John H. Fouch-early photographer and later Photographic retailer

[Steven Tribe]

Someone I know bought an F4 / 13" plain barrel 1890's Portrait Petzval recently. Engraving style was the same as on a lot of "Unidentified Maker" lenses which were sold from many Photographic retailers for a decade or so. Not my "field of slight expertise" but some of these are apparently with US makers, whilst others are French imports.

Here is this one below.

The Engraving is

SITKA PORTRAIT

8x10

John H. Fouch Minneapolis.

In his search for more information about Mr. Fouch, he found nothing on purely Photographic sites (LFPF, for examle) but there was a John H. Fouch who was active as an old west pioneer photographer who originated from Minnisota and later had a Photographic business there. Certainly there are quantities of stereo photos around of early native americans etc. with him as both photographer and printer.

Here is a link to one person's research about him.

http://amertribes.proboards.com/thread/1237/john-fouch

How reliable and well documented this information is, I cannot judge - I know there are people here who probably can!

Any information about the activities of Fouch as a lens seller would be gratefully received by the Petzval owner!