Unidentified photographer
2015 (ca)
John Paul Caponigro's iPhone beside the Walcott camera from 1840

Colour photograph
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
The first U.S. patent issued for a camera is the Walcott camera, May 8, 1840. A Wolcott camera is shown here along with a contemporary (ca. 2015) iPhone.
 
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americanhistory.si.edu/blog/live-blog-answering-our-favorite-askacurator-questions"
 
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