The first publicly announced process of photography (January 1839) features a unique photographic image on a silver-surfaced metal sheet. Being part of the hard-image family of photographic processes, it differs greatly from photography on paper.

The image surface is delicate and easily damaged, so a professionally finished image was always presented in a protective enclosure. Hand made by artisans, these were suitably pleasing to the eye for holding such lustrous items. In America and England the presentation was most commonly the miniature case. These were either a wooden construction (with coverings of leather, paper, fabric, shell, or a combination thereof), molded thermoplastic (proto-plastic made by heating a mixture of sawdust and shellac resin), or more rarely, lacquered papier-mâché. Wall frames ranged from normal frames to adaptations of the miniature case construction.

In continental Europe, the method of presentation was most commonly Passe Partout housings with a reverse-painted cover glass. While beautiful and elegant, they are somewhat more susceptible to breakages, as the glass is the protective structure unless placed within a frame.

Daguerreotypes fell from widespread popularity circa 1860, but rarely has there not been someone in the world practising the art, and today internationally there are more practioners than any time since the 19th century.

community website - ContemporaryDaguerreotypes.info