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The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Century
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:22 am
by _grindael
http://mormonitemusings.com/2013/08/30/ ... ld-plates/This is Part I of “19th Century Photo of Joseph Smith’s ‘Caractors’ Found”.
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:26 am
by _The Erotic Apologist
Excellent! I look forward to reading it.
Is there a link to the 1867 image of David Whitmer that's mentioned in your blog?
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:52 am
by _The Erotic Apologist
This image of Oliver Cowdrey, from grindael's article, is neither a print from a wet collodion negative, nor from a dry gelatin image. It is a daguerreotype, considered by some to be the most challenging and aesthetic photographic medium of all. Traditional daguerreotypy is extremely dangerous and often fatal, due to the fact that the exposed plate must be developed with hot mercury vapor.
This particular image was struck by James Pressley Ball, an African-American daguerreotypist who learned the process in 1845.
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:27 am
by _grindael
EA,
Here it is, I'll add the link to the article, thanks (that is why I need feedback)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/claycounty ... 9435838298And here is another, of an even older David,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/claycounty ... 9435838298
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:29 am
by _grindael
EA,
Looking at the Cowdery Dag, and then looking at the famous Joseph Smith dag, it is obvious to me that it is only a dag of a painting of Joseph. The differences are striking.
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:35 am
by _The Erotic Apologist
Thanks!
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:43 am
by _The Erotic Apologist
grindael wrote:EA,
Looking at the Cowdery Dag, and then looking at the famous Joseph Smith dag, it is obvious to me that it is only a dag of a painting of Joseph. The differences are striking.
If I recall correctly, Joseph Smith's son said that particular image was a heavily retouched albumin print made from a glass negative (wet? dry? who knows...) copy of a painting done during the Nauvoo period. So, it's probably not a reliable representation of what Joseph Smith Jr looked like.
I'm a bit surprised that no one's turned up an authentic Joseph Smith daguerreotype, yet. You'd think a charismatic, outgoing guy like him would have had at least several daguerreotypes made.
The image quality of your average daguerreotype was quite good, such as this one from the late 1840's...
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:58 am
by _grindael
I think there are dags out there, but I think they have been suppressed.
Re: The "Caractors" from the Gold Plates, Part I of 19th Cen
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:02 am
by _The Erotic Apologist
grindael wrote:I think there are dags out there, but I think they have been suppressed.
If there's a postmortem daguerreotype out there, taken after he was killed, I can certainly see that being kept from public view.
What I'd like to see is a daguerreotype of the Angel Moroni.
