An amazingly excellent photograph more than a century old
Toronto. Image collectors browsing the fairs and shows noticed many mid to late 1800s carded photos were faded and had poor contrast while the odd one was bright and crisp, seemingly printed just recently, belying its century plus age.
Our late journal editor, Bob Lansdale, began collecting these fine prints and researching the process as noted here in Photographic Canadiana 30-3 (November/December 2004) under the title, “The Stigma of Instability – The Carbon Process and Commercial Photography in Britain, 1864 to 1880” written by Audrey Linkman, Visual Resources Manager, The Open University, UK.
Editor Lansdale in his introduction says, “This lengthy thesis was previously published in Photographica World, issue #91, Winter 1999/2000. Its 19 pages of text, 5 pages of notes and single page of “Licensees of the Lambert Patent” has been broken into two parts to fit our publication limitations.
“We heartily suggest accessing a complete copy of the issue through the Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britain to whom we are indebted for permission to reproduce the article as are we equally indebted to the author for permission and assistance.”
The amazing process was licensed and given various names – keep an eye out for these beautiful photographs at our auctions, fairs, and other events. Members will receive/received a DVD with this issue of the journal and other issues (Vol 1 through Vol 40) with part two of this article plus further details of the carbon process. Not a member? Sign up today (see MEMBERSHIP in menu bar above).
