How often were negatives purchased with a professional photograph in 1888?

[Georgina Binnie]

I am trying to find out in the late 1880s how common it would have been for customers at photographic studios (in Ireland) to have purchased an original negative along with their photographic prints? I know that photographic studios would have often destroyed the negatives after a certain number of years if not of public value but I can't locate any information on whether customers routinely had the option to purchase negatives. 

I am researching a photographic print held by Lafayette's in Dublin where the negative contains a different name to that of the photographer or those photographed, hence the interest in this subject. 

Thanks in advance for any help. 

[Steve Lightfoot]

Hi

There could be a number of explanations for this. What is the name on the negative? Was it a photographer. Perhaps a previous owner of the studio. Or maybe Lafayette bought the negatives from another studio that was closing down, unrelated to his. An expert on Lafayette might know.

I have come across examples were prints were produced by a studio which have the studios name on them, but they were not taken by the studio. If someone famous, maybe they did this under licence. 

It may be worth checking out this website. http://lafayette.org.uk/lafhist.html

Good luck with your search

Steve