HF The History of Photography 600pág

The daguerreotype in America I 29
The high praise accorded to American daguerreotypes at the Great Exhibition is
partly due to their technical brilliance. They are particularly clear, owing to their
highly polished surface, for the Americans used steam-machinery to drive cleaning
and buffing wheels and their plates are therefore free from the buff-lines visible in
most English and Continental daguerreotypes. Another reason for the great prominence
of the Americans at the Crystal Palace is the fact that none of the leading German
daguerreotypists such as Stelzner and Biow were represented. To avoid any erroneous
impression we would add that two of the highest awards went to daguerreotypists
active in London, namely A. Claudet (Council Medal) and E. Kilburn (Prize
Medal), whilst J. E. Mayall, an American by birth but an Englishman by adoption,
had to content himself with an Honourable Mention.