From Daguerreotypes to AI:
Eye-Opening Talks Slated for Hartford Symposium

We're excited to announce the expert talks planned for this year's Symposium & Photo Fair. 

This year’s presenters bring fresh perspectives on 19th-century photography. You’ll discover unseen Native American portraits, get access to hidden gems in a major institutional collection, and learn how artificial intelligence can help identify people in early photographs.

2025 Symposium Presentations
September 25–27
Hartford, Connecticut
Register here 

Early Photography at Yale, Including the Peter Palmquist Collections
Matthew Daniel Mason, PhD – Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University

Photo Sleuth: Using AI and Crowdsourcing to Identify Portrait Photographs
Kurt Luther, PhD – Virginia Tech; Founder, The Photo Sleuth Foundation

Portraits in the Stream of Time: Images of “Indians” Henry David Thoreau Encountered in New England
Jane-Turano Thompson – Independent scholar and art historian specializing in 19th-century American art and photography

A Virginia Family in Pursuit of Their Likenesses: Encounters with “Mr. Tools,” “White Hurce,” and “Mr. Montgomry”
Denise Bethel – Former Head of Photography, Sotheby’s

Time Stands Still: Horology in Daguerreotypes
Bob Frishman – Independent horology scholar and author

Custer’s Dogs' Last Stand
Brian Patrick Duggan – Historian and author focused on 19th-century canine imagery and culture 

Mystery in Miniature: C. L. Goodrich and the Story Behind Three CDVs
Carl Mautz – Collector, dealer, and publisher of about 25 books, mostly on the history of photography

The Woman's Eye: Case Studies from Latin America
Carlos Vertanessian – Scholar, collector, and Daguerreian Society Board Member focused on Latin American photographic history

New England Photography Studio Advertising Cards
Stanley B. Burns, MD – Author, curator, and collector known for his pioneering work in early medical and vernacular photography

Working in the Field: Creating a Panoramic Daguerreotype
Mike Robinson, PhD – Artist-practitioner, conservator, and historian of the daguerreotype; President of The Daguerreian Society

Special Panel Discussion
Navigating the Evolving Market for 19th-Century Photographs

• Wes Cowan (moderator) – Vice President of The Daguerreian Society, auctioneer, and cohost of PBS’s History Detectives
• Denise Bethel – Former Head of Photography, Sotheby’s
• Katie Horstman – Head of American Historical Ephemera & Early Photography, Freeman’s | Hindman Auctions
• Diane Waggoner – Curator of Photographs, National Gallery of Art
• Erin Waters – Photo historian, collector, and dealer

Register Today! CLICK HERE
Early-bird pricing
for members ends August 25
Tours signup this Saturday

Can’t travel? Don’t miss out! You’ll see all of these talks LIVE, and more, if you sign up for our Virtual Symposium Experience.  Watch your email for more info.