Mastery of Design: Brooch with a Miniature of a Child, 1894

Brooch with a hand-colored photograph
English, 1894
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

From the Nineteenth Century British School, this brooch of gold, diamonds, enamel and hair is set with a watercolor-ed photograph miniature of a child. The piece is engraved May 3rd 1894, but was first recorded in the inventory of the Royal Collection during the present reign.

This hand-colored photograph of a young child is set into a heart-shaped frame of gold and red guilloché enamel. An applied gold and diamond foliate wreath is inset with a lock of hair on the glazed reverse.

Antique Image of the Day: Florence Fisher, 1872

Florence Fisher
Photo by Julia Margaret Cameron
1872
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delicate photograph, taken on the Isle of Wight, depicts Florence Fisher, the niece of the photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron. Cameron made six studies of her niece, one which she curiously titled “Study of St. John the Baptist.”

Cameron was a daring photographer and was not afraid to experiment with scale. Here, for example, the girl’s frontal gaze and the contrast of tones give us an intensely intimate look at the innocent child. Flowers were central to Cameron’s compositions. She often had female sitters hold lilies or roses, and some images depict the subject literally enveloped by foliage. In 1855, Cameron wrote to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “I always think that flowers tell as much of the bounty of God's love as the Firmament shows of His handiwork."

Photograph of the Day: The Dining Room (Francis Place) (II), 1997

Does this furniture polish have alcohol in it?  Hmm...tastes like I might die.

--Roger Smith

The Dining Room (Francis Place) (II)Sarah Jones, 1997
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Photographer Sarah Jones was born in London in 1959 and graduated from the MA Photography course at Goldsmiths College in 1996. Jones is celebrated as one of Britain’s leading contemporary artists and her work in carefully staged, large-scale color photographs has brought her considerable acclaim.   The photographs are almost life-size, accentuating the relationships between the subjects through their staging and proportions

Here we see an example of Jones’ work in this is engaging and elegant image of adolescent girls in a polished, posh setting reminiscent of Nineteenth Century portraiture.

The piece is called, “The Dining Room (Francis Place) (II),” and dates to 1997. 

Unusual Artifacts: A Stereograph, "A Family at Afternoon Tea," 1855-60

A Family at Afternoon Tea
Underwood and Underwood, N.Y.
1855-1860
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’ve looked at stereographs from my own collection before, but here’s one from the V&A.

To refresh your memory,  a stereograph is a pair of photographic images of the same subject taken from slightly different angles. When viewed through a special “stereo viewer” or “stereoscope”, these images give the illusion of a single three-dimensional image when viewed through a stereoscope designed to hold it.  They remained popular from the 1850s well into the Twentieth Century.

Occasionally, these images were colored by hand in watercolors, paints or inks to make them more life-like.   In this case, I’m glad the image was colored since it gives us an idea of look of a typical American, Victorian home.  Here, we see a group which has been posed in the act of taking tea from a silver tea set and china cups and saucers. Domestic scenes like this one--of a model family like or of the institutions of society such as school, church or marriage --were typical subjects of popular stereographs.

This stereograph was made between 1855 and 1860 by Underwood & Underwood of New York, USA.

Antique Image of the Day: Lionel Brough as Touchstone in "As You Like It," c. 1860

Lionel Brough as "Touchstone"
English, c. 1860
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This photograph of Nineteenth-Century, English Shakespearean actor Lionel Brough as shows the performer as “Touchstone” in “As You Like It,” and dates to about 1860. Produced during a time when photography was considered a novelty, this image is the sort which Victorian actors and actresses would have taken either in their street clothes or in costume. These albumen prints made from glass images were a popular entertainment, first as smaller cartes de visite (1854), and, then, as cabinet cards.

This carte de visite was part of the huge and important collection of Guy Tristram Little (d.1953), a lawyer and collector of ephemera, who bequeathed the lot to the V&A.

I just bet you can’t guess why I like it.

Antique Image of the Day: Elphinstone Agnes Maude, Barefoot, c. 1859-1861

Elphinstone Agnes Maude, Barefoot
Lady Hawarden, c. 1859
The Victoria & Albert Museum

I've seen Bertie make this same face.

Photographed between 1859 and 1861 by Clementina, Lady Hawarden (1822-1865), this image of a seemingly spontaneous moment of childish petulance took hours to set-up, pose and photograph in the wet collodion on glass negative process in use in the late 1850s.  

Lady Hawarden was described by her family as the "great baby lover," an affection evident in her many photographic portraits of children, most of them her own.  Clementina had a reputation as a devoted mother.  Lady Hawarden's uncle, Mountstuart Elphinstone, said of Clementina's brood that he "never saw nicer children or better brought up. It seems strange in Clemy who could never keep her own shawl in order & whose devotion to her children seemed enough to spoil a whole generation, but her good sense and regard to duty has kept all right."

This charming image in sepia, mounted on green card, was taken in South Kensington and shows that Clementina's children, especially Elphinstone Agnes Maude (pictured here), were more than happy to participate in their mother's photographic experiments.  

Photo of the Day: Looking back at Mr. Punch at 300

Mr. Punch at 300, 1962
PunchandJudy.com

This figure of Mr. Punch was made by Waldo S. Lanchester for the Covent Garden Celebration of Punch's 300th birthday in 1962.  Old Red Nose has held up well, I would say.  Fifty-two years later, he looks just as good.

The carved wooden head on this figure was previously that of “Casper” (Kasperle—Punch’s German cousin) from Hohnsteiner puppets of Max Jacob, Germany.

Antique Image of the Day: Clementina, Lady Hawarden, 1864

Clementina, Lady Hawarden and Companion
South Kensington Gardens, 1864
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Isn’t this an odd photo? It dates to 1864 and was taken at the Horticultural Gardens at South Kensington. In left profile, we have Clementina, Lady Hawarden she’s donned fancy dress as a jester or harlequin. Next to her is an unidentified young female companion. Who is this woman? Some believe her to be Marion Lloyd, a close friend and cousin, and the daughter of Lady Hawarden's sister Mary Keith (Keithy) Lloyd. The young lady is dressed in a peasant costume. 

The photo was taken in a photography booth at the gardens.  That's a lot of leg for 1864.

Antique Image of the Day: "Sally Bonetta Forbes," 1856

Sally Bonetta Forbes, 1856
William Bambridge
The Royal Collection

The daughter of an African Chief, this young lady was imprisoned when a neighboring city invaded her own. Her family was murdered during the invasion and she was taken captive. Due to her high rank, she was held prisoner to await sacrifice upon the death of an official or other high-ranking person who would benefit from taking her with him to the afterlife.

In June of 1850, British Captain Forbes sailed to Africa on the ship, The Sally Bonetta, in an effort to suppress slave trading. There, he chanced to meet the king who had been taken this girl captive. Wishing to rescue the girl, Captain Forbes asked for her to be given to him “as a gift,” knowing that would be the only way to free her. The king agreed and the girl was allowed to return to England. Not knowing her name, Captain Forbes called her “Sally Bonetta” after the vessel which carried them. He gave her his own last name, adopting her as one of his daughters. She lived with his family until one day when Captain Forbes presented Sally to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The Queen and Prince adored Sally and applauded her musical talents. From that point on, Sally often stayed at Windsor Castle with Queen Victoria who acted as the girl’s godmother. Victoria paid for the girl’s schooling, praised her intellect, and encouraged her music. When Sally married in 1862, she named her first born child, “Victoria.” Queen Victoria acted as godmother to Sally’s daughter as well. This photograph was taken when “Sally” was nearly thirteen years old. It was among Queen Victoria’s most cherished images.

 Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click Image to Enlarge

Painting of the Day: Kate E. Gough's Punch and Judy Booth, 1870

1870 photograph, hand-colored, of an antique painting
Kate E. Gough
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a photograph of an original painting. 

The photo dates to 1870 and has been hand-colored. Kate E. Gough photographed this antique painting of a Punch and Judy fit-up which was created sometime before 1870 by a now unknown artist.

Antique Image of the Day: A Photo of a “Punch and Toby” Show, 1860

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Taken in 1860 by an unknown photographer, this image gives us a rare glimpse of a “Punch & Judy” show of the mid-Victorian period as performed on the streets of London. 

To be more accurate, this show is labeled as a “Punch and Toby” show which chronicles the adventures of Mr. Punch and his dog either before marrying Judy or after murdering her. The crowd in attendance seems quite engrossed. Though not pictured here, by this point in history, the Dog Toby would have been portrayed by a puppet rather than a live dog as was the practice in earlier incarnations of the show.

This is likely half of a stereograph.

Antique Image of the Day: "Group at Gloucester House," 1856

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click image to enlarge.

Group at Gloucester House
Antoine Claudet, 1856
The Royal Collection

On June 30, 1856, Queen Victoria traveled with two of her children: Bertie (Prince Albert Edward, later King Edward VII) and Alice to Gloucester House to visit the Duchess of Gloucester.  The Duchess—the last surviving child of King George III—was in ill health and died the following year.  During their visit, photographer Antoine Claudet asked to daguerreotype the group.  The Queen gave her consent and Claudet took several images which he later hand-colored.  He was so pleased to have had the opportunity that, with the Queen’s permission, he posted a notice in the Court Circular stating his excitement. 

This image shows Queen Victoria (center) flanked by the Duchess on the right, Prince Albert Edward on the left and Alice in front.  That evening, the Queen noted in her journal that she, “went in the afternoon to Gloucester House & was daguerreotyped with dear Aunt Gloucester, Bertie & Alice, several times.” We’re quite fortunate that Queen Victoria kept such a careful diary of her daily activities.  Such a thing helps us to realize that even our most trivial actions might one day be interesting to someone.

Antique Image of the Day: Mum's the Word, c. 1953

Mum's the Word
John Drysdale, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The photographer John Drysdale worked as an assistant to Cecil Beaton taking the official photos of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. During this project, Drysdale amused himself by taking candid photographs of children in the streets of London as the celebrations for the coronation began.

Here’s one of those images.  This black and white portrait photograph with a white border shows two girls talking on the street next to some steps leading to a front door. One of the girls is holding the handle to a stroller with a baby asleep inside.  Drysdale cleverly called the photo, Mum’s the Word,” and it’s a good representation of daily life in London at the time of the 1953 coronation.

Antique Image of the Day: Queen Victoria with the Duke of Connaught and Others, 1886

Queen Victoria with the Duke of
Connaught and others
W. Watson, 1886
The Royal Collection

The work of acclaimed photographer W. Watson, this 1886 photograph shows Queen Victoria with some of her children including Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught. WhileVictoria shied away from public life after the death of her husband, Prince Albert, she did enjoy spending time with her large family. One of those happy intimate moments is recorded here.

In the photo, from left to right: Duchess of Connaught (seated) with Princess Patricia on her lap; Princess Beatrice seated behind Duchess of Connaught; Prince Henry of Battenberg; Queen Victoria, holding Princess Margaret; Prince Arthur; the Duke of Connaught (seated).

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Antique Image of the Day: The Complete Set of Nine Stones Produced from the Cullinan Diamond

The Complete Set of Nine Stones Produced from the Cullinan Diamond
1908
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This platinum print from October of 1908 shows “the complete set of nine stones produced from the Cullinan Diamond.” The print was acquired by the future King George V (1865-1936) in 1908 so that a record of the diamond’s cutting could be added to the future Queen Mary’s records.

The diamonds pictured here were cleft from the Cullinan Diamond. Cullininan I and II, the two largest, were set aside for King Edward VII. They were set in 1909 in an awkwardly large pendant brooch. In 1910, when George V ascended in place of his father, he asked that the Culinan I and II be set into the head of the Sovereign's Sceptre and on the band of the Imperial State Crown, respectively. The diamonds, however, remained detachable and could be worn either together or independently as brooches. Queen Mary liked to do that every so often.

The remaining diamonds cut from the Cullinan were retained by Asscher (the cutter for whom the famed diamond cut is named), with the exception of the Cullinan Vi which had also been given to King Edward VII. Asscher kept these stones and the smaller collection of ninety-six smaller stones and fragments as a fee for cutting the original massive diamond.

However, did you really think Queen Mary would NOT get her hands on them? The whole lot was acquired by the South African government who gifted all of them to Queen Mary in 1910 in preparation for the 1911 Coronation. Stones III and IV were set into a pear-shaped drop of 94.4 carats. A square-cut stone of 63.6 carats was set in the Queen’s new coronation crown in 1911. These two stones now form the Cullinan Brooch. Another of the larger diamonds was adapted into a pendant for Queen Victoria’s cullet necklace, worn with the Lahore Diamond. Queen Mary managed to find uses for the whole lot, and, in doing so, made sure that the pieces of the original stone have stayed together forever. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Princess Elizabeth with a Parrot and a Terrier, 1928

Princess Elizabeth, Queen Mary, the Earl of Athlone
with "Charlotte" and "Snip," 1928
From the  Private Collection of Queen Mary
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Long before she was Queen, Elizabeth was a happy tot who enjoyed playing outdoors and spending time with the family pets.  In this photograph from 1928, we see Queen Elizabeth (then, Princess Elizabeth) with her grandmother, Queen Mary and the Earl of Athlone outside one of the family residences. She is joined by a rather substantial parrot named “Charlotte” and a terrier named, “Snip.”  Now, knowing terriers as I do, I am quite surprised to see that Charlotte isn’t in Snip’s mouth.  Perhaps this is the “before” picture.  Nevertheless, Her Majesty looks quite cute.  I wonder if the parrot was named for Queen Charlotte—wife of King George III.  Probably not, but it’s a nice thought.

Antique Image of the Day: Punch and Judy at Ilfracombe, Paul Martin, 1895

Punch and Judy at Ilfracombe, 1895
The Victoria and Albert Museum

I love these images of true Victorian Punch and Judy Shows. This photograph was taken at the beach at Ilfracombe (North Devon) in 1895 by Paul Martin.

Such images became popular around 1890 when it became possible to combine the gelatin dry-plate negative, which was fast and highly sensitive, with as the V&A puts it, an “inconspicuous device known as a 'detective' camera.” The detective camera allowed for a new type of candid snapshot since the camera was disguised as a leather box. A whole new kind of photography emerged—one that was not posed and staged as were the studio shots known to most people.

Paul Martin--a wood engraver by training—took hundreds of photographs on London streets and while on holiday at the seaside. Martin's work shows that at the dawn of the Twentieth Century, photography was no longer just the stuff of aristocratic amateurs and professional studios. Martin championed the idea that any person could record their own life and surroundings. Martin holds a special place in art history since he was one of the last wood engravers and one of the first photojournalists.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Vida, 1911

Vida
Robert Falcon Scott's Dog
1911
Presented to George V, 1914
The Royal Collection

A rather controversial figure of the time, Robert Falcon Scott, was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who lead two expeditions into the Antarctic. On these journeys, he and his crew used dogs to pull their sleds. Though, by all accounts, Scott wasn’t quite sure how to care for a dog in these conditions, he did seem to have genuine affection for them. One in particular was a favorite of Scott’s—a dog named Vida. Vida, it seems, had a bad coat and was very distrustful of people, but he soon grew to become attached to Scott.


Scott wrote in his journal of Vida, “He is a strange beast - I imagine so unused to kindness that it took him time to appreciate it.” In 1911, Scott had Vida photographed, looking very sweet.

During one of his polar expeditions in 1912, Scott and his companions died from exposure to the cold. They were discovered eight months later. In 1914, this photograph of Vida was presented to King George V in remembrance of Scott and his brave team.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via The Royal Collection Trust
Images Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Alexandra's Christmas Gift Book, 1908

Queen Alexandra's Christmas Gift Album
"Pleasant Recollections."
Britain, 1908
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A page from the album.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II

In 1908, shutterbug Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII (1844-1925) amused herself—while her husband was doubtlessly amusing himself in other, yuckier ways—by producing an album of her photographs which she intended to be published to raise funds for her favorite charities. 

Though known as “Queen Alexandra’s Christmas Gift Book,” the album was actually titled “Pleasant Recollections.” The leather, gilt-tooled book with relief duo-tone photographs was enclosed in a deep red jacket of suede and velvet. Queen Alexandra personally chose the photos of her family and friends which were to be included in the book from her huge collection of personal photos, most of which she had taken herself.

We see here the Queen’s own personal copy of her book. Ninety of the 137 photos were printed in photogravure (a very detailed intaglio print from a copper plate) and forty-six of them were mounted by hand on the dark green pages, so that those who purchased the photograph book would feel that they had, in fact, the Queen’s personal album.

The book, sold at 2s 6d (12 ½ p) a copy and it was published simultaneously in England and America on November 12, 1908. Huge orders were also rushed to Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, France. The album proved incredible successful, and, much to the Queen’s pleasure and satisfaction, raised vast amount for over thirty charities of Her Majesty’s choosing.

The Interior Cover
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Object of the Day Museum Edition: A Photo of King George V, 1928

Photo of King George V
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This photograph from 1928 was taken by E.O. Hoppe for the., Illustrated London News published on November, 26.

A rare glimpse at the King—post World War I—seated at his writing desk, we see the objects which he most favored. His desk is adorned with photos of his family, especially the full-length photo of his beloved wife Queen Mary adorned in her finest jewels.

The King served his Country until his last terrible illness. During this period, Queen Mary quietly assumed much of the Monarch’s responsibilities. His funeral was a day of great national mourning as the nation realized that it was truly the end of an era.