George Washington Wilson
(page two)
The next view is one of only two of the original Loch of Park series that Wilson produced in 1859 when on holiday at this lake near Aberdeen. He managed to produce six views before the sun set but only two survive. He produced a further series in 1860 with improved equipment. The boatman's name was Sandy and members of his family appear in the boat. This is rare. Photographic News described these as '.....some of the most remarkable stereograms ever presented to us'.
Carries no label - simply a
handwritten title 'Lock of Park, Aberdeenshire'. Blindstamp is 'Clifford,
30 Piccadilly' (London). Treadwell notes a single view by C.E. Clifford
at this address - he was obviously a retailer.
Condition 8.
Order #5501.
Price $30.
Wilson
went back to the Loch of Park on at least one more occasion - probably
more. This view shows much commercial development from the previous one
with artifically inserted clouds and reflection on the water.
No 123. Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire
(Instantaneous). Blindstamp is 'Clifford, 30 Piccadilly' (London). Also
see views #281, 283, 287 and 290 below.
Condition 9.
Order #5502.
Price $22.
No 129. Ballater., Aberdeenshire.
Condition 8.
Order #5503.
Price $15.
No 130. Ballater.
Condition 9.
Order #5504.
Price $18.
No 131. Balmoral Castle from
the south. Nice view of lawns being mowed.
Condition. Glue creep on both
images and light.
Order #5505.
Price $6.
No 131. Balmoral Castle - South
Front. Variant with boy and chair instead of mower.
Condition 8.
Order #5506.
Price $18.
No 132. Balmoral Castle, from
the south-west.
Condition 7/8.
Order #5507.
Price $15.
No 133. Balmoral Castle, from
the N.W.
Condition 8.
Order #5508.
Price $18.
No 134. Balmoral Castle, from
the north-west.
Condition 8.
Order #5509.
Price $18.
'Wilson's use of foregrounds shows his mastery in arranging his pictures within the frame. Instead of dominating the picture, which they so easily could have done, the foregrounds are placed so as to create a base, whilst giving the viewer access to the picture. In his view of the Upper Falls of the Garr-valt, Braemar, the foreground is taken up by a richly-textured and well-lit bank of heather. In the stereoscope this resolves itself into a sweeping diagonal which creates a spatial link with the bridge on the extreme left while contrasting sharply with the smooth white boulders on the right. The bank also acts as a counterbalance to the arching span of the bridge by offering itself in a reverse curve. At the very top of the frame another foreground of branches hangs down to interrupt what would have otherwise been a blank sky'.
No 137. Upper Falls of Garrvalt.
Condition 8.
Order #5510.
Price $18.
No 138. Lower Falls on the
Garr-valt, Braemar.
Condition 7.
Order #5511.
Price $15.
No 140. Fall on the Garr-valt,
Braemar.
Condition 7.
Order #5512.
Price $12.
No 140. Fall on the Garr-valt,
Braemar. Later variant.
Condition 8.
Order #5513.
Price $12.
No 142. The Colonel's Bed in
Glen Ey, Braemar. (A hiding place during the Rebellion of 1715.)
Condition 7/8.
Order #5514.
Price $12.
No 144. Linn of Dee, Braemar.
Condition 8.
Order #5515.
Price $15.
No 144. Linn of Dee, Braemar.
Variant with figure in foreground.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5516.
Price $18.
No 144. Linn of Dee, Braemar.
Variant with figure closer.
Condition 8.
Order #5517.
Price $18.
Views #145 and #145A were, again, very popular. Given the inacessibility of Fingal's Cave it is possible that Wilson took a number of views on the same visit - varying the figures posing. Here we offer a selection which are all from different negs.
No 145. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition 8.
Order #5518.
Price $18.
No 145. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition 8.
Order #5519.
Price $18.
No 145A. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition 7.
Order #5520.
Price $15.
No 145A. Fingal's Cave, Staffa,
looking in. Two men standing on right.
Condition 9.
Order #5521.
Price $18.
No 146. Causeway and bending
pillars, Staffa.
Condition 7.
Order #5522.
Price $15.
'The
guidebooks recommended the Fall of Foyers as "the most magnificent cataract,
out of sight and hearing, in Britain". Wilson's viewpoint coincided exactly
with that recommended by the guide books. It was below the second of the
two falls, looking up, where "you are so blinded by the sharp spray smoke,
and so deafened by the dashing, and clashing, and tumbling and rumbling
thunder, that your condition is far from enviable".'
No 148. The Falls of Foyers,
Inverness-shire. Early small white label.
Condition 8.
Order #5523.
Price $15.
No 149. The Falls of Foyers,
Inverness-shire.
Condition 7.
Order #5524.
Price $12.
'We
went off to Glencoe where we staid (sic) in a vile little carriers'
inn in the Glen for some days, photographing busily and profitably. The
beds in the place did not seem at all clean, being chiefly used by drovers,
and as I had a horror at the bare possibility of catching the itch, I stripped
to the skin before laying down believing that there was more danger in
them attaching to the clothes than to the skin. I had not been asleep for
a couple of hours when I was roused by finding I had more bedfellows than
was agreeable ... Luckily we had ordered a bottle of whisky the night before
but not finding it palatable toddy, it was little used. Getting up, I washed
myself all over with it and turning down the blankets gave the bed a good
sprinkling, and lay down again getting three hours comfortable sleep, when
I repeated the dose with capital effect. The beggers were forced to break
the pledge!'.
No 150. Waterfall in Glencoe.
Small white label.
Condition. Fairly uniform
dark spots on mountains could be as produced. One small circular spot.
Order #5525.
Price $18.
No 152. Waterfall in Glencoe.
Early small white label.
Condition around 6.
Order #5526.
Price $12.
No 153. View in Glencoe.
Condition 8.
Order #5527.
Price $18.
No 154. View in Glencoe.
This was a difficult shot and I have seen versions with varying clarity.
This one is excellent.
Condition 9.
Order #5528.
Price $22.
No 155. Upper Fall on the Foyers,
Inverness-shire.
Condition 9.
Order #5529.
Price $18.
No 165. The Trossachs. Pass
of Beal-ach-nam-bo. Early Wilson small white label with no attribution.
Dated 1861.
Condition 7.
Order #5530.
Price $15.
No 166. Bit on Loch Katrine.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5531.
Price $18.
No 170. The Hermitage Bridge
on the Braan, Dunkeld.
Condition 8/9.
Order #5532.
Price $18.
No 170. The Hermitage Bridge,
Dunkeld. Totally different neg. Dated (probably purchased) 1868.
Condition 8.
Order #5533.
Price $18.
No 173. Upper Fall of Moness,
Aberfeldie. Small white label.
Condition 8.
Order #5534.
Price $18.
No 173. Upper Fall of Moness.
Later version with full label.
Condition 8.
Order #5535.
Price $18.
No 175. Lower Fall of Moness,
Aberfeldie. London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition 7.
Order #5536.
Price $12.
No 181. Interior of Roslyn
Chapel.
Condition 8
Order #5537.
Price $22.
No 183. Abbotsford from the
South-East.
Condition 7.
Order #5538.
Price $15.
Handwritten 'Abbotsford
from south east. 183'.
Condition 8.
Order #5539.
Price $18.
No 185. Edinburgh - Princes
Street looking west (instantaneous).
Condition 8.
Order #5540.
Price $22.
'It has often been noticed in history that new ideas and developments occur simultaneously yet independently of each other. Unfortunately this was the case with Wilson's Princes Street photographs which coincided with those published by Edward Anthony in New York. Anthony's views of Broadway were sent to Photographic Notes with an accompanying letter explaining how they were taken, and asking "if you have any specimens of similar results obtained in Europe we should be pleased to hear how they compare". The letter was dated 29 August 1859. . . . Unknown to Anthony, Wilson had taken a similar photograph of Princes Street, Edinburgh that summer which was released at about the same time to Anthony's. It was taken from the upper balcony of a building next to the Sun Fire and Life offices looking towards the Calton Hill. One reviewer noted with delight that "it is high noon-day, the pavement is thronged with pedestrians, and the roadway with vehicles in motion". . . . Copies of this first photograph are rare and its scarcity can be attributed to its brief existence in Wilson's negative files. The following year, 1860, he revisited Edinburgh and made a whole new series of instantaneous views of Princes Street from the same position. . . Wilson took yet another series of views between 1863 and 1864 from the identical position of those made in 1860. This has led to inevitable confusion about the dating and identification of these views. To differentiate between the photographs made in 1860 and those made in 1863/64 one should look at the name of the hotel on the extreme left of the picture. In 1860 this was the "Star Hotel", but between 1861 and 1862 it was modernized . . . reopening in 1863 under the new name of the "Edinburgh Hotel"'.
We are pleased to be able to offer three of the early and important views with the Star Hotel on the left. All are from different negs. and are numbers 186, 188 and 190.
No 186. Edinburgh - Princes
Street looking towards the Calton Hill (Instantaneous).
Condition 8.
Order #5541.
Price $120.
No 188. Edinburgh - Princes
Street looking towards the Calton Hill (Instantaneous). London Stereoscopic
blindstamp.
Condition. A deposit on the
right image has caused a large stain.
Order #5542.
Price $25.
No 190. Edinburgh - Princes
Street looking towards Calton Hill (Instantaneous).
Condition 5 (grubby).
Order #5543.
Price $30.
No 191. Edinburgh - The Mound
from Princes Street. This is a very popular view and this is the only copy
I have at present.
Condition. Extensive stains.
Order #5544.
Price $8.
'As
the interiors of some cathedrals are notoriously dark with strongly contrasting
patches of light, Wilson's aim to convey the feeling of space and volume
through the use of light was no easy task. Great technical vituosity and
patience were required.'
No 192.
Westminster Abbey - The Nave. Early small white label.
Condition
8 (minor damage to mount).
Order
#5545.
Price
$18.
No 193.
Westminster Abbey - The Choir. Early small white label.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#5546.
Price
$18.
No 194.
South Aisle - Westminster Abbey.
Condition.
Slight surface scratch on left image.
Order
#5547.
Price
$15.
No 195.
Westminster Abbey - Poets' Corner.
Condition
9.
Order
#5548.
Price
$15.
No 199.
Interior of Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey - Stalls of the Knights
of Bath.
Condition
9.
Order
#5549.
Price
$18.
No 200.
Westminster Abbey - Roof of Henry VII's Chapel.
Condition
9.
Order
#5550.
Price
$22.
No 203.
Interior of St Paul's Cathedral.
Condition
9.
Order
#5551.
Price
$22.
No 213.
Salisbury Cathedral - The Choir.
Condition
7 (light stain on right image).
Order
#5552.
Price
$15.
No 214.
Salisbury Cathedral - South Aisle.
Condition
8
Order
#5553.
Price
$18.
No 215.
Salisbury Cathedral - The Transept.
Condition
8.
Order
#5554.
Price
$18.
'...
When he reached Southampton Water to photograph The Great Eastern,
the ship was anchored a good distance from the shore in deep water, and
there was no way that she could be photographed except from the beach.
Once again Wilson brings life to the foreground of his pictures; he used
his knowledge of instantaneous photography to capture the motion of a wave
breaking diagonally across the base of the frame.'
No 221.
The Great Eastern in Southampton Water (Instantaneous). Probably
the most famous of Wilson's views.
Condition.
Light stains but this is an excellent version of a view that is sometimes
not particularly sharp.
Order
#5555.
Price
$120.
No 224A.
"Royal Albert" in the Firth of Forth (Instantaneous).
Condition
8.
Order
#5556.
Price
$45.
No 224C.
HMS 'Royal Albert' in the Firth of Forth (instantaneous) . Ginder, Canterbury,
blindstamp and label.
Condition
6.
Order
#5557.
Price
$12.
No 224D.
HMS 'Royal Albert' in the Firth of Forth. (Instantaneous).
Condition
8.
Order
#5558.
Price
$65.
No 227.
The Channel Fleet in the Firth of Forth (Instantaneous). Wilson seems
to have put the label for this over another of his labels.
Condition
7.
Order
#5559.
Price
$55.
No 228.
The Channel Fleet in the Firth of Forth. (Instantaneous).
Condition
around 7 with slight rust marks in sky.
Order
#5560.
Price
$45.
No 230.
The Channel Fleet in the Firth of Forth. (Instantaneous).
Condition.
Mount split thru center slightly affecting the edges of the images.
Order
#5561.
Price
$10.
No 237.
View from Ryde, Isle of Wight - The Steamer from Portsmouth (Instantaneous).
Condition.
Processing lines on right image.
Order
#5562.
Price
$22.
No 241.
View from Ryde Pier, Isle of Wight. The "Queen Mab". (Instantaneous). Isle
of Wight views are highly collectable.
Condition
7/8.
Order
#5563.
Price
$55.
No 244.
View from Ryde Pier, Isle of Wight. (Instantaneous.)
Condition
6 (surface marks in sky area).
Order
#5564.
Price
$22.
This is not cut - I promise to get the hang of the new scanner soon!
No 247.
Duntulum Castle - Skye.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#5565.
Price
$28.
Oh look - the bottom of the previous view!!!
No 249.
View from Ryde Pier, Isle of Wight. (Instantaneous).
Condition
around 7 with light marks in sky.
Order
#5566.
Price
$28.
No 253A. Ben-Nevis above Corpach
- Inverness-shire. Small white label.
Condition. Reasonably distinctive
foxing spots.
Order #5567.
Price $12.
No 258. St. Martin's Cross,
Iona.
Condition 6 (overall moderate
foxing).
Order #5568.
Price $12.
No 259A. Maclean's Cross, Iona.
Different number, different title - same image.
Condition 5.
Order #5569.
Price $5.
No 264. View from the entrance
to Quiranig, Isle of Skye - Looking towards the 'Needle Rock'. Wilson's
most spectacular Skye view. Owner's date 20th February 1861.
Condition. Mount split thru
left image leaving a slight crease in the image.
Order #5570.
Price $12.
No 266. Sligachan, Isle of
Skye.
Condition 8.
Order #5571.
Price $22.
No 268. Scuir-na-Gillean, from
Glen Sligachan, Isle of Skye.
Condition. Obviously struggled
with the mist! Figure in foreground is clear.
Order #5572.
Price $15.
No 272. Glencoe.
Condition 8.
Order #5573.
Price $18.
No 272A. View in Glencoe.
Early small white label.
Condition probably around
6/7. Wilson obviously had cloud trouble here!
Order #5574.
Price $10.
No 275. Middle Falls of the
Bruar - Blair-Athol, Perthshire.
Condition 8.
Order #5575.
Price $15.
No 276. Lower Falls of the
Bruar, Blair Athole.
Condition 9.
Order #5576.
Price $18.
No 276. Lower Falls of the
Bruar, Blair Athole. Totally different and possibly later version.
Condition 9.
Order #5577.
Price $18.
Wilson's Loch of Park view had become popular beyond his wildest dreams. He therefore capitalized on this by returning to make a further series.
No 281. Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire.
Sandy and passengers.
Condition 5.
Order #5578.
Price $12.
No 283. Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire.
(Instantaneous.)
Condition 9.
Order #5579.
Price $22.
No 287. The Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire.
(Instantaneous.) London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition 8.
Order #5580.
Price $22.
No 290. The Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire.
(Instantaneous.) London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition. A lot of surface
spotting.
Order #5581.
Price $28.
Wilson made several journeys into England but his output is small compared with his Scottish views. It is interesting however to compare his treatment of well-known subjects such as Tintern Abbey with the work of Bedford and Sedgfield. One particular and important journey was made in 1860 when Wilson travelled all the way to Southampton via the West Country (almost 500 miles) to photograph the 'Great Eastern' lying at anchor in Southampton Water. This view is eagerly sought after and changes hands at up to $200.
No 295.
Exeter Cathedral - West Front.
Condition
8.
Order
#5582.
Price
$18.
No 296. The interior of Exeter
Cathedral - The Choir, looking West.
Condition 8.
Order #5583.
Price $18.
No 297.
Interior of Exeter Cathedral - The Choir looking East.
Condition
8 (slight surface dents).
Order
#5584.
Price
$18.
No 298.
Interior of Exeter Cathedral - The Nave looking East.
Condition
8.
Order
#5585.
Price
$15.
No 299.
Interior of Exeter Cathedral - The Nave looking West.
Condition
8.
Order
#5586.
Price
$15.
No 301.
Gloucester Cathedral from the North-West.
Condition
9.
Order
#5587.
Price
$22.
No 302.
Gloucester Cathedral - Nave looking West.
Condition
9.
Order
#5588.
Price
$18.
No 303.
Gloucester Cathedral - The Lady Chapel, looking East.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#5589.
Price
$18.
No 311. The Land's End, Cornwall.
Wilson only visited once and his work was hampered by sea mist.
Condition 8.
Order #5590.
Price $18.
No 313A.
HMS Impregnable - 104 guns - Guard-ship in Hamoaze.
Condition
7/8.
Order
#5591.
Price
$65.
'...It
was therefore especially fortunate that Wilson's visit to Plymouth in the
early summer of 1861 coincided with the Navy's testing of cannon. This
created a perfect opportunity for some lively photographs. The ship which
had been chosen to test Sir William Armstrong's rifled cannon was the HMS
Cambridge and throughout 1861 she was involved in proving the accuracy
and range that rifling gave the ordnance.
It
has been claimed that Wilson's position as photographer to the Queen influenced
the Navy to lay on a special demonstration of their fire power for his
photographic benefit. As the tests were already under way when Wilson arrived
in Plymouth, it is more likely that he used whatever influence he could
to get permission and cooperation from the Navy. Not only did he have to
get himself and his camera into a suitable position, but he also had to
have contact with the Cambridge in order to co-ordinate the sensitising
of his plates with the firing of the guns. In one of the several versions
a figure is clearly visible on the stern of the ship and perhaps it was
he who formed the necessary link between Wilson and the gunnery officer'.
No 316.
HMS 'Cambridge' in Hamoaze. Great-Gun Practice.
Condition
6.
Order
#5592.
Price
$45.
No 317.
HMS 'Cambridge' in Hamoaze. Great-Gun Practice, A Broadside. Man
visible and waving on deck - see notes above.
Condition.
Images 8, mount discolored.
Order
#5593.
Price
$120.
No 319.
HMS 'Royal Adelaide', 104 guns, Training ship for boys, Devonport'.
Condition
8.
Order
#5594.
Price
$45.
No 323.
HMS 'Orlando', 50 guns, 1000 horse-power - Steam Reserve.
Condition.
Some light spotting.
Order
#5595.
Price
$45.
This is a pirated Wilson view - quite good quality for once. It is from the group of 'Greenwich Pier' views which were numbered from #327 to #335.
Handwritten 'Thames at Greenwich'.
Condition 8.
Order #5596.
Price $10.
No 330.
The Thames at Greenwich - Dropping down with the tide.
Condition
5.
Order
#5597.
Price
$6.
No 340.
Roslyn Chapel - North Front.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#5598.
Price
$18.
No 348.
Avenue of limes at Castle Strathspey.
Condition
9.
Order
#5599.
Price
$15.
No 362.
Interior of Roslyn Chapel - The Apprentice's Pillar.
Condition
9.
Order
#5600.
Price
$18.
No 363.
Interior of Roslyn Chapel.
Condition
9.
Order
#5901.
Price
$18.
TO
THE THIRD PAGE OF VIEWS BY GEORGE WASHINGTON WILSON
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