History of Photography. Collecting Photographica: The Images and Equipment of the First Hundred Years of Photography by George Gilbert.

Hawthorn Books, 1976. 1st printing. 302 pages. Hard cover with dust jacket. Ex-library copy in very good condition, no spine label on dust jacket with new acetate protector and which has a chip at top of spine. Card pocket on rear flyleaf. One half page (113-114) cut out but replaced with photocopy. Contents include numerous illustrations. Topics include Box Cameras, Folding Cameras, Detective Cameras and Later Novelties, Stereo Cameras and Stereography, Single-Lens Reflex Cameras, 35-mm, Cinematography, In the Darkroom, Magic Lanterns, Albums and Viewers, Photographic Accessories and Other Photographica, Collecting Photographica, Meeting the Collectors, and Appendixes including Chronology of Photographic History, Dating Photographic Equipment, Kodak Cameras and Equipment, Major Cirkut, Ciro, Crown, Graphic and Graflex Cameras, Maintaining the Photographica Collection, Photographica Museums, Comparative Value of Early Cameras, Dating Guide to Argus Cameras, 1936-1964, plus Glossary, Bibliography, and Index. Note: following the procedure for cleaning daguerreotypes in this book is not recommended by most photo conservators today, otherwise a quite useful reference.  Gilbert also published The Photographica Collector's Price Guide, a companion volume sold separately.  Summary:

Collecting Photographica: The Images and Equipment of the First Hundred Years of Photography by George Gilbert, published by Hawthorn Books in 1976, is a comprehensive, foundational guide tailored for collectors and enthusiasts of historical photographic artifacts. As one of the field's veteran collectors, Gilbert provides a historical overview and practical manual for navigating the hobby of acquiring "photographica"—which encompasses vintage equipment, early print images, and related literature.

The book covers several key areas of the first century of photography:

• Evolution of Camera Equipment: Gilbert charts the technological progression of cameras from early daguerreotype apparatuses to 19th-century box, folding, and "detective" novelty cameras, extending into the development of single-lens reflex (SLR) systems, 35mm formats, and early cinematography.

• Early Imagery and Formats: The text highlights the marketplace and historical value of early photographic images, explaining the distinction between various formats like daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and vintage old prints.

• Photographic Bric-a-Brac: Beyond standard hardware, the guide explores niche collectibles including darkroom equipment, magic lanterns, photographic jewelry, historic albums, viewers, and even numismatics and philately related to photography.

• Collector Resources: Gilbert offers practical advice on where to source vintage items, a glossary of essential terms, and an introduction to the community of early photographica societies and major collectors.

The book serves as an important mid-1970s reference work that helped codify photographica collecting from a casual hobby into a sophisticated area of historical preservation and investment.