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There was no true, fully synthesized plastic in the 19th century. When you think about all the ways plasticas are used, that was a real limitation. Various materials were used to meet the need. One was natural materials. Since the Neolithiuc era, horn was used. A newer material was whale bone (baleen) which was used in corsets. Ivory was another material. Minature painted portraits were often done on ivory. New materials appeared un the 19th century. Gutta-percha was latex material produved from a plant found in Southeast Asia. An early manufactured material it was used to created the cases for Dag and Ambro photographs (1840s). And more importantly after the invention of the telegraph, to coat trans-Atlantic cables (1850s). At about the same time celluloid was invented which was very important in the history of photography. Celluloid originated when Alexander Parkes created Parkesine, generally considered the first thermoplastic (1856) John Wesley Hyatt patented the name Celluloid. This was a material that could be easily molded and shaped, and it was first widely used as an ivory replacement--including pool balls. But celluloid had a variety of uses including important uses in photography. The development of an easy to use film was the primaru factor inhibiting the development of photography in the late 19th century. John Wesley Hyatt in 1873 began the process of solving this problem. Hyatt invented and registered the name 'celluloid'. He did not actually invent the substance celluloid, but did develop a way of molding the plastic and making it stay hard. Hyatt used celluloid for making a variety of solid objects. George Eastman, a bank clerk, was so interested in photography that in 1877 he bought a $94 photographic outfit. He immeditately saw that dry plates could revolutionie photography. He personally invented and patented a new machine in 1879 that could coat glass plates. The use of glass was still a major limitation. Eastman needed a flexible, light, and unbreakable substance that could be coated with the photographic substance to produce negatives. Celluloid was of course the answer. Eastman in 1884 patented a way of coating paper strips that could be used in a camera--which if course meant film. This began the process of manking photography accessable to the general public. Improvements led to the Kodak Brownie (1900). A about the same time we see ceuloid pin photographs, often called button photogrphs, which were popular into the 1920s.
There was no true, fully synthesized plastic in the 19th century. When you think about all the ways plasticas are used, that was a real limitation. Various materials were used to meet the need. One was natural materials. Since the Neolithiuc era, horn was used. A newer material was whale bone (baleen) which was used in corsets.
Ivory was another material. Minature painted portraits were often done on ivory. New materials appeared un the 19th century. Miniatures as the name implies are small paintings. Most were portraits, usually busts. They were executed in various media on a variety of grounds though more commonly on ivory. We notice minatures, especially in the 18th and early 19th century, but European society cultivated the art for over three centuries. Many skilled portraitists were in demand. Many artists specialized in minatures. By the early 18th century, the introduction of ivory revolutionized technical development. Miniatures appeared in North America in the 18th century providing less expensive and more personal alternatives to traditional portraiture. An American school soon became established. In Canada, the production of miniatures responded to a colonial elite, but not great enough to support a local school. It is inherent in miniature collections that identities of sitters and artists often remain uncertain. Minatures were small paintings, often busts of family members such as marriage partners and children. Traditionally miniature portraits were commissioned to portray potential brides or grooms to prospective spouses, as gifts exchanged amongst the aristocracy, or as symbols of political allegiance. However, they were also mementos of loved ones. Sizes varied, but some seem small enough to wear as jewlry. We believe some were worn as jewelry, but are not positive about this.
Gutta-percha was latex material produved from a plant found in Southeast Asia. An early manufactured material it was used to created the cases for Dag and Ambro photographs (1840s). And more importantly after the invention of the telegraph, to coat trans-Atlantic cables (1850s). There were several different types of decorative coverings. The most common was cases with decorated leather which could be elaborately done, The motifs also varied. The leather was worked into quite a variety of designs. There were other types. Less expensive molded paper was also used. The fancy case here was done in mother of pearl Ffigure 1). There were also an early plastic material, gutta perca. These were called union cases. Some times the thermoplastic case is described as "gutta percha", but this is incorrect. The Union Case was pattented in 1854 although we seem to notice some a little earlier. Unfortunately we do not always know the type of decorative covering for the dags and ambros archived on HBC. Today gutta-percha is still used, but mostly by dentists.
Also at mid-century, celluloid was invented which was very important in the history of photography. Celluloid originated when Alexander Parkes created Parkesine, generally considered the first thermoplastic (1856) John Wesley Hyatt patented the name Celluloid. This was a material that could be easily molded and shaped, and it was first widely used as an ivory replacement--including pool balls. Celluloid had a variety of uses including important uses in photography.
The development of an easy to use film was the primaru factor inhibiting the development of photography in the late 19th century. John Wesley Hyatt in 1873 began the process of solving this problem. Hyatt invented and registered the name 'celluloid'. He did not actually invent the substance celluloid, but did develop a way of molding the plastic and making it stay hard. Hyatt used celluloid for making a variety of solid objects. George Eastman, a bank clerk, was so interested in photography that in 1877 he bought a $94 photographic outfit. He immeditately saw that dry plates could revolutionie photography. He personally invented and patented a new machine in 1879 that could coat glass plates. The use of glass was still a major limitation. Eastman needed a flexible, light, and unbreakable substance that could be coated with the photographic substance to produce negatives. Celluloid was of course the answer. Eastman in 1884 patented a way of coating paper strips that could be used in a camera--which if course meant film. This began the process of manking photography accessable to the general public. Improvements led to the Kodak Brownie (1900).
A about the same time we see ceuloid pin photographs, often called button photogrphs, which were popular into the 1920s. These pin photographs were made by laminating a photograph and paper mat with cellulose nitrate film. It was wrapped around a metal base and machine-pressed into place. This all began in the United States around theturn of the 20th century. This was part of a a demand for the decorative display of family phitographs. This also became popular in Britain. The pins iffered new way displaying photographs. Theu could be worn away from home. These celluloid photographs varied un size, 1 inch to about 9 inches in diameter. They can be circular, oval or to a lesser extent rectangular. The klarger ones were done with stands so they could be displyed at home (figure 1). Some were hung oin walls. The large photo pins were called medallions. The small photo pins were worn. These pins mighr be used promote political campaigns, commemorate events, or even advertise for product promotions. Several companies produced the pin. [Shpargel and Brückle]
Shpargel, Sara and Irene Brückl. "Photo buttons on the mend: Repairing large solits in photo buttons," Topics in Photograohic Preservation Vol. 9 (2001), pp. 44-60.
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