By Peter E. Palmquist with Lincoln Kilian. These books are used, in good condition. Slight foxing, signature, tight binding, small creases at cover corners, clean cover and pages.

The Historical Society's bookstore is fortunate to now have on its used and special sales shelf Peter Palmquist's series on Photographers of the Humboldt Bay Region. The series, covering the last half of the 19th century, is divided into periods that share the same techniques, styles and subject matter. Throughout, the books include detailed historical presentations of the social and technological factors of the periods.

        The first book focuses on the development of the early daguerreotype process and how it moved to the American frontier and ultimately to isolated Humboldt County.  The first itinerate photographers passing through small communities were followed by some who set up business here.  Along with samples of their early work, we are given interesting explanations of the equipment and studio techniques used.

       As the volumes progress, they focus on how the photographic techniques developed, and all the books include historical and photographic chronologies and biographical information on local photographers of those periods. The many appendices are detailed and useful, and abundant  photographs are included as well. The development of new techniques such as tintypes are covered, while each volume highlights certain prominent photographers of the period.

       Gradually to we see how subject matter expanded, moving from primarily studio portraits to landscapes, city scenes and coverage of the lumber and shipping industries that were becoming dominant in Humboldt.

       The series comes to an end before the dominance of professional photographers gave way to portable home-owned cameras in the 20th century -- and the cell-phone cameras of the following century. But these books do capture a significant enterprise that, in tern, did so much to visually capture our area's history.

       We are grateful to the donors who gave these and other books for resale at the bookstore. This is also a reminder that you too can donate local history books that can then reach a wider and appreciative audience.