The Photographer's Friend, Second Edition,
For Gratuitous Circulation and Revised
and Enlarged Priced Catalogue
The National Photographic Emporium,
Baltimore, MD, Richard Walzl, Proprietor
Dated 1872
This is an early edition of the long-running Photographer's Friend by Richard Walzl of Baltimore, MD.
As befitting the year 1872, all cameras are view cameras - about half of them illustrated by engravings. The engravings refer to American Optical Co. cameras. Another brand of camera, referred to as Excelsior, are also advertised, but not illustrated. The 1882 Photographer's Friend illustrates engravings of two cameras (one studio on p.45, one field on p.46) depicting the products of August Semmendinger. Semmendinger called all his cameras Excelsior, so it is probable that the Excelsior cameras in this 1872 catalog are from Semmendinger.
