1887. Platinotype improvements; two patents.
1888. Pizzighelli's visible platinotype printing paper put on the market in June.
1889. Eikonogen developer patented by Dr. Andresen, of Berlin, Germany, March 26th.
-- Wire frames and supports in camera extensions patented by Thomas Rudolph Dallmeyer and Francis Beauchamp, November 6th.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO PHOTOGRAPHIC LITERATURE.
_Originally published in the "Photographic News," "British Journal of Photography," Photographic Year-Book, and Photographic Almanac._
Many very beautiful and interesting photographic views of Niagara Falls, and other places of romantic and marvellous interest, have been taken and exhibited to the world. Indeed, they are to be seen now in almost every print-seller's window; and in the albums, stereoscopes, or folios of almost every private collector. But I question very much if it ever occurred to the mind of anyone, while looking at those pictures, what an amount of labour, expense, and danger had to be endured and encountered to obtain them--"the many hairbreadth 'scapes by flood and field," of a very "positive" character, which had to be risked before some of the "negatives" could be "boxed." Doubtless Mr. England, Mr. Stephen Thompson, and Mr. Wilson have many very vivid recollections of the critical situations they have been in while photographing the picturesque scenery of the Alpine passes of Switzerland, and the Highlands and glens of Scotland.
Mr. Stephen Thompson has narrated to me one or two of his "narrow escapes" while photographing his "Swiss scenes," and I am sure Mr. England did not procure his many and beautiful "points of view" of Niagara Falls without exposing himself to considerable risk.
I had the good fortune to be one of the earlier pioneers, in company with a Yankee friend, Mr. Easterly, in taking photographs of the Falls; and my recollections of the manner in which we "went about," poised ourselves and cameras on "points of rock" and "ledges of bluffs," and felled trees, and lopped off branches overhanging precipices, to "gain a point," even at the distant date are somewhat thrilling. To take a photograph of what is called "Visitors' View" is safe and easy enough. You might plant a dozen cameras on the open space at the brink of the "American Fall," and photograph the scene, visitors and all, as they stand, "fixed" with wonder, gazing at the Falls, American, Centre, and Horseshoe, Goat Island, and the shores of Canada included, for this point embraces in one view all those subjects. But to get at the out-of-the-way places, to take the Falls in detail, and obtain some of the grandest views of them, is a very different matter.