August Semmendinger

August Semmendinger (1820 – August 6, 1885) was a manufacturer of Photographic Apparatuses and the inventor of the Excelsior Wet Plate Camera. Semmendinger first made camera in New York City at Nos. 410 & 412 West 16th Street. The second factory where he built his cameras was located in Fort Lee, New Jersey. This building still stands and serves as a warehouse for the Fort Lee Hardware store.

1820-1859

August Semmendinger was born in 1820. Records indicate he emigrated to the United States from Germany.

August married Magdalene Kinney who it seems certain was from Switzerland. Different spellings exist regarding her name. On some documents, including a family tree, her first name has been spelled “Magdelina.”

This much is known, August Semmendinger arrived in the United States aboard a ship named Columbia which had embarked from Bremen, Germany. The arrival in New York City was on July 6, 1849. August and his family emigrated through Ellis Island.

A copy of the Manifest of Passengers lists August Semendinger (interesting that the name is spelled with only one M) as passenger number 123 on the Columbia. The document seems to indicate that August was 29 years old upon his arrival in New York. August’s occupation was listed as a “workman.” The document lists August as coming from Urach. Known today as Bad Urach, this is a town in the district of Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Along with August were passengers numbered 124 and 125. Passenger 124 was Magdalene Semendinger, his wife, aged 20 or 21. Passenger 125 was a one-year-old baby, a daughter, Alsoine (sp?) Semendinger. It is not believed that this daughter ever reached adulthood. Save for this listing, no other record exists of this child.

There have been no records that indicate anything about August Semmendinger in the period between his arrival in 1849 and 1859 when the next information is known. It is an almost certainty that August Semmendinger lived in New York City at this time.

1860-1885

File:ExcelsiorStudio.jpg

On February 21, 1860, August Semmendinger was awarded Patent No. 27,241 by the United States Patent Office. This patent was for a “Photographic Apparatus.” The inventor of the item is signed “Aug. Semmendinger.”

In this document, “August Semmendinger of the city, county, and State of New York” has “invented a new and Improved Photographic Apparatus.” Witnesses to attest to this invention were Charles Wehle (of 378 Broadway) and Jul. Wehle.

On August 7, 1860, he was awarded his second patent, Patent No. 29,523 from the United States Patent Office. This patent was simply for a “Camera.” He again signed his name as Aug. Semmendinger.

Still living in “the city of New York, State of New York,” August Semmendinger states that he has “invented a certain Improvement in Photographic Cameras.” Witnesses seem to be the same two gentlemen; listed this time as Chs. Wehle and Jul. Wehle.

By this point, August Semmendinger had moved to “Fort Lee, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey.” For this patent, August Semmendinger stated that he “invented a new and useful Improvement in Photographic Plate Holders.” It is believed by this author that this patent is for what August Semmendinger titles his “Celebrated Silver Double Corners.” For this, he was awarded Patent No. 145,020 by the United States Patent Office. Witnesses to this were W. Hauff and E.F. Kastenhuber.

August Semmendinger was able to earn a fourth patent fourteen years later on March 31, 1874. This, the final patent he earned, Patent No. 149,255 by the United States Patent Office was for “Camera-Stands.”

August Semmendinger of Fort Lee, New Jersey explained that he “invented a new and Improved Camera-Stand.” Witnesses to this patent were W. Hauff and Chas. Wahlers.

It seems apparent that by 1871 at the latest, August Semmendinger was a well-known camera maker. This author holds a letterhead dated from 1870s that states:

Office of Aug. Semmendinger Patentee and Sole Manufacturer of the Celebrated Multiplying and Roller Camera Boxes and Photographic Appararus, &c. & c. Nos. 410 & 412 West 16th Street New York

This letter head has the year 187___ printed. Added to the line is the exact date June 27, 1871. Written on the paper is an agreement to rent “from A. Semmendinger Two Rooms of his new Building in Fort Lee…” In addition, the New York addresses are crossed out. This seems to indicate that August Semmendinger moved from his buildings in New York City to Fort Lee at about this time.

A copy of a one-page Semmendinger advertisement seems to also be from the 1870’s. There is also a very difficult to read United States Census Report from June 4, 1880.

“Inhabitants in (illegible) in the County of Bergen, State of New Jersey. Listed under the surname Semmendinger are August (aged 60), Magdeline (aged 50) (Wife), Theodore (27)(son), Alvina (18?)(daughter), Roland (20)(son), and Guido (16) (son). The document seems to indicate that all of the children were born in New York. Further, the (barely legible) “Place of birth for the father” was listed as “Germany,” while the place of birth for the mother was listed as “Switzerland.”

One other letterhead exists, and is in this author’s possession. This letterhead dates from the 1880’s as the printed date is listed as 188__.

This document adds the words “& Sons” to the title indicating that Augusts’ sons were involved in the manufacturing of cameras. In addition, this document claims that August Semmendinger’s business is “The Oldest Firm of Camera Making. Established 1859.”

August Semmendinger died, in Fort Lee, New Jersey on August 6, 1885. An obituary was printed in Anthony’s Photographic Bulletin (Volume XVII. 1886). The obituary reads:

"August Semmindinger (sic), the well-known camera manufacturer, died at Fort Lee, N.J., on August 6, 1885, at the age of 65. He was a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, and always an active man, whether in business or social life. He was the inventor of a number of improvements in the camera, for which he held patents. Mr. Semmindinger’s (sic) sons carry on the business founded by their father."

Patents to August Semmendinger

File:ExcelsiorStudio1874.jpg

• February 21, 1860, Patent No. 27,241. This patent was for a “Photographic Apparatus.”
• August 7, 1860, Patent No. 29,523. This patent was simply for a “Camera.”
• November 25, 1873, Patent No. 145,020. This patent is for “Photographic Plate-Holders.”
• March 31, 1874, Patent No. 149,255. This patent is for “Camera-Stands.”

August Semmendinger in Print

Time has diminished August Semmendinger’s impact in the history of camera manufacturing. His name is well known by enthusiasts of the early history of the camera. To most others, Semmendinger’s name has been lost to time. That being said, his name occasionally comes out in print.

In 1881, a book titled the Photographic Times and American Photographer edited by J. Traill Taylor states the following about the Semmendinger camera:

"The idea of utilizing that portion of the camera just under the lens and converting it into a sort of cupboard is, at least, novel. To A. Semmindinger(sic) belongs the full credit of this idea ; whether photographers will appreciate it is another matter. But, seriouslt, it may become handy for storing away a sandwich, a few screws, or - anything else."

The Bergen County (New Jersey) Board of Chosen Freeholders published a book titled Bergen County Panorama in 1941. This book makes a cursory reference to August Semmendinger on page 104:

"August Semmindinger's (sic) photographic laboratories in Fort Lee were experimenting with an enterprise which soon was to revolutionize the habits of the country."

The book The Western Photographs of John K. Hillers: Myself in the Water (1989) makes reference to a Semmendinger camera. This text on page 20 reads:

“In 1875 W.H. Jackson lugged such a monster, probably a Semmindinger (sic) “Mammoth plate” wet-collodion camera, up and down the canyons and mesas of southwestern Colorado while he photographed landscapes and “Cliff Dweller” archaeological sites. Such mammoth camera were extremely heavy and cumbersome, as were the glass plates used in them.”

Common Mistake Regarding Semmendinger's First Name

Some on-line and print sources give Semmendinger an incorrect first name of Augustus rather than August. This is partially due to the fact that his name often appeared in print as A. Semmendinger and Aug. Semmendinger.

The following list summarizes evidence to prove August as the correct first name:

• Oral family history always referred to him as August
• The July 6, 1849 Manifest for the ship Columbia on which Semmendinger emmigrated to America lists his name as August
• Original receipts from the camera business still in family possession have his full name printed as August Semmendinger
• The (barely legible) 1880 U.S. Census report lists his name as August
• On each of the four U.S. Patents, his full name is listed as August
• The obituary printed in Anthony's Photographic Bulletin (1886) lists his name as August
• The Certificate of Examination of Title in Fort Lee regarding his estate states, "Property of the Estate of August Semmendinger, Fort Lee, New Jersey
• Family papers outling his estate list his name as August
• August Semendinger (1906-1979), of Norwood, and Park Ridge, New Jersey is believed to have been named for the August Semmendinger of this article
• There exists no primary sources known to this author that lists his name as Augustus

Known Semmendinger Cameras

This author has tried to maintain a list of Semmendinger cameras still in existance.

The following is a list of the cameras that are known. Cameras in private collections are described, but the owners of the cameras are not identified:

• Semmendinger Camera in the Smithsonian Archives

The Smithsonian has an absolutely wonderful full-sized patent model of a multi-image Semmendinger wet-plate camera (Patent No. 27,241). This camera looks like a stereo camera, but it does not produce stereo pairs. It just has two separate lenses. It can make 12 small circular images on a plate.

• Semmendinger Camera in the George Eastman House Collection

This Semmendinger camera was spotted in the basement.

• Semmendinger Camera in a Private Collection

This camera is a wet-plate, 7 X7, fixed tailboard and square-cornered bellows with brass-barreled lens. It has a ground glass, but it does not swing to one side. There is no rising front, tilt, or swing back

• Semmendinger Camera in a Private Collection

This Semmendinger stereo camera has radial drive lenses that are slotted for stops. It does not have a correct focusing back and is missing a couple of pieces of hardware.

• Semmendinger Camera in a Private Collection

c1870's Wet Plate Camera for full plate ambrotypes or tintypes or wet plate collodion negatives. This unusually designed camera features a rear standard that protects the square cornered leather bellows when the camera is closed and the folding bed protects the ground glass from breakage. At the base of the front standard is a small storage area that can be found behind the hinged door. The fixed front standard contains a movable lens board that has rise and fall capabilities.

• Semmendinger Camera in a Private Collection

c1875 "Excelsior" wet-plate studio portrait camera. 8 x 10. Made of light mahogany with large brass Gasc & Charconnet portrait lens.

• Semmendinger Camera in a Private Collection

It’s a studio version in excellent condition. The Semmendinger name and “Excelsior” and the 1873 patent date are engraved into the camera. The lens on it is a very early Darlot Opticien lens made in the 1860s which makes it contemporary with the Semmendinger camera which has a patent date of 1873. The lens board is not the original, but it was fabricated by a very fine cabinet maker who did a terrific job in replicating one. It looks very proper with the camera. The back of the camera is very old, but it may be a dry plate back rather than a wet plate back

Printed August Semmendinger Advertisements

• Towler, J. (1879): The Silver Sunbeam: A Practical and Theoretical Text-Book on Sun Drawing and Photographic Printing: Comprehending all the Wet and Dry Processes at Present Known, with Collodion, Albumen, Gelatine, Wax, Resin, and Silver; as also Hellographic Engraving, Photolithography, Photozincography, Microphotography, Celestial Photography, Photography in Natural Colors, Solar Camera Work, Tinting and Coloring of Photographs, Printing in Various Colors; the Carbon Process, the Card-Picture, the Cabinet-Picture, the Vignette, and Stereography 678 pp.
• Ourdan, J.P. (1880): The Art of Retouching (Burrows & Colton) 154 pp.

Noteable Decendents

Guido Semmendinger (1864-1939) son to August Semmendinger -

Guido was a founding member of the Fort Lee, NJ Fire Department.

August Semendinger (1906-1979) grandson to August Semmendinger -

August was a founding member of the Norwood, NJ Ambulance Corps.

Sources

• Chandler, Charles F. (1886) Anthony's Photographic Bulletin: Volume XVII 357 pp.
• Fowler, Don D. (1989) The Western Photographs of John K. Hillers: Myself in the Water 20 pp.

Authors

The information in this article was compiled and writted by Paul and Ryan Semendinger.