40 Rare Photos from the 1840s

Did you know that some of the earliest photos date back to the late 1830s and early 1940s?  Here are some of our favorites from these rare photos...

Mozart's Wife, 1840:  Constanze Mozart, wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at 78 years of age, pictured front left in black just years before her death. Bavarian composer Max Keller is seated center front, and to his left is his wife Josefa. From left to right in rear: family cook, Philip Lattner (Keller's brother-in-law), Keller's daughters Luise and Josefa. The print is a 19th-century copy of the original daguerrotype photograph taken October 1840, at the home of composer Max Keller.  There's so much history here!

Playing Chess, 1841

Early photographers wanted to show scenes of people doing things others would understand rather than just simple portraits.  This 1841 photo by Nicolaas Henneman captures the first known photo of two people playing chess.  Photos like this were meant to convey that you, too, could have your photo taken (and that it wasn't just for the rich!)

Montmartre in 1842

A man named Hippolyte Bayard was a French photographer and presented the first public exhibition of photos in June 1839.  Though he was known for some very odd self-portraits, he is best known for this subtle picture of Montmartre in 1842. 

Richard Beard in his Studio, 1843

In 1839, following the announcements by Louis Daguerre and William Fox Talbot of their innovations in photographic processes, Englishman Richard Beard worked with a few businessmen and inventors to pilot a new type of camera and open up a studio in downtown London.  He purchased a patent on the Daguerrotype process in England and Wales and opened studios across England through 1851. 

Boulevards at Paris, 1843

Photography pioneer Talbot traveled to Paris in May 1843 to negotiate a licensing agreement for the French rights to his patented calotype process and, with Henneman, to give firsthand instruction in its use to the licensee, the Marquis of Bassano.  During his visit, he took many striking shots of life in downtown Paris, including this one of a typical street in the Spring. 

Newhaven Fishermen in 1844

David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson took many photos in the early 1840s around the UK, including this great one of fishermen taking a break in Newhaven, Scotland ca. 1844.  You can imagine a similar scene occurring now, but just with different hats and discussing different things.

Reading in 1845

This 1845 daguerrotype shows an intimate moment between a mother and daughter as they share a reading lesson.  Though staged, this photo is extra unique because it captures a tenderness that was to be lost in later portraits as photographers encouraged their subjects to be more stoic.

Edinburgh Shipyard, 1845

Here you see an 1845 view of the shipyard at Edinburgh with the ship Leith docking and 'Cockburn' tied up on the right.  Two men take a rest on the pier.

Portrait of a Daguerrotypist, 1845

Early photographers took great pride in their work, which is evident in this portrait of the photographer himself proudly showing off some of is recent works.  This photo dates to 1845 in the early days, when this man had highly sought-after equipment and skill!

Mary Todd Lincoln, 1846

This 1846 or 1847 portrait by N.H. Shepherd shows Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of to-be President Abraham Lincoln.  This photo was taken in Springfield, Illinois a few years after they married. 

U.S. Capitol in 1846

Here is the east front elevation of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. in 1846.  this view shows what would be an almost continuous expansion of the building during the 1800s, here with the first signs of the dome.

Three Sisters Portrait, 1847

Sometimes it's nice to view old photos that could just-as-well be us, and this is the case with this 1847 portrait of three sisters.

Mexican American War ca 1847 1848

In the 1800s, stories of war were through words and drawings, but the Mexican War in 1847 gave a few rare photographers the opportunity to capture battle formations and troop movements with 100% reliability.  This is a view of the Virginia regiment and Webster's battalion in Saltillo, Mexico. 

Great Chartist Meeting, 1848

This amazing 1848 photo taken by William Kilburn shows the Great Chartist Meeting on Kennington Common in London.  Here these working class men delivered a petition with over two million signatures in the hope of universal voting rights for all men over 21 years of age in the UK.  This is one of the first photos of a mass demonstration/event on record.

Edgar Allen Poe in 1849

Edgar Allen Poe was one of the most eccentric, erratic, and talented writers of the 1800s, and it is such a great gift to have a few photos of the man mid-career.  You can almost see the mixture of humor and horror in this photo.

Ruins of St. Louis Fire, 1849

This May, 1849 photo by Thomas M. Easterly shows the devastating results of a fire that engulfed the city of St. Louis May 17-18 of that same year.   In addition to the damage you see to the city itself, it consumed many of the steamboats that were using the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers at the time.  This came at a particularly hard time for the city as nearly 10% of the population had recently been killed by a cholera epidemic.