot, is given. While these sheets have been passing through the press, Mr. Henry Fox Talbot has announced his intention of making the country a free gift of al1 his patents, reserving only the right of taking portraits for sale. Since the name of Daguerre has been given to the process invented by him, it appears but just that the name of Talbot should be employed to designate the process which he introduced, and which is now so universally employed. This claim of Mr. Talbot’s no one can dispute. He first communicated it to the public on the 5th and 19th of February, 1841, in the Literary Gazette ; and on the 10th of June in the same year Mr. Talbot communicated his process to the Royal Society. It lias, how- ever, been so materially improved, and admits of so many variations, that the present mode of working demands our separate consideration. Section I.—Mr. Cundell’s Process. The first important published improvement on the calotype was due to Mr. Cundell, whose process was published in the Philosophical Magazine for May 1844, from which we extract the following:— 1. To produce a calotype picture, there are five distinct pro- cesses, al1 of which, except the third, must be performed by candle-light: they are all very simple, but, at the same time, they all require care and caution. The first and not the least important is— 2. The Iodizing of the Paper.—Much depends upon the paper selected for the purpose ; it must be of a compact and uniform texture, smooth and transparent, and of not less than medium thickness. The best I have met with is a fine satin post paper, made by “ R. Turner, Chafford Mill.” Having selected a half-sheet without flaw or water-mark, and free from even the