RE: Daguerreotype base-metals

I don't think there is a problem if you use another
metal, or even a non-metallic support for the silver
layer. Actually Theiss provides daguerreotype plates on
brass I believe, and people have made dags on silvered glass
(silver deposited via vacuum deposition - no polishing needed).
The main problem is to find a metal on which the silver
plating adheres well.

Normally, only one side of the support is silver plated
(to lower costs), but if you plate both sides sure you
could engrave the back by scratching the silver layer.
People sometimes 'write' on the back of the dag plate
(the copper surface) using a point.

Nothing to worry about oxydation, which is prevented
by sealing the daguerreotype under glass, preventing
oxygen from the air to oxydize the silver on the dag
surface.

Hope this helps,

gregory

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Danforth [mailto:jdanforth@sc.rr.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 11:59 PM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: Daguerreotype base-metals
>
>
> I have always seen Daguerreotypists use silver-plated copper as
> their plate.
> What happens if you substitute copper for another metal? Perhaps pewter?
> The pewter would be silver plated so is there any chemical reason
> for us to
> keep using copper?
>
> Further, once plated, could I engrave the back of the plates by scraching
> away at the silver plating (on a silver-coated copper plate) or would that
> cause oxidation of the copper over time and, thus, ruin the dag.?
>
> Thanks,
> Jon
>
>
Received on Wed Apr 7 09:05:33 2004