Daguerreobase

Where can I find more information on daguerreotypes?
How do I add a record?
How do I edit a record?
The option I am looking for doesn't exist. Can I add it?
The creator, collection, manufacturer or owner I am looking for is not in the menu. How do I add these?
Why do I have to choose between European and Anglo-American style housings?
Why can I choose from only a limited set of colors?
I don't understand what a specific field is for. How do I find out?
When do I use the option "unknown"?
If a date is certain, how do I use the fields for date range?
How do I enter a daguerreotype with more than one plate?
A functionality I want to use doesn't work. What do I do?
I think I found a bug. How do I report it?
Are there going to be improvements to the Daguerreobase?
What about localization, a version in my own language?
Can I propose a large modification to the Daguerreobase?
What types of membership are there and what privileges do they have?
What is the member fee used for?
What is the difference between the four authorization modes: public, semi-public, members only and contacts only?
What is a contact?
How do I add a contact?
How do I report inappropriate or offensive content?
Under what license is my data published?
Why would I make my content public?
Why can't I make my content totally private?
A daguerreotype I own is damaged. What do I do?

Where can I find more information on daguerreotypes?
A Daguerreobase administrator wrote a dossier on daguerreotypes. It includes the process, the developments, essays on Daguerre, descriptions of daguerreotypes and a list of recommended literature. You can find it here.

How do I add a record?
Navigate to the Control Panel and click Create new daguerreotype. In the next window, you can add up to ten new objects. The options apply to all objects in the batch. Once the records are created, you can navigate to one and start editing.

How do I edit a record?
You can click the Edit button to the right of the entries in the list view. To get to the list view, there are different possibilities. One is to navigate to the Control Panel and click Edit daguerreotype. Another is to click Browse in the menu. You can also edit a record when you are browsing. This is done by clicking the Edit button on the Object page.

The option I am looking for doesn't exist. Can I add it?
At this point, not directly. Only an administrator can. The options in the Daguerreobase have been built up according to a wide range of daguerreotypes, but it can be that yours have other features. If you are missing an option in one of the drop down menus, you can propose a new option by sending a message to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Any contribution will be much appreciated. However, we will add an option only if there is concrete evidence that it exists. Send an image of your daguerreotype which shows what you mean.

The creator, collection, manufacturer or owner I am looking for is not in the menu. How do I add these?
Navigate to the Control Panel and look for the "Create new"-command you need. After saving your new entry, you can continue editing your daguerreotypes with the options you have just created.

Why do I have to choose between European and Anglo-American style housings?
It determines what fields you can see while editing. When entering European, the Daguerreobase loads other options than for Anglo-American. This difference is recognized by most experts. A European housing usually consists of a single flat cassette, wrapped by a binding, and can be framed. An Anglo-American housing means a hinged case, usually twofold, that carries one or more plates (i.e. packages). The differences are too many to span in one single form. If you have a daguerreotype that looks like a jewel, please use Anglo-American.

Why can I choose from only a limited set of colors?
It increases the chance of relations. The colors you can choose from are the seven colors of the rainbow gamma in normal, light and dark shades. In addition, black, white and grey are added and in some cases material-specific colors like silver, gold or tortoise shell. Please pick the color that comes closest to the original.

I don't understand what a specific field is for. How do I find out?
Next to labels that needed more explanation, you can find icons with a question mark. Clicking on them gives a popup with a short explanation. For more information, you can resort to the Manual. If you cannot find the answer to your question, we will be happy to help you. Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

When do I use the option "unknown"?
Only when there is no verifiable information on a certain part of a daguerreotype. This also means when you are unsure.

If a date is certain, how do I use the fields for date range?
You can fill in the same date in both fields, e.g. 1842-1842.

How do I enter a daguerreotype with more than one plate?
Make one record with the standard catalog number, and complete all forms except Plate. Then, add records with the catalog number followed by A, B, C and so forth and complete only the Object and Plate forms. Make sure that in the main record you specify how many plates are retained within the housing.

A functionality I want to use doesn't work. What do I do?
If you are certain the function should be working, you can send us a report at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I think I found a bug. How do I report it?
You can send us a report at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please describe the situation that induces the bug. We will look into it as soon as possible.

Are there going to be improvements to the Daguerreobase?
Yes. At the moment, the Daguerreobase is still a beta. Where needed, the developers and editors are actively testing and optimizing it. Users are welcome to participate in the process of making the application steady and complete. Next to bug fixes, we are planning to perform major update at intervals of at least three months. We might add editing options relating to damage assessment and treatment, but 'if' and 'when' depend largely on the member basis.

What about localization, a version in my own language?
The software the Daguerreobase is based on allows localization, but currently there is only an English version. We would be happy to receive user proposals for translations at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Can I propose a large modification to the Daguerreobase?
You can. However, we will examine and check it first, in dialog with the proposer. Please bear in mind that major updates are only processes once in a few months. If you have ideas, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

What types of membership are there and what privileges do they have?
Daguerreobase distinguishes between three types of membership: free, individual and institution. On this page you can see the differences.

What is the member fee used for?
The member fee flows directly into the budget for the Daguerreobase. It is used to sustain its existence and to pay for updates and additional developing. Additionally, it is to ensure that all members are seriously committed to the Daguerreobase.

What is the difference between the four authorization modes: public, semi-public, members only and contacts only?
Public: anyone can see and comment.
Semi-public: anyone can see Summary and Object view only, registered members can see the entire record and comment.
Members only: registered members can see and comment.
Contacts only: only members registered as a contact of the daguerreotype editor can see and comment.
In your settings, there is a switch to determine which of the privacy settings is used for adding daguerreotypes.

What is a contact?
You can add other users as a contact in order to open your personal profile information (like e-mail address) to them and to give them access to your daguerreotypes marked as "contacts only".

How do I add a contact?
Click on a username and click Add as contact.

How do I report inappropriate or offensive content?
Please send a message to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We will act as soon as possible.

Under what license is my data published?
Currently, all data falls under the copyright of the editor. This means is can not be published, distributed or altered without the editor's consent. This is a provisional measure to prevent unauthorised copying and distributing, but in the future we are planning to include an optional Creative Commons license, like "Attribution No Derivatives".

Why would I make my content public?
Allowing the world to see your daguerreotypes is an opportunity to get these marvelous objects from their – often – relatively isolated existence. The more daguerreotypes are made public, the more information is disclosed about these daguerreotypes. It is practically impossible to establish dates, creators and depicted subjects without relating daguerreotypes to eachother and comparing similar characteristics. Your anonymous daguerreotype might be seen by another user overseas, and recognized as one by a particular creator. The chances to such finds will drop to almost none, if you limit access to your data.

Why can't I make my content totally private?
The Daguerreobase is not intended for personal use. The Nederlands Fotomuseum developed it for two purposes: to publish our own knowledge, and to create the possibilty for others to connect their knowledge with ours.

A daguerreotype I own is damaged. What do I do?
If you want to have a daguerreotype conserved or restored, bring it to a licensed or acknowledged conservator. A daguerreotype is extremely fragile, it is therefore wise to have it handled only by experienced conservators or experts. Some important dos and donts:
-Never touch the surface of a daguerreotype plate.
-Never expose it to direct sunlight or heat.
-Never open a daguerreotype housing unless it is justifiable.
-Never 'wash' or 'clean' a daguerreotype plate if you are not sure how.
-Store a daguerreotype in a protective environment, with the plate facing down.