Photographers' Snipe Hunt : The Great Comet of... Lot 45

Photographers' Snipe Hunt : The Great Comet of 1858 Saint-Germain en Laye photographer Albumen paper print, 19,2x26,5, titled on mount, pencil: “Comète de 1858” “Donati's Comet, is a long-period comet named after the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Donati who first observed it on June 2, 1858. By mid-August it had brightened sufficiently to be visible to the naked eye even in daylight. It remained a naked-eye object until November for Southern Hemisphere observers. It was also the first comet to be photographed.” Photographer's attemps were numerous ! Bewaree: “Usherwood's photograph has not survived”. The French photographer titled the albumen print with an absent subject as he could not catch the reluctant comete on his plate. A real fair player and a very nice collection subject indeed.