Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history

Michael Wong's Blog (605)

Niépce - Now or Never!

As part of the 2-day Niépce in England Conference to be held next month in Bradford, participants will

have a very unique and unprecedented opportunity… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 28, 2010 at 17:30 — No Comments

Francis Galton and The Art of Composite Photography

Like his cousin, Charles Darwin, Francis Galton (1822 - 1911), worked on the study of heredity. He

founded the science of eugenics (the study of improving human races), and in 1865 documented his findings in his best-known work "Hereditary Genius, its Laws and Consequences". In… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 27, 2010 at 22:32 — No Comments

Exhibition: Memory of Place (1840-1870) featuring Roger Fenton

'Memory of Place' showcases a collection of…

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Added by Michael Wong on September 27, 2010 at 22:30 — No Comments

I was fortunate enough to make a quick stop in Singapore last month to view the exhibition 'The Originals of GR Lambert' which is currently on show at the Philatelic Museum - as mentioned in an… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 27, 2010 at 21:30 — No Comments

Paul Nadar: 19th Century Photo Reportage

Paul Nadar (1856-1939) was the son of the celebrated nineteenth-century French photographer Felix

Gaspard Tournachon, aka Nadar. Between the two of them, they achieved a number of 'firsts' in the history of photography including aerial photography, artificial lighting,… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 23, 2010 at 11:00 — No Comments

What can you get for two 19th Century albums? Answer: Safe water for 15,500 people or 560 goats

As mentioned in an earlier blog here, the other recent prized find by Oxfam volunteers of two extremely rare 19th century photo albums of Argentina taken by French photographer, Esteban Gonnet,… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 23, 2010 at 10:00 — No Comments

History of Photography & The House of Bernadotte

To mark the bicentennial of Karl XIV Johan’s selection

as heir to the Swedish throne, Nationalmuseum presents an exhibition of black-and-white portraits of the House of Bernadotte. No other Swedes… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 22, 2010 at 10:46 — No Comments

Exhibition: 19th Century Photographs of Bristol and Antiquated Processes

From now until the 27th September at the Bristol Central Library, there is an exhibition of 19…

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Added by Michael Wong on September 17, 2010 at 21:59 — No Comments

Auction: Antique Photographica Sale

No connection with the company whatsoever, but there is an interesting selection of reference books, cartes de visite, ephemera, cameras, magic lanterns, daguerreotypes, optical toys etc including British interests at a forthcoming online sale on 25th Sept. Details can be found here.

Added by Michael Wong on September 17, 2010 at 10:01 — No Comments

New Face: Scottish National Portrait Gallery

This Edinburgh Gallery, which closed its doors to the public last April, is currently undergoing a massive

£18 million transformation to turn it into a 21st-century museum marvel.

On time and in budget, it is expected to reopen in November 2011 with a new gallery that will house 50% more… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 15, 2010 at 10:09 — No Comments

Auction: A Historic Photographic Grand Tour - Important Daguerreotypes

Christie's will be auctioning off an exclusive private collection of 74 daguerreotype photographs by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey in New York next month. Entitled "A Historic Photographic Grand Tour - Important Daguerreotypes by Philibert Girault de Prangey", it is expected to fetch… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 15, 2010 at 4:42 — No Comments

Cheltenham - Past and Present

A new book focussing on early 19th and 20th century images of regency Cheltenham will be launched at Waterstones in the Promenade on 25th September.

Entitled 'Cheltenham - Past and Present', it includes about 90 photographs from this period, with about 60 of them never seen before. The author, David Hanks, completed the book earlier this year for the History Press's national series, Britain in Old Photographs. The 61 year-old author who is also a member of the Cheltenham Local… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on September 12, 2010 at 15:58 — No Comments

Man and Cameraman: George Bernard Shaw photo archive online

The private personas, including an archive of public photos, of the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw who died 60 years ago in November, has been put online.

Approx. two-thirds of the photographs were taken by the playwright…

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Added by Michael Wong on September 9, 2010 at 4:25 — No Comments

Book: Photography and Literature

Photography and Literature assess the complete history of photography, and Brunet begins by examining how the invention of photography was shaped by written culture, both scientific and literary. As well, Brunet looks at the creation of the photo-book, the frequent personal discovery of photography by writers, and how photography and literature…

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Added by Michael Wong on August 28, 2010 at 19:06 — No Comments

Unseen family archive from 1897 on auction

Not just any family photo, but believed to be the first known image of the future Stan Laurel acting.… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on August 28, 2010 at 18:30 — No Comments

2012 Biennale of Sydney Fellowship

The Biennale of Sydney have created The Nick Waterlow OAM Curatorial

Fellowship, in conjunction with The Australia Council for the Arts. This

two year, full time fellowship will be awarded to a young curator who

will be mentored by the Artistic Director and will… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on August 20, 2010 at 11:14 — No Comments

Trivia: What is the most Oxfam has ever made from any item donated through its shops and sold at auction?

Give up?

Well, it was one of seven books donated by a gentleman at the Teignmouth branch of Oxfam, one day shortly before Christmas last year.

The book in question described the quest of two Victorian scientists in finding their long-lost brother in Fiji back in 1881. Entitled "A Trip To The Highlands of Viti Levu", this unique photo book consisted of 44 portraits of Fijians, and was written and self-published by Gerard… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on August 20, 2010 at 10:30 — 1 Comment

Exhibition featuring 1860s panoramas from Beato, Rossier etc.

The international and regional photographic elite and enthusiasts alike will soon turn their gaze and cameras on Hong Kong as the first-ever large-scale photo festival in the city, The Hong Kong Photo Festival, organised by the Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association, takes its debut from Nov. 27 to Dec. 31.… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on August 13, 2010 at 10:28 — No Comments

Beaumont Newhall: Father of Photographic History?

Well, you can be a judge of it by watching this video of this fascinating man and his contribution to the evolution of photography into a recognised art form as it is… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on August 13, 2010 at 10:04 — No Comments

National Museum of Wales purchases iconic photograph

One of the most significant images of 20th-century Wales, 'Three Generations of Welsh Miners' (1950), by American photojournalist, Eugene Smith, has been bought by the Wales National Museum.

This legendary photograph (representing past,… Continue

Added by Michael Wong on August 13, 2010 at 10:00 — No Comments