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.
OK, so none of the above !
This is a very clean 1850s view of an ice formation.
Condition 9 (one mark from
crack in the glass neg. used).
Order #3851.
Price $15.
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.
Underwood/Bierstadt. 'Sponge
coral or Venus Flower Basket'.
Condition 9.
Order #3860.
Price $8.
Untitled still life of coral,
shells and grasses.
Condition. Corner of left
image has lifted leaving a slight crease.
Order #3861.
Price $12.
Rather strange untitled early
skeleton flowers.
Condition. The dark part seems
to be intentional.
Order #3863.
Price $8.
A very weird, untitled 1850s
salt print, including figure of man with pipe. I have seen an illustration
of this view somewhere but the source eludes me.
Condition. Probably around
8.
Order #3868.
Price $15.
Bible and reading glasses.
Condition. Slight loss to
top left corner of mount.
Order #3869.
Price $12.
John Latham, Matlock. 'Study
of flowers. No 1016'.
Condition 7.
Order #3870.
Price $8.
Untitled amateur view of old
lady with rose garden.
Condition 9.
Order #3871.
Price $5.
Amateur still life.
Condition 9.
Order #3872.
Price $4.
Amateur still life.
Condition 9.
Order #3874.
Price $4.
London Stereoscopic Company.
Condition 8.
Order #3875.
Price $10.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'The night-blooming cereus'.
Condition. Images 7/8 but
trimmed at top.
Order #3876.
Price $4.
Underwood. 'Night-blooming
Cereus'.
Condition 6 (moderate fading).
Order #3877.
Price $3.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'English roses'.
Condition 9.
Order #3878.
Price $6.
Excelsior. 'Consider the lilies
how they grow'... etc. etc.
Condition. Slight production
fault on left image.
Order #3879.
Price $4.
Excelsior. 'The night-blooming
cereus'.
Condition 8.
Order #3880.
Price $4.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'Bridal Bouquet'.
Condition 8.
Order #3881.
Price $5.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'Pond Lilies'.
Condition 9.
Order #3882.
Price $6.
Keystone. 'Pond Lilies'. Tinted
version of the above view.
Condition. Small surface deposit
on right image.
Order #3883.
Price $8.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'Arum Lilies'.
Condition. Slightly milky
with light processing stain on left image.
Order #3884.
Price $3.
Excelsior. 'A tribute to Flora'.
Condition 8.
Order #3885.
Price $5.
1850s untitled view.
Condition 8.
Order #3886.
Price $12.
Great Western View Co. 'Chrysanthemums'.
Condition 7.
Order #3887.
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 #3888.
Price $4.
The following
are a collection of attractive color views that view well with good stereroscopic
effect. They are all around condition 7 with slightly grubby backgrounds.
They are priced at $6 each.
Order #3889.
Order #3890.
Order #3891.
Order #3892.
Order #3893.
Order #3894.
Order #3895.
Order #3896
Underwood. 'Magnolia blossoms'.
Condition 6 (light).
Order #3897.
Price $4.
Underwood/Barker. 'Magnolia
blossoms'.
Condition 7.
Order #3898.
Price $3.
C.W. Woodward, Rochester, New
York 'Calla lilies'.
Condition. Glue creep.
Order #3899.
Price $2.
Fine Art Photographers' Publishing
Co. 'Hippeastrum and Hydrangea, Kew Gardens, London'.
Condition 8.
Order #3900.
Price $5.
Underwood. These views provide
a stunning demonstration of the stereo effect. The first view's images
are identical and it is labeled 'Without stereoscopic effect'. The seemingly
identical second stereo view would then be placed in the viewer and the
customer would be amazed (hopefully!). It is actually an excellent way
to illustrate stereo.
Condition. Clipped corner
to distinguish the first as a salesman's non-stereo sample.
Order #10101.
Price $25 for the TWO views.
Kilburn/Davis 'the queen of
the floral bowers, Hyde Park, London'.
Condition 7.
Order #10102.
Price $4.
A very arty studio-posed view
(do flowers pose?).
Condition. R/h image a little
faded.
Order #10103.
Price $4.
Untitled 1850s hand-tinted
view.
Condition 8.
Order #10104.
Price $8.
Kilburn Brothers. '56. Roses'.
Condition. Very light stain
on right image.
Order #10105.
Price $6.
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.
Untitled.
Condition 7.
Order #10106.
Price $10.
White label 'Kites, Paddy Bird
and Mina'. None of which are European so would suggest ??India.
Condition 8.
Order #10107.
Price $15.
