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I recently purchased this stereoview, apparently made in the UK. It looks to be 1850s- early 1860s. I believe this may be a portrait of he great P. T. Barnum, There is no written information on it. I do know that Barnum regularly travelled to England during his career. perhaps he meant this as a kind of advertising. His jaunty stance seems in keeping with other photos of Barnum.
Does any member have a resourse that mentions or confirms a portrait stereoview of Barnum? Who may be the photographer? What event may have this been?
Or, is this just wishful thinking on my part? Any thoughts?
Included, photos of the stereoview, and crop of the famous Daguerreotype with General Tom Thumb, for reference.
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I offer some information not specifically relevant to your photograph . PTB traveled with Gen. TT on the Yorkshire to Liverpool on January 18, 1844. My reference is "Life of P. T. Barnum" by P.T. Barnum 1855. I own the 1st edition.
I read it some time ago. I looked through it today specifically looking for mention of a photographic portrait being made. There is a significant discussion of his work with Gen, TT but no mention of the famous portrait or any other photograph.
Robert Shanebrook
makingKODAKfilm.com
Thanks so much for this information, Peter.
-David
Hi David,
As Steven has shown, there is absolutely no doubt that this stereo is of Phineas Barnum, but where it was taken is less certain. Exploring the Connecticut Digital Archive you will find another stereo of Barnum, with a closely similar mount, this time showing him with General Tom Thumb "in his 20th Year". As Charles Stratton was born in early January 1838, this puts the stereo as probably being taken during 1857, which looks about right. In this second stereo, Barnum is shown leaning against the same pillar in the same studio, so plausibly both were taken at around the same time. Yet another portrait, a carte-de-visite, shows Barnum a year or two later in a very similar pose, and this was taken by Silsbee Case & Co. in Boston.
Best regards, PK
Thanks, Steven!
Hi David, see this: http://collections.ctdigitalarchive.org/islandora/object/60002%3A1386
Best, Steven
Victoria and Albert Museum's photography collection
National Science and Media Museum
RPS Journal 1853-2012 online and searchable
Photographic History Research Centre, Leicester
Birkbeck History and Theory of Photography Research Centre
William Henry Fox Talbot Catalogue Raisonné
British Photography. The Hyman Collection
The Press Photo History Project Mapping the photo agencies and photographers of Fleet Street and the UK
The correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot
Historic England Archive
UAL Photography and Photography and the Archive Research Centre
Royal Photographic Society's Historical Group
www.londonstereo.com London Stereoscopic Company / T. R. Williams
www.earlyphotography.co.uk British camera makers and companies
Fox Talbot Museum, Lacock.
National Portrait Gallery, London
http://www.freewebs.com/jb3d/
Alfred Seaman and the Photographic Convention
Frederick Scott Archer
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