Edward and Henry T. Anthony were brothers as well as photographic partners. Edward, born in 1818, was a civil engineer until the daguerreotype debuted in the United States. Immediately stricken with "daguerreotypemania," he took lessons in the fledgling medium from Samuel Morse and in 1841 joined a survey expedition of the U.S.-Canadian border as a photographer. He partnered with Jonas M. Edwards in Washington, D.C., for his first professional studio venture, specializing in portraits of congressmen and other Washington notables.
In 1847 Edward began to collaborate with his older brother Henry, photographing and publishing cartes-de-visite and stereographic views. Together they founded the firm of E. and H.T. Anthony in New York in 1852, which was unquestionably the period's leading manufacturer and marketer of photographic supplies and equipment. The Anthonys provided financial support to Mathew Brady to photograph the Civil War and in return Brady gave them all of his duplicate negatives, which they published under his name in 1865. Following Henry's death in 1884, Edward continued to work; upon Edward's death four years later, the firm was willed to a nephew. It eventually became Agfa, one of the best known photographic companies today.
Edward and Henry T. Anthony were brothers as well as photographic partners. Edward, born in 1818, was a civil engineer until the daguerreotype debuted in the United States. Immediately stricken with "daguerreotypemania," he took lessons in the fledgling medium from Samuel Morse and in 1841 joined a survey expedition of the U.S.-Canadian border as a photographer. He partnered with Jonas M. Edwards in Washington, D.C., for his first professional studio venture, specializing in portraits of congressmen and other Washington notables.
In 1847 Edward began to collaborate with his older brother Henry, photographing and publishing cartes-de-visite and stereographic views. Together they founded the firm of E. and H.T. Anthony in New York in 1852, which was unquestionably the period's leading manufacturer and marketer of photographic supplies and equipment. The Anthonys provided financial support to Mathew Brady to photograph the Civil War and in return Brady gave them all of his duplicate negatives, which they published under his name in 1865. Following Henry's death in 1884, Edward continued to work; upon Edward's death four years later, the firm was willed to a nephew. It eventually became Agfa, one of the best known photographic companies today.
Family Members
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