Hello,
http://www.livinghistorypressllc.com/A few years ago in the middle of Kinraide research in New Hampshire, I had the great pleasure of meeting Robert and Rosemary Campbell. Bob and Rose were collectors that bought a box of fascinating glass plate negatives in MA. Inside were pictures of a complete man's life - that included early aviation photos and some rather peculiar electrical machines. The negatives were made by X-Ray and Tesla Coiling pioneer Earle Lewis Ovington, who was (at least at that time) known to the rest of the world as the first US Air Mail Pilot.
Bob contacted me about a year prior when I was trying to track down the daughter of Earle who owned a pub in Santa Barbara, CA. Unfortunately I was 1 1/2 years too late - she had already passed. But I wrote a letter to a distant relative and got a response back from Bob: we spoke for hours. To my amazement, Bob was writing a biography of Earle's life and was nearly 9 years into it! I immediately called the few people who first came to mind - Bill Wysock (who restored one of Earle's original conical coils at Griffith Park Observatory), Harry Goldman, and antique medical collector extraordinaire Frank Jones. Everyone was excited beyond belief. Well, to make a long story short - Bob's book is complete and one of the most spectacular publications I have ever seen. It is very rare in that a majority of the 650 photos were hand-developed and tinted by Bob and Rose using century-old techniques. These are all never-published first-hand photos of an early inventor's life, printed in color showing a rare glimpse of just how spectacular photography (and life) in this period really was. There aren't many new books this enjoyable. Or large (9 x 10.75", 432 pages - an inch and a half thick!). Its an inspiring story of a young American man who lived life to the fullest in one of the most exciting time periods of history.
http://www.livinghistorypressllc.com/Jeff Behary
