George
Washington Wilson
(1823
to 1893)
(page
one)
Having 'organized' my Wilson views into a complicated series of locations and voyages I have bowed to pressure and reorganized them into simple numerical order. This means that views of, for instance, Loch Katrine, may appear in a number of places throughout the pages. On 26 August 2006 I added 116 views and this is now, probably, the most comprehensive selection of original Wilson views available for sale in the world.
G. W. Wilson is firmly established today as one of the masters of nineteenth century photography. Only 25 years ago his name was remembered by only a handful of dedicated researchers and enthusiasts. The book 'George Washington Wilson, Artist and Photographer' by Roger Taylor, published by Aberdeen University Press in 1981, introduced Wilson to a much wider and appreciative audience. I am indebted to the Aberdeen University Press for permission to quote extracts from the book here. Up until a few years ago the book could be obtained quite cheaply. I note that the few copies still available on secondhand book sites now cost over $200 in the US and almost $300 in the UK. I have a few copies for sale at $175 each.
In 1852 Aberdeen in Scotland mounted its first photographic exhibition at the Mechanics' Institute, displaying work by, among others, Cundall, Delamotte, Fenton, Le Gray and Fox Talbot. A special feature of the exhibition was the inclusion of a competition section for work by Scottish photographers. Wilson, in partnership with John Hay Junior, recognising the opportunity for publicity, submitted 22 portraits and two landscapes. The judges awarded a bronze medal to Wilson and Hay and, in addition, presented them with an additional silver medal for '... the general excellence and evidence of progress displayed in their collodio-calotype portraits'.
Wilson, aged 29, was on his way to established success. In 1853 however, an event took place some 50 miles from Aberdeen that was to have a profound effect on Wilson's social and business prosperity. On 23 September, Queen Victoria, aided by Prince Albert, laid the foundation stone of their new highland home, Balmoral Castle.
Once the work was under way, Prince Albert commissioned Wilson and Hay to make photographs at regular intervals of the building's progress. What prompted Albert to select Wilson and Hay is unknown. Although Wilson initially produced factual photographs of the construction work, when this was completed he was retained by Albert to photograph the interior and, gradually, the family including the Queen and the many European royal visitors who came to the castle.
Please note that this section now extends to THREE pages with the links at the bottom to the next. There are still many gaps to fill and I am actively seaching for more Wilson views, especially of shipping. Amongst the earlier numbers Wilson frequently used the same number for a couple of completely different views. This happens far less in the higher numbers. If you are searching for particular views please email. Finally, you may see some difference in the quality, size and especially lightness of some of the scans even though the views have the same grading number. This is due to a faster scanner which I have yet to get used to.
'Whistlefield Lock Eck, Clyde'.
This does not seem to have a matching numbered view. The first three have
this back.
Condition 6.
Order #5401.
Price $12.
No number. 'Strathpeffer,
Ross-shire' which may match #1404.
Condition 6 (light soiling).
Order #5402.
Price $12.
No number. 'Dunbar'. This does
not seem to have a matching numbered view.
Condition 6.
Order #5403.
Price $12.
George Walker, stationer, bookseller and friend of Wilson tells us that in 1855 'stereoscopic views began to appear at this time, and Wilson experimented. Early views by Wilson, although his technique was not perfected, found a ready market at 2/- (15 cents) each. This was the period when the railways were opening up what until then had been far-flung areas to tourism, and one of the first regions to feel the benefit of a vast influx of tourists (all wanting photograpic souveniers) was the Trossachs and Loch Katrine immortalized by Sir Walter Scott in his epic work 'The Lady of the Lake'.
No 7. Part of Bonnington Falls
on the Clyde.
Condition 8.
Order #5406.
Price $15.
No 7A. Part of Bonnington Falls
on the Clyde.
Condition 7 (several spots).
Order #5407.
Price $12.
No 8. Waterfall at Inversnaid,
Loch Lomond. Note Bedford's son on rock in foreground leaving one man on
bridge.
Condition 8 but slight mark
at top.
Order #5409.
Price $18.
Unnumbered but may be an alternative
title for #9 or #10 both of which Treadwell lists with Aberdeen Cathedral
titles. Titled. Cathedral, Old Aberdeen, from S.E.
Condition 7/8.
Order #5410.
Price $12.
No 9. Loch Katrine, Perthshire.
Condition 8 but slight split
of mount thru center not affecting images.
Order #5411.
Price $12.
No 10. Loch Katrine- Path by
the Loch.
Condition 8.
Order #5412.
Price $18.
No 10A. Loch Katrine.
Condition 8/9 (slight marks
in sky).
Order #5413.
Price $18.
No 11. Elgin Cathedral, West
Door.
Condition 8/9 (much more contrast
and darker than scan).
Order #5414.
Price $22.
No 12. Balmoral Castle from
Craig-an-Gowan.
Condition 5 with deposits
from another view on the back.
Order #5415.
Price $8.
Unnumbered but title - King's
College Aberdeen, from the N.W. - matches Treadwell's listing for #13.
Condition 8.
Order #5416.
Price $15.
No 14. Balmoral Castle from
the River.
Condition 8 (slight marks
in sky. One very small white spot).
Order #5417.
Price $18.
No 15. Colonnade of basaltic
pillars, Staffa. Early small white label.
Condition 7.
Order #5418.
Price $15.
There are several versions of the Clamshell Cave, Staffa, views. Whether Wilson visited more than once is not known but all feature old fishermen types who would have been the ones who transported Wilson and his equipment.
No 16. The mouth of the Clamshell
Cave, Staffa. Classic Wilson, photographed in 1867.
Condition 8 (some marks).
Order #5419.
Price $18.
No 16. The mouth of the Clamshell
Cave, Staffa. Another pose of this extremely popular view.
Condition. Images 7 but mout
is slightly split thru center.
Order #5420.
Price $12.
No 16. Clamshell Cave, Staffa.
Different pose.
Condition 7 (moderate marks
in sky).
Order #5421.
Price $15.
No 17. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition 8.
Order #5423.
Price $18.
No 17. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Variant.
Condition 8.
Order #5424.
Price $18.
No 18. The Silver Strand, Loch
Katrine.
Condition 7/8 (some light
circular white spots, especially in sky).
Order #5425.
Price $15.
No 20. The Boat Pier, Loch
Katrine.
Condition 9.
Order #5426.
Price $22.
No 20A. Loch Katrine - The
Trossachs Pier.
Condition 8 (slight stains
in sky area).
Order #5427.
Price $22.
No 20B. Loch Katrine - The
Trossachs' Pier.
Condition 8.
Order #5428.
Price $18.
No 20C. The Trossachs' Pier,
Loch Katrine.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5429.
Price $22.
No 20C. The 'Rob Roy' steamboat
on Loch Katrine. Variant.
Condition 8 (slight marks
in sky).
Order #5430.
Price $22.
No 21. Pass of the Trossachs
- Looking towards Ben Venue. Dated Aug. 30th 1876.
Condition 7.
Order #5431.
Price $15.
No 22. Waterfall in the Trossachs.
Condition 7/8 and again very
much more contrast than scan.
Order #5432.
Price $15.
No 22. The Pass of the Trossachs,
looking towards Ben Venue.
Condition 8.
Order #5433.
Price $15.
No 24. Ben Venue from above
the Trossachs' Inn.
Condition 7 (some light foxing
in sky, one surface scratch which views out).
Order #5434.
Price $18.
No 25. Bracklinn bridge, near
Callander, Perthshire.
Condition 7.
Order #5435.
Price $12.
No 27. Steamboat Pier, Loch
Katrine.
Condition 8 (slight marks).
Order #5436.
Price $22.
No 28. Loch Katrine, Perthshire.
Condition 8.
Order #5437.
Price $18.
No 28. Loch Katrine, Perthshire.
Variant.
Condition 8.
Order #5438.
Price $18.
No 28A. Loch Katrine looking
west.
Condition 8.
Order #5439.
Price $18.
No 35. Linn of Quoich, Braemar.
Condition 9.
Order #5444.
Price $18.
No 35A. Linn of Quoich, Braemar.
Condition 8.
Order #5445.
Price $15.
No 36. Loch Katrine - Ellen's
Isle. Early version.
Condition 7/8 (very slight
marks in sky).
Order #5446.
Price $15.
No 36. Loch Katrine - Ellen's
Isle. Later version.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5447.
Price $18.
No 36. Loch Katrine - Ellen's
Isle. Tinted later version. Tinted Wilson views are hard to find.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5448.
Price $25.
Loch Katrine - Ellen's Isle.
Condition 7/8.
Order #5449.
Price $12.
The use
of the same neg. in a late G.W. Wilson Limited view produced after 1893.
A poignant footnote to Wilson's career is that, in the closing months of
1892, Wilson was old and ailing and obviously not long for this world.
His sons, burdened by mounting costs and falling sales, consulted a lawyer
who, without Wilson's knowledge, suggested turning the firm into a limited
company before Wilson expired. The papers were drawn up and were signed
by Wilson in a shaky hand on 24 February 1893. On the evening of 8 March
Wilson retired to bed and, at one o'clock in the morning, was seized with
an intense fit. His sons were called to his bedside and managed to obtain
his signature finally authorizing the limited company. At 8.45 the following
morning Wilson died.
No 38.
Glasgow Cathedral - from south-east.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#5450.
Price
$22.
No 38.
Glasgow Cathedral, from the south-east. This is a later version than the
previous view.
Condition
8.
Order
#5451.
Price
$20.
No 39. Iona Cathedral and St
Martin's Cross.
Condition 8 (couple of slight
marks in sky).
Order #5452.
Price $18.
No 41. The Linn of Corrymulzie,
Braemar.
Condition 8.
Order #5454.
Price $15.
No 42. Entrance to the Pass
of Ballater.
Condition 7 (slight stains).
Order #5455.
Price $12.
No 44. Upper Falls of Garrvalt
- Braemar.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5456.
Price $18.
No 44. Upper Falls of Garrvalt
- Braemar. Variant.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5457.
Price $18.
No 46A. Stirling Castle.
Condition 7 (some surface
scratches).
Order #5458.
Price $15.
No 50. Elgin Cathedral - West
Towers from the Choir.
Condition 6.
Order #5460.
Price $12.
No 54. Elgin Cathedral - The
Choir.
Condition 7.
Order #5462.
Price $15.
No 54. Elgin Cathedral - The
Choir. Different shot with different people.
Condition 7/8.
Order #5463.
Price $15.
No 57. Bridge on the Cluny,
Braemar.
Condition 5.
Order #5465.
Price $5.
No 58. Bit on the Trossachs.
Condition 8.
Order #5466.
Price $15.
No 59A. Loch Achray and Ben
Venue from above the Trossachs' Inn.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5467.
Price $18.
No 59B. Loch Achray and Ben
Venue.
Condition 8.
Order #5468.
Price $18.
No 64. Falls of Bracklinn,
near Callander, Perthshire. Early small white label.
Condition 8.
Order #5469.
Price $10.
No 64. Falls of Bracklinn,
near Callander, Perthshire. This is obviously a total remake of the previous
rather poor view.
Condition 9 (slight marks
on mount).
Order #5470.
Price $18.
'When
he made his first visit to the Trossachs with George Walker in 1859 they
seem to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Walker tells us how they "bathed
in the loch, in spite of the monster pike we saw, and we hid ourselves
in the bracken, which was in many places eight feet in height". The midges
(mosquitoes) they disturbed attacked Walker with ferocity and brought his
face and neck out in bright red swellings. He was puzzled that they left
Wilson entirely alone and wondered if it was "in consequence of the fumes
of chloroform and colloidion with which his clothes were saturated"'.
No 65. Trossachs and Loch Katrine.
Condition 9.
Order #5471.
Price $18.
No 65. The Trossachs and Loch
Katrine from the brow of Ben Venue. Slightly different and probably earlier
version with small white label.
Condition 7 (moderate marks
in sky).
Order #5472.
Price $15.
The next view is one of Wilson's famous Loch of Park views. Roger Taylor states in his book that only two survive of the original Loch of Park series which Wilson produced in 1859 when on holiday at this lake near Aberdeen. He does not list this view which carries an early small white label and is possibly a third view from the early series.
No 67. The Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire
(sunset).
Condition 8 (light glue creep
on right image).
Order #5473.
Price $22.
No 68. Interior of Fingal's
Cave, Staffa. An extremely ambitious view with which Wilson must have been
very pleased when he saw the result.
Condition 8.
Order #5474.
Price $22.
No 69. Loch Katrine.
Condition 7 (mount roughly
trimmed on r/h edge and one small black spot on r/h image).
Order #5475.
Price $12.
No 70. Otter Island, Loch Katrine.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5476.
Price $18.
No 71. Castleton of Braemar.
Condition 7/8 (couple of slight
marks).
Order #5478.
Price $15.
No 71. Castleton of Braemar.
Variant.
Condition 8.
Order #5479.
Price $18.
No 72. Invercauld House, Braemar
- From the 'Lion-Face' Rock.
Condition 8,
Order #5480.
Price $18.
No 73. In the Pass of the Trossachs.
Condition 9.
Order #5481.
Price $18.
'. . . . In addition to these photographs Wilson also published the results of his summer's work [1859] which amounted to about another 30 views. While these were made with the tourist in mind there are two subjects among them that reveal Wilson's other concern in instantaneous photography. The first was entitled "The Breaking Wave" and shows two urchins dabbling at the shallow water's edge, whilst a third stands further out, intent upon the photographer and unaware of the wave that threatens. The casual almost non-existant composition is more reminiscent of a Kodak snapshot than a formally made picture, set up to demonstrate the instantaneous process. Much of the appeal of this picture - an appeal which kept the picture alive in the catalogues for many years - came from the way it showed so naturally the innocent curiosity of childhood'.
No 79. A breaking wave (Instantaneous).
Condition 8.
Order #5482.
Price $22.
No 81. The Trossachs Church.
Condition 8 (slight marks
in sky).
Order #5483.
Price $18.
No 82. In the Pass of the Trossachs,
looking towards Ben A'an.
Condition 7 (moderate marks
in sky).
Order #5484.
Price $15.
No 83. In the Pass of the Trossachs.
'Where twines the path in shadow hid, round many a rocky pyramid.'
Condition 7/8.
Order #5485.
Price $15.
No 85. Duncraggan Huts looking
towards Ben Ledi.
Condition 7/8.
Order #5486.
Price $15.
No 85. The "Victoria" Steamer
bound for Peterhead (Instantaneous). Another example of Wilson using the
same number for two totally different views.
Condition 7 (light marks).
Order #5487.
Price $18.
No 88. Interior of Holyrood
Chapel. Early small white label.
Condition 7.
Order #5488.
Price $12.
No 90.
Holyrood Palace. Wilson tried to be a bit too clever here and shot
from the tumble of rocks in the foreground, creating a most confusing view.
Condition.
?Misty sky and processing marks.
Order
#5489.
Price
$12.
No 90.
Holyrood House and Arthur Seat, Edinburgh. A later version. Wilson's
vantage point in the previous view can be seen further down the hill.
Condition
9.
Order
#5490.
Price
$20.
No 90B. Holyrood Palace.
Condition 8.
Order #5491.
Price $18.
No 91.
Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, from the Queen's Park.
Condition
8.
Order
#5492.
Price
$18.
TO THE SECOND PAGE OF VIEWS BY GEORGE WASHINGTON WILSON
