What Was The First Photographed Presidential Inauguation?

"What's It Worth" Antiques Minute

February 16, 2017

We recently observed the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as our 45th president. It was pictured in newspapers and magazines and, of course, on television news. It was everywhere. But what was the first U.S. Presidential Inauguration to be photographed?
Louis Daguerre is typically credited with inventing the photograph and introduced his daguerreotype in 1839. But while the daguerreotype worked well for still portraits, it was not ideal for photographing events and large crowds.
Back in 1857, while the U.S. Capitol was still under construction, it was John Wood, using a wet plate collodion camera, who first photographed the inauguration. It was for Pennsylvania’s James Buchanan, our 15th president.
In 2016, Sotheby's sold a photograph taken at Lincoln's first inauguration in 1861 for $27,500.

Mike Ivankovich is an auctioneer, appraiser, home downsizing expert, and host of the "What's It Worth? Ask Mike the Appraiser" radio show that airs live on Friday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m. on WBCB 1490 AM, in the Greater Philadelphia area. It is available on the internet at www.WBCB1490.com.
To learn more, visit www.AskMikeTheAppraiser.com.

 

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