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Antique Photography Price Guide and Glossary. © 2005

Beard, Richard was a significant photographic pioneer. Although he had been a seller of coal, he was instantly excited by Louis Daguerre's announcement of the invention of photohraphy. In March of 1841, Beard opened the first photographic studio in England. It was in a glasshouse on the roof of the Royal Polytechnic Institute in London where sunlight was used for illumination. Estimated basic value: $6000 ?