Sotheby's will be auctioning off one of the earliest known photos ever taken, the Leaf, tomorrow. It was thought to be made in 1839. For a long time, it was attributed to William Henry Fox Talbot, considered to be the father of photography along with Louis Daguerre.
However, research now shows that it might even have been made as early as 1790, way before anyone ever figured a photo was made.
It is known that inventors Thomas Wedgwood, James Watt and Humphry Davy were also doing experiments with the medium. There is the initial W in a corner and might stand for Wedgwood who died in 1805 or Watt who died in 1819.
This picture is one of six old photos from the collection of Henry Bright whose family had close ties with the three inventors.
The "Leaf" was originally purchased at auction in 1984 for $776. Before the research, Sotheby's expected to get between $100,000 and $150,000. Now, it will obviously be worth considerably more.
How Convenient That This Would be Discovered Now. --Da Coot
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