Thank you so much for naming me as a friend - I look forward to perhaps some interesting exchanges in the coming months! I see you are also in contact with dear Paula Fleming. Our collaboration has been both a delight and also most productive, which reminds me that it is high time I wrote to her again!
Thank you very much indeed for your nice images. The same view of the Feathers Inn was offered on eBay in July 2008, although it was a slightly cropped down version (I didn't get it). The date would appear to have been during 1861, at the time Bedford was taking his first stereo series, because the same figure also appears in the stereo. The Castle Chapel view is a very nice one, and it would appear to be William Bedford in the background. I attach another image of him, also 7 by 5.5 inch, and again taken outside the Feathers. This was one was from the 1863 session, and Bedford had also changed the format of his stereo camera as well.
I see we are in neighbouring counties. We could perhaps make contact direct, although I am not sure whether that is not against protocols!
I'm sorry not to have replied before as I have been away on a break for a few days.
Your image of Ludlow Castle from Whitcliffe certainly seems to be by Bedford, but you do not give the print's dimensions. Bedford appears to have taken several parallel series of negatives in around 1863, when he came to take his second series of Ludlow stereoscopic views (including this view), and he seems also to have taken a practically identical negative from the same viewpoint with a 6 by 4.5 inch camera. While the images will be of different sizes, of the three versions the stereo prints have been cropped to mount on the view cards, and the 6 x 4 print has much less in the foreground. Otherwise, they appear to have been taken at exactly the same time, the growth of the vegetation being identical. While it is possible that another photographer might have taken this view, it would therefore seem unlikely, and I also know that Bedford brought with him in 1863 a 7 by 5.5 inch format camera, of which I have several contemporary Ludlow prints. If this print is of that size, then it would seem most likely that it is by Bedford. I hope this helps, and would also be grateful to know of any other early Ludlow material you might have.
Well, thanks for the invite :) As my work is currently lodged in the 70s (1970s, I mean!) I am not sure if I'm 'historical' enough... but will be interesting to see what's going on elsewhere.
I've tried to upload a profile photo and the site won't let me for some reason - it's only 70 kb so shouldn't be a problem. Let me know if you sort this out for yourself!
Comments
Hi Clive,
Thank you so much for naming me as a friend - I look forward to perhaps some interesting exchanges in the coming months! I see you are also in contact with dear Paula Fleming. Our collaboration has been both a delight and also most productive, which reminds me that it is high time I wrote to her again!
With my kind regards,
PK
Hi Clive - Nice to meet up here although I rarely remember to look for messages!
--paula
Hello Clive,
Thank you very much indeed for your nice images. The same view of the Feathers Inn was offered on eBay in July 2008, although it was a slightly cropped down version (I didn't get it). The date would appear to have been during 1861, at the time Bedford was taking his first stereo series, because the same figure also appears in the stereo. The Castle Chapel view is a very nice one, and it would appear to be William Bedford in the background. I attach another image of him, also 7 by 5.5 inch, and again taken outside the Feathers. This was one was from the 1863 session, and Bedford had also changed the format of his stereo camera as well.
I see we are in neighbouring counties. We could perhaps make contact direct, although I am not sure whether that is not against protocols!
Kind regards,
PK
Hello Clive
I'm sorry not to have replied before as I have been away on a break for a few days.
Your image of Ludlow Castle from Whitcliffe certainly seems to be by Bedford, but you do not give the print's dimensions. Bedford appears to have taken several parallel series of negatives in around 1863, when he came to take his second series of Ludlow stereoscopic views (including this view), and he seems also to have taken a practically identical negative from the same viewpoint with a 6 by 4.5 inch camera. While the images will be of different sizes, of the three versions the stereo prints have been cropped to mount on the view cards, and the 6 x 4 print has much less in the foreground. Otherwise, they appear to have been taken at exactly the same time, the growth of the vegetation being identical. While it is possible that another photographer might have taken this view, it would therefore seem unlikely, and I also know that Bedford brought with him in 1863 a 7 by 5.5 inch format camera, of which I have several contemporary Ludlow prints. If this print is of that size, then it would seem most likely that it is by Bedford. I hope this helps, and would also be grateful to know of any other early Ludlow material you mig
ht have.
Kind regards,
PK
Hi Clive
Well, thanks for the invite :) As my work is currently lodged in the 70s (1970s, I mean!) I am not sure if I'm 'historical' enough... but will be interesting to see what's going on elsewhere.
I've tried to upload a profile photo and the site won't let me for some reason - it's only 70 kb so shouldn't be a problem. Let me know if you sort this out for yourself!
best
Celia