This
is an eclectic mix of Victorian fascinations. Coral and flowers were widely
photographed by the Victorians and, as many of these views are from US
publishers, that seems to hold for the US too. Skeleton leaves were vastly
popular from the 1850s right thru to 1900. Dead game may not be to modern
taste. Open books were stereographed to display the skill of the photographer
in achieving an image so sharp that the words could be read. Needless to
say the 'book' was usually the Bible.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'White Coral'.
Condition 9.
Order #3852.
Price $10.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'White Coral'. Same piece, closer view.
Condition 8.
Order #3853.
Price $8.
Underwood/ Bierstadt. 'Coral'.
Condition. Slight damage to
edge of mount.
Order #3854.
Price $8.
Handwritten. 'Specimen of coral'.
Very early (1850s) view on purple mount.
Condition 8.
Order #3855.
Price $15.
White label. 'Coral cave'.
Mason of Brighton blindstamp.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3856.
Price $12.
White label. 'Coral cave'.
Same piece without Mason blindstamp.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3857.
Price $12.
Great Western View Co. Yup
'Coral'.
Condition 9
Order #3858.
Price $8.
More of the stuff.
Condition 8.
Order #3859.
Price $5.
'Beauties of the ocean'.
Condition 8.
Order #3862.
Price $10.
John Latham, Matlock. 'Study
of flowers. No 1016'.
Condition 7.
Order #3867.
Price $8.
Untitled amateur view of old
lady with rose garden.
Condition 9.
Order #3868.
Price $5.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'Pond Lilies'.
Condition 9.
Order #3872.
Price $6.
Keystone. 'Pond Lilies'. Tinted
version of the above view.
Condition. Small surface deposit
on right image.
Order #3873.
Price $8.
Excelsior. 'A tribute to Flora'.
Condition 8.
Order #3874.
Price $5.
'1610. Garden Scene'. Strangely,
this must have been a very popular view, judging by the amount of times
it turns up.
Condition. Paper view pasted
on the back.
Order #3875.
Price $4.
The next couple are attractive color views that view well with good stereroscopic effect. Around condition 7 with slightly grubby backgrounds. They are priced at $6 each.
Order #3881.
Order #3882.
'Night blooming Cerus (Gloria)'.
Condition 8.
Order #3890.
Price $6.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'The night-blooming cereus'. Descriptive text. Same neg., different
publisher.
Condition 9.
Order #3893.
Price $10.
<
Underwood/Strohmeyer. 'Chrysanthemums
- 500 varieties'.
Condition 7.
Order #10102.
Price $5.
Untitled.
Condition. Overall white marks.
Order #10103.
Price $3.
Keystone schools' educational
series (1930s). 'Blue Bells-Virginia Cowslip-Lungwort'. Descriptive text
aimed as schoolkids.
Condition 8.
Order #10105.
Price $6.
Keystone schools' educational
series (1930s). 'Seeds carried by the wind'. Descriptive text aimed as
schoolkids.
Condition 8.
Order #10106.
Price $6.
Underwood/Strohmeyer. 'Orchids
- the most wonderful of flowers'.
Condition 10.
Order #10108.
Price $8.
'Pansies and grasses'.
Condition 8.
Order #10111.
Price $5.
The next two Underwood views
illustrate how salesmen would market the views. The first view (denoted
by its clipped corner) would be placed in the viewer. It had no stereoscopic
effect. It would then be replaced by the second view with stereo effect,
whence the customer would exclaim in delight and get their wallet out.
The long winter nights must have just flown by!
Underwood. 'Without stereoscopic
effect'.
Condition 8.
Underwood. 'Consider the lilies
how they grow' etc.
Condition. Mount creases on
the back.
Price for the two views
$22.
Order #10113.
Underwood. 'Magnolia blossoms'.
Condition 6 (light).
Order #10119.
Price $4.
A very arty studio-posed view
(do flowers pose?).
Condition. R/h image a little
faded.
Order #10121.
Price $4.
It is
often said that the Victorians had an obsession with death. The truth of
the matter was, of course, that death had an obsession with them. With
infant mortality rates over 20% in the first year in many places and TB
rife throughout the UK, death was an ever-present spectre. My mother can
remember, in her village, whole families being wiped out by TB and has
pointed out the graves of seven brothers and sisters who all died of the
disease before the age of 20. She was one of eleven children who all survived.
Only many years later did we realise that, by keeping goats and drinking
only goats' milk, did they avoid the deadly TB-carrying cows' milk that
was a silent killer of so many. The idea of these views links strongly
with the afterlife and freedom from the corruption of the body.
'Group of game'. 1850s view.
Condition. Mount is split
thru center. This hasn't affected the images.
Order #10123.
Price $8.
Untitled. 1850s again.
Condition. Mount is very slightly
split at the center and is slightly grubby.
Order #10124.
Price $15.
1850s. Untitled. An excellently
early hand-tinted view.
Condition 8.
Order #10126.
Price $22.
White label 'Kites, Paddy Bird
and Mina'. None of which are European so would suggest ??India.
Condition 8.
Order #10127.
Price $15.
Untitled. 1850s again.
Condition. Light stains and
minor damage.
Order #10128.
Price $18.
'Trout, a day's sport'. OK,
so not game.
Condition 8.
Order #10129.
Price $12.
