BTW, there are STILL people doing Daguerreotypes with the original equipment, materials and even METHODS in making them. When I was at the reenactment of the Battle of Kernstown (Virginia) in I think it was 1982, there was a gentleman who did that to include he had a reproduction photography wagon.

I had one done of me in my Confederate Marine Uniform and compared that Daguerreotype to quite a few orginals. Except for the fact it does not have the full age patina, it is scarey how close to originals that Daguerreotype is. As a joke, a good friend put it in an original Gutta Percha frame and displayed it with many authentic Daguerreotypes at a Civil War show. Some folks got quite excited as there is NO known Daguerreotype of an Enlisted Confederate States Marine, though there are some for Officers.

Now, if the Daguerreotype had been taken out of the Gutta Percha case, it would have been easy to see there was no aging on the back of the Daguerreotype. However, one guy got so excited, he was convinced it was real. That's when I pointed out the belt buckle was not correct. (Back in those days I had it made, it was believed a Revenue Cutter Service belt buckle was actually a C.S. Marine belt buckle. I had that buckle on in the Daguerreotype.) However, that didn't convince the guy until I held the Daguerreotype up close to my face and said, "Look Familiar? That's me in the Daguerreotype......" Took him a few seconds and then he got the joke.