About
I am thrilled to launch my website and present my Morocco Cases to contemporary makers of daguerreotypes and wet plate collodion photographs! What started as a passion for conserving 19th-century leather cases for my own daguerreotype collection, has turned in to making cases for makers of contemporary daguerreotypes.
For three years, I collaborated with 21st-century daguerreian artists who encountered challenges in storing and properly displaying their images. They sought cases that complemented the photographic processes they diligently strive to preserve. With their invaluable input, I have designed and now craft cases made to exceed their expectations.
Along with great design and craftsmanship, a better case must include improvements to the original 19th century case bones. Yes, they are over 170 years old, but the wood chosen and methods of quick assembly led to broken corners, split covers and failed hinges. Relying on my years of conservation experience, using better materials and improvements in joinery and assembly make for a stable and robust case. I source select basswood from northern Michigan for the rails, and the cover and base skin is laminated birch plywood. Both materials are stable and less prone to warping, and the corner joints are machined to form a 1mm mortise and tenon. The small brass latches have been replaced with 6+ rare earth magnets to keep the cases securely closed. I condition the pneumatic leather to make the dual hinges flexible, and I guarantee they will not break.
The case is wrapped in top-grain goat skin, a thin period leather that I dye and emboss as Mathew Brady did in 1843. This thousand-year-old practice gave rise to the term “Morocco Cases,” which refers to specialty cases wrapped in goat skin leather. In the tradition of Mathew Brady, I meticulously craft my cases in the United States. I use acid-free materials that include all paper products, adhesives and 100% mulberry silk or 100% cotton velvet cloths.
I offer cases in the following sizes - sixth plate, fourth plate, 4”x5”, half plate, three quarter plate and whole plate and are offered in black, saddle-brown and maroon. All cases are shipped in acid-free boxes for safe storage of your 21st or 19th century images*
* cases are sized to properly fit 19th century images, (except the 4”x5” format).
Terry Alphonse
P.O. Box 114 Richmond, Michigan USA 48062-0114