[Group of 26 Stereograph Views of San Francisco, California]

Continent Stereoscopic Company (New York)

The albumen silver print is a photographic printing process that was widely used in the 19th century. It involves coating paper support with a mixture of egg whites and salt, which creates a glossy surface to hold light-sensitive silver salts. The paper is then sensitized in a solution of silver nitrate, and exposed in a camera or under a negative. After exposure, the print is developed in a solution of gallic acid and silver nitrate, which reduces the silver salts to metallic silver and creates the final image. The albumen print process was widely used for commercial and fine art photography in the 19th century and produced high-quality, detailed images with a distinctive glossy finish.

american scenery american series american views continent stereoscopic company keystone view company popular series benneville lloyd singley standard series stereoscopic views underwood and underwood albumen albumen silver prints prints stereographs group stereograph views stereograph views san francisco california albumen prints high resolution ultra high resolution early photography metropolitan museum of art california historical photos

1850 - 1880

Metropolitan Museum of Art

http://www.metmuseum.org/

Public Domain Dedication (CC0)