A fair May Day to all! Two items of daguerreian interest:

  The March/April issue of "Civilization / The Magazine of the Library 
of Congress" features the portfolio "Tools of the Trade" with text by 
William Howarth.  The portfolio features twelve occupational 
daguerreotypes from the collection of The Library of Congress. The 
illustrations are large, in color, and are marvelous.

  If you act now, you may still find it in the news stands.  Back issues 
will be available for $8.00 from:

   Civilization
   Library of Congress Associates
   P.O. Box 420235
   Palm Coast, FL  32142-0235.
   
  The Library of Congress has now mounted a superb website featuring the 
collection of daguerreotypes from their Prints and Photographs Division, 
"Daguerreotypes, 1842-1862."  This is without question the most 
extensive collection of daguerreotypes available on the Web at this 
time.  The site includes several featured galleries and also a very 
useful search tool. Be prepared to spend some time here! The URL is:

      http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/daghtml/daghome.php

  My thanks to Carol Johnson of the Library of Congress for providing 
this great news.
* * * * * * * *
On this day (May 1) in the year 1846, the following news items appeared 
in the "Salem Gazette" (Vol. 65, No. 35):

   SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES.  The London correspondent of the Boston 
Atlas, describing a scientific soiree, says:
   What seems to cause the greatest astonishment, is an impression of 
black lace upon a daguerreotype plate, by the light of the stars!  M. 
Claudet, in referring to this phenomenon, observed, that he considered 
it as proof of the chemical power of star-light.  He said that he had 
prepared a plate in the usual manner, covered it with a piece of black 
lace, and exposed it to the then brightest part of the sky, the 
constellation Ursa Major, nearly at the zenith.  It was left to the 
influence of these, and the surrounding starts, for about fifteen 
minutes, which sufficed to impress the black lace upon the plate.

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Posted for your enjoyment.      Gary W. Ewer       
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05-01-96