PHOTOGRAPHY : ANTIQUE
Forever a connection to the past, photographs by their very nature are little time capsules. What happened to those photographed, where did they live, what did they do, what were they thinking?
It's difficult to look at these images other than just images, but each of them share a similarity, to me they are very much alive, full of life and character.
Many 19th century portrait photographs show individuals that are very stern, stiff, emotionless, empty. Much of the reason for this was due to the long exposure required together with the contemporary view that a portrait of an individual should reflect an air of seriousness and poise not unlike its larger visual brother, the portrait painting. So finding images where the individuals are more relaxed, more human, more alive continues to be elusive, but a huge amount of fun.
Many of those illustrated here are CDVs or 'Carte de Visite' photographs. Each photograph was the size of a visiting card, and were traded among friends and visitors. Later these became larger in format as 'Cabinet Cards' remaining popular until the advent of snapshot camera's like the Box Brownie in the early 20th century allowing individuals to create their own images.
Mid 19th century wet plate Collodion process glass photograph.
CDV, French soldier, c1870s
Cabinet Card, West Yorkshire, c1870s
1870s portrait by Lankester of Tunbridge Wells and 230 Regents Street, London
CDV, 1871, Cheltenham. on the backlit reads "For dear
Mr Fletcher from Lizzie."
1870s portrait by F Sharples of Blackburn
1870s father and daughter, San Francisco Cabinet photograph.
CDV, Oxford, around 1880s
1880s CDV Dresden, Germany
1880s Tintype, a group of very happy people.
Cabinet Card, Southport, by Saville, "Telephone No. 184"
Dana Portraits, 6th Avenue, New York at $8 per dozen. On the back there is a note, "Why have you not answered my letter Kate"
Cabinet Card, c1890s
CDV, about 1890 by Arthur Hollis of 3 Cavendish Square,
Barrow-in-Furness
Cabinet Card, late 19th century by Mowll & Morrison of Liverpool
1890s portrait by C Naudin at 169 High Street Kensington, London
Cabinet Card, late 19th century. Just love the expression on the baby.
CDV, Manchester, late 19th century
Cabinet Card around 1890s
1890s Cabinet photograph, Gloucester
1890s portrait by George Mexia, Poitiers, France
Cabinet Card, late 19th / early 20th century
Postcard, late 19th century
Albumen print, London Bridge Store, Chester, late 19th century
Cabinet Card around 1900, Glasgow
1900s CDV, Swansea
c1900 Cabinet Card, Wales
Photograph by L. M. HORTON Budleigh & Salterton DEVON c1900
CDV by CP Dyrendahl, Helsinki around 1900
CDV 1900s
CDV 1900s : On the reverse, "Portraits taken in any weather, 1/- each, 5/6 doz, 10/ doz". No.1 Ealing High Street.
Cabinet Card, around 1900
1900s cabinet photo
Edwardian portrait, Ar Deco, signed.
Cabinet Card, around 1905, Walker's Studio, Castleford
CDV, Vienna 1906
1907 photo by Kindler & Co, Birmingham
1907 Oxford, Binsey Lane
Postcard, Scarborough, Edwardian, British
Edwardian portrait by Alec Roberts, Edinburgh.
On the reverse is written: "To aunt Lizzie from Evie Oct[ober] 1911"
Cabinet Card, Edwardian, Polish
Edwardian postcard around 1910
Edwardian studio portrait, Birkenhead
Cabinet Card, around 1910, G Hadley, Castle Studio, Lincoln
1910s Cricket on Blackpool Beach
Cabinet Card, around 1910, A Mr Henry Coles of Portland Oregon.
Cabinet Card, around 1910
Cabinet Card, around 1910
Unknown interior shot, fabulous Adams interior decor.
1910, Olive and Willie Harvey outside their father's shop ' Harveys' 37 East Street, Faversham, Kent
Postcard, French, 1912, "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"
Postcard around 1914, British, possibly brothers
1914, reverse reads " Wishing you a Merry Christmas with love BB"
Cabinet Card, 1919, British Soldier photographed in Cologne. Note on the back reads, "To my old pal R... from Frank S Edwards"
1919, France military post
Cabinet Card, around 1920
1920s photo postcard by Carrick, 540 Green Street, Upton Park East
1920s Wedding postcard proof
1920s works day out in a Charabanc, often pronounced "sharra-bang" in colloquial British English
1920s, Leighton Studios, Newcastle on Tyne
1920s wedding photo by E.W Appleby, Coventry
1920s pocket portrait: "To Auntie Ivy and Uncle Bob from Eleanor xxxx"
Snapshot, around 1920s, office, note the blinds being held open to allow enough light for the shot.
1930s Backhouse photographers portrait, Poona
1930s, Bromberg, 8th Avenue, New York. Possibly police of fire officer.
1930s portrait by Dr Gregor Harlip, gelatin silver print, stamped Harlip Ltd on reverse : 8.25" by 11"
1930s Conductor photo by Margaret Gaitzsch, unknown location
1930s 'The Lucernes' roller skating act, photo by Maurice Howard, Liverpool.
1930s Czechoslovakian pocket photo
1930s small photo, man with his hand in pocket
1930s possibly Suffolk coast with a Short S8 Calcutta flying boat in the air.
Snapshot, possibly French around the 1930s/40s
1934 October, The MacRobertson Air Race; London to Melbourne. Images show Jacqueline (Jackie) Cochran [pilot] and Wesley Smith [co-pilot] standing in front of their entry No:46 a Granville Monoplane Bee Gee R-6H "QED" NX14307 in bright green. Withdrew with malfunctioning flaps, after landing damage at Bucharest.
1940, March 16th, postcard photo
1940s studio portrait, Lewisham
1940s possibly miner and his daughter
1940s, Brighton
1950 Trafalgar Square, London
1950s, Arthur