![\"\"](\"https:\/\/phsc.ca\/camera\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/church.jpg\")
<\/a>a century plus photo of a Norman Church in Scotland by James Velentine<\/p><\/div>\n
Toronto<\/strong>. Old photo collectors search diligently for photos that complement their collections. Travel scenes are often enthusiastically collected since many more studio scenes and portraits exist today.<\/p>\n Around 2001\/2002, \u00a0Thomas Ritchie wrote the article, “Pioneers of Landscape Photography in Europe” which appears on page 4 of issue 27-4. Mr Ritchie recounts the photographers whose photographs populate one family’s memory book of a trip long ago.<\/p>\n The photographers who took the photos were noted in some detail in his illustrated article. He begins, “An album, found in an antique shop near Perth, Ontario, contains many landscape photographs of places in Scotland, England, France, Switzerland and Italy. What long forgotten memories lie recorded here \u2013 who might have actually experienced assembling the photographs during some distant holiday sojourn?<\/p>\n “The name M. J. McLaren is\u00a0printed on the cover while one of the several\u00a0pictures that have come unglued from the\u00a0pages has the name K. McLaren penciled onto\u00a0the back with the revealing date of May, 1892.<\/p>\n “A photograph of a college in Oxford, England is\u00a0stamped on the back with the name of stationer E. Beesley of that city. The photographs\u00a0obviously had been acquired by the McLarens\u00a0as souvenirs during a visit to Europe.<\/p>\n “The collection represents commercially\u00a0prepared photographs available to the visiting tourist who chose to purchase views\u00a0rather than \u201csnap\u201d their own photographs.\u00a0Supplying such images was a major\u00a0industry for a coterie of photographers\u00a0catering to this niche market.<\/p>\n “Soon to be\u00a0replaced by the lithographed and photographic post card, the McLaren album\u00a0documents an era when the photograph\u00a0was \u201cking\u201d for collecting memories.<\/p>\n “Many of the photographs have a serial\u00a0number, a title of the scene and initials\u00a0that identify the photographer. The scenics in England and Scotland are the work\u00a0of James Valentine, G.W. Wilson, F.G.O.\u00a0Stuart, Francis Bedford and Francis Frith.<\/p>\n “Historic buildings were photographed by\u00a0the French firm of \u201cX\u201d while another\u00a0French photographer \u201cND\u201d supplied photos of scenes in Switzerland. A view of a\u00a0canal in Venice is from the studio of P.\u00a0Salviati of that city and a photograph of\u00a0Lucerne, Switzerland is the work of\u00a0Giorgio Sommer of Naples, Italy.” …<\/p>\n Members read and saw all the article its illustrations in the issue 27-4 pdf file \u00a0on the ‘free’ members-only thumb drive. See above and at right to join or renew. Email any questions to member@phsc.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n Those searching for old photos and other old photographic items can visit our many 2026 Events. The next event is our Spring Fair on May 24th<\/a> of this year. Come out and see the many photographic items offered – old and new(ish) – rare and common (at one time). Cheap admission. Free parking. Good food and friendly people!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Toronto. Old photo collectors search diligently for photos that complement their collections. Travel scenes are often enthusiastically collected since many more studio scenes and portraits exist today. Around 2001\/2002, \u00a0Thomas Ritchie wrote the article, “Pioneers of Landscape Photography in … Continue reading