TheDagLab.com

Early one morning in 1941, Ray Phillips was daguerreotyped for the first time by Charles Tremear who was considered “The Patriarch of Twentieth-Century Daguerreotype in America”.

Ray Phillips dag portrait by C.H. Tremear

From 1929 till his death in 1943, C.H. Tremear manned the Tintype Studio in Greenfield Village where he made tintypes of about 100,000 persons. In addition to tintypes he also taught himself the daguerreotype process using original equipment and manuals. Ray Phillips patiently waited 2 years before he could make an appointment with Mr. Tremear for a daguerreotype portrait. According to the Daguerrian Annual article by Dave Tinder, Ray was so inspired by the event that he went home and talked his dad into putting skylights into the garage and built a daguerreotype studio there. Ray continued to make daguerreotypes for over 15 years before moving his efforts and funds into phonographs.

Thanks to the help of René Rondeau, a friend of Ray Phillips, Ray was able to sit at my studio for a daguerreotype portrait. It was a day I will always remember filled with anecdotes and great conversation. Here is a half plate dag of Ray produced that day…

Eric Mertens and Ray Phillips

LA Times article 1951 on Ray Phillips

Short video from when Ray Phillips visited the studio…

René Rondeau also brought his tintype camera along and got some very beautiful tintypes of Ray as well. René will be writing an article on the days events that will be published in the next Daguerrian Society Annual. Also for more information on C.H. Tremear and Ray Phillips there is a great article in the 1993 Daguerreian Annual by Dave Tinder entitled Charles Herbert Tremear “The Patriarch of Twentieth-Century Daguerreotypy in America”.

René Rondeau quarter plate tintype of Ray Phillips

If you happen to be in France September – October make sure you take a look at what may be the largest collection of contemporary daguerreotypes brought together to date for an exhibition in Bry-sur-Marne. I’ll have a few dags on display along with about 35 other contemporaries…

“To celebrate the announcement of Louis Daguerre’s photographic process on August 19th 1839, an exhibition of contemporary daguerreotypes will take place in Bry-sur-Marne. It will feature the works of a diversity of artists from all over the world including 35 participants from 13 different countries.
This will be the first exhibition of international contemporary daguerreotypes in France, and it aims to be a place of meeting for daguerreotypists to share their individual view of Louis Daguerre’s heritage with the public. In parallel, part of this event will be dedicated to the history of Daguerre’s Diorama in Bry-sur-Marne, the last monumental work of Daguerre realized in 1842 and classified historic building.”

Exhibiton Poster

More information here.