The early work of Francis Bedford is the subject, at present, of intense research. We are presenting here a group of views that may represent his earliest work - prior to his association with Catherall and Pritchard. They do not carry Bedford's name but are definately by him as the same negs were used later on named views. Each has a handwritten title in the same hand. The processing is uniformly poor and this may have led to Bedford concentrating on the photography and placing the processing in more skilled hands. I have suspended grading for this group except to mention any damage.
 

'Swallow Falls'.
Order #4851.
Price $12.
 

'Falls of the Ogwen'.
Order #4852.
Price $12.
 

'Bettws-y-Coed, Pandy Mill'.
Order #4853.
Price $22.
 

'Bangor Suspension Bridge'.
Order #4854.
Price $12.
 

'Bangor Suspension Bridge'.
Order #4855.
Price $18.
 

'Pont-y-Pair, Bettws-y-Coed'.
Order #4856.
Price $15.
 

'Pont-y-Pair, Bettws-y-Coed'.
Order #4857.
Price $8.
 

'Fairy Glen, Bettws-y-Coed'.
Order #4858.
Price $12.
 

'Falls of the Mashuo, Bettws-y-Coed'.
Order #4859.
Price $12.
 

'Bettws-y-Coed, river scene on Llugwy'.
Order #4860.
Price $12.
 

'Pont-y-Lledr, Bettws-y-Coed'.
Order #4861.
Price $12.
 

'Bangor Cathedral'.
Order #4862.
Price $15.

The views published by Catherall & Pritchard fall into two series, 'Chester Illustrated' (55 views) and 'North Wales Illustrated' (205 views), the latter split into four sub-series as follows:

Series 1. View # 1 to view #52
Series 2. View #53 to view #104
Series 3. View #105 to view #156
Series 4. view #157 to view #205.

A readable page of the five Catherall backs can be viewed by clicking here.

All views on this page have an attribution to Francis Bedford on the back. Some were republished later with number and title only (presumably an early publishing by Bedford himself). Many were then further published as part of one of the 'Illustrated' series. The list on the back generally did not correspond to the series of the view and I have noted which list appears on each back.
 

Chester Illustrated

'5. Cathedral Cloisters, North Side'. Catherall back.
Condition 8.
Order #4863.
Price $18.
 
 

'17. Phoenix Tower'. Catherall back.
Condition 7/8.
Order #4864.
Price $20.
 

'23.'Old houses in Bridge Street (Jones, Latham)'. Catherall back.
Condition 8.
Order #4865.
Price $35.
 

'40. Eastgate Street, Crypt Buildings'. Catherall back.
Condition 8.
Order #4866.
Price $35.
 

'47. Grosvenor Lodge (Entrance to Park)'. Catherall back.
Condition 9.
Order #4867.
Price $28.
 

North Wales Illustrated

First Series. '19. Conway Castle & Suspension Bridge'. Correct Catherall back.
Condition 6 (smudging in sky).
Order #4868.
Price $15.
 

First Series. '34. Llandudno, St George's Church'. Correct Catherall back.
Condition 5 (blurred and foxing).
Order #4869.
Price $6.
 

Second Series. '60. Bangor. Distant view of the Britannia Bridge from the Anglesea Monument'.  Printing is for fourth series. Dated January 1/62.
Condition 6 (slight staining and mount a bit weak but views very well).
Order #4870.
Price $15.
 

Second Series. '60. Bangor. Distant view of the Britannia Bridge from the Anglesea Monument'.  Printing is for third series. Dated Augst. 2/60. This ties in with research by the late Geoff Gilbert who dates this part of Bedford's work to 1859/60.
Condition. This is a much clearer copy than the previous one BUT it has one round small hole in the sky area of r/h image.
Order #4871.
Price $15.
 

Second Series. '87. Holyhead. The South Stack Rock showing suspension bridge.  Correct back.
Condition 7 (but slight staining).
Order #4872.
Price $15.
 

Third Series. '105. Llanberis, Llyn Padern, summit of Snowdon in the distance. Printing is for first series.
Condition 6.
Order #4873.
Price $10.
 

Third Series. '108. Llanberis. Victoria Hotel and quarries from the waterfall'. Printing is for second series.
Condition 6 (smudging and slight spotting).
Order #4874.
Price $10.
 

Third Series. '152. Bettws-y-Coed, from falls at Pont-y-Pair'. Printing is for first series.
Condition 6/7.
Order #4875.
Price $15.
 
 

Third Series. '157. Bettws-y-Coed, Glen Lledr, from Pont-y-Pant'. Printing is for first series.
Condition 7/8.
Order #4876.
Price $18.
 
 

Fourth Series. '172. Gwynant. Snowden, from Gwynant Vale'. Printing is for second series.
Condition 7/8.
Order #4877.
Price $12.
 

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