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Record Details

Photograph (Experimental Photogenic Drawing), by Sir John Herschel, June 16, 1839

Inventory Number: 34724
Object Type:
Persons: Sir John Frederick William Herschel (Photographer)
Date Created: 1839
Accession Number: 1928-71
Brief Description: Experimental photogenic drawing by Sir John Herschel, June 16, 1839, made as a fixing experiment, part of a series using potassium iodide and monitoring its bleaching effects and after-effects. The reason for the two inscriptions in unclear.

Subject: engraving 60353, landscape with figure carrying pot on head
Technique: contact copy (print) from a negative
Format: horizontal
Polarity: positive
Orientation: correct
Quality: very faint except bottom left corner (compare 95542)
Colour: pale yellow and brownish
Chemistry: silver nitrate, fixed with water, sodium chloride, and potassium iodide
Coating: none
Inscription: numbers, date, chemical note, inspection/quality note
Paper: xxx
Condition: good
Purpose: a fixing experiment, see above.

For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives.
Primary Inscriptions: '1038 + NS. --[long dash] June 16. Fixed by W. - S. - & weak Hydriod P' and '401. | June 16 | F[...?] fixed by | Water, Brine, Hydro Pot. | Whitens[?] in strong Sun' [in Herschel's hand].
Provenance: Presented by Miss Herschel and Lady Lubbock in 1928. They were the two surviving and youngest children of Sir John Herschel (Francisca and Constance).
Collection Group: Herschel's Photographic Experiments
Material(s): Paper
Dimensions:
Height Width Depth Diameter Unit
97 129 mm

Narratives

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