William M. Notman (1857-1913), Helen Keller and Miss Sullivan, 1897. Gelatin silver print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2009.00892. Gift of Laurence Hutton.

During the two years I spent in New York I had many opportunities to talk with distinguished people whose names I had often heard, but whom I had never expected to meet. Most of them I met first in the house of my good friend, Mr. Laurence Hutton. It was a great privilege to visit him and dear Mrs. Hutton in their lovely home, and see their library and read the beautiful sentiments and bright thoughts gifted friends had written for them. It has been truly said that Mr. Hutton has the faculty of bringing out in every one the best thoughts and kindest sentiments. One does not need to read “A Boy I Knew” to understand him–the most generous, sweet-natured boy I ever knew, a good friend in all sorts of weather, who traces the footprints of love in the life of dogs as well as in that of his fellowmen.

Mrs. Hutton is a true and tried friend. Much that I hold sweetest, much that I hold most precious, I owe to her. She has oftenest advised and helped me in my progress through college. When I find my work particularly difficult and discouraging, she writes me letters that make me feel glad and brave; for she is one of those from whom we learn that one painful duty fulfilled makes the next plainer and easier.

Mr. Hutton introduced me to many of his literary friends, greatest of whom are Mr. William Dean Howells and Mark Twain. –Helen Keller, The Story of My Life, chapter 23

Augustus Marshall (died 1916), Helen Keller, no date. Gelatin silver print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2009.00891. Gift of Laurence Hutton. Blind stamp on mount: “A. Marshall 16 Arlington St. Boston”. Dedication in pencil: “For Mrs. Hutton, With dear love, From, Helen Keller.”
Augustus Marshall (died 1916), Helen Keller, no date [ca. 1899]. Gelatin silver print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2009.00890. Gift of Laurence Hutton. Dedication in pencil: “Your loving friend, Helen Keller, Easter 1899.”
Benjamin J. Falk (1853-1925), Helen Keller, no date. Platinum print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2009.00831. Gift of Laurence Hutton. Dedication in pencil: “Lovingly yours, Helen Keller.” Signed in imprint: “Print in Platinum – Falk, N.Y.”
Benjamin J. Falk (1853-1925), Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, [no date]. Platinum print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2009.00832. Gift of Laurence Hutton. Signed by sitter in pencil: “Helen and Teacher.” Signed by sitter in ink: “Annie M. Sullivan.”

Emily Stokes, Helen Keller with Her Terrier, Phiz, 1902. Albumen silver print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2010.01663. Gift of Laurence Hutton. Dedication in pencil: “To Uncle Laurence, with the dear love of Phiz and his mistress, May 1902, Helen Keller.”

Unidentified artist, Helen Keller in Academic Attire, 1903. Gelatin silver print. Signed in negative: “Copyright 1903 by Whitman” Graphic Arts Collection GA 2010.01794. Gift of Laurence Hutton. Signed in pencil: “Helen Keller.”

Unidentified artist, Helen Keller, no date [ca. 1899]. Albumen silver print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2010.02226. Gift of Laurence Hutton.

Henry Craigie Brewster (1816-1905) was the youngest son of Sir David Brewster (1781-1868). Henry first practiced photography in 1842, while on leave from the 76th “Hindoostan” Regiment of Foot. This might be a self-portrait from around that time, when Henry was 26 years old. It is among the earliest paper photographs.

The digital image at the top is a truer copy of the dark print. The image below has been lightened with PhotoShop to provide a clearer portrait. It is signed on the verso in several places “Capt. Brewster.”

Henry Craigie Brewster (1816-1905), Self Portrait, no date [ca.1842]. Salted paper print. Graphic Arts Collection GC137

“Another member of the St. Andrews group, Henry Craigie Brewster (1816-1905), was Sir David’s fourth and youngest son. A captain in the 76th Regiment of Foot, he was named an honorary and corresponding member of the Literary and Philosophical Society in November 1840. In a letter written to Talbot in July 1842, Sir David mentions that his youngest son was on leave from his regiment at Newry.  During this leave Henry Brewster participated in the group’s photographic activities; Sir David mentions his work with that of the Adamsons and Major Playfair in an article on photography published in the Edinburgh Review in January 1843. A quarter of a century later, in The Home Life of Sir David Brewster, Mrs. Gordon recalled that her brother practiced photography under his father’s “superintendence” when home on leave, adding that “it was one of his father’s means of relaxation from heavier work to take positives from the negatives of his son and others.” Henry Brewster continued to practice photography after his return to his regiment in October 1842, and in May 1843 Sir David exhibited a group of his calotype portraits at the Literary and Philosophical Society.”– Graham Smith, Disciples of light (Graphic Arts Collection (GA) 2014-0693Q)

In July 1895, Edward L. Wilson, editor of Wilson’s Photographic Magazine, wrote to subscribers about “a new departure” for the journal. Every month since 1864, Wilson had been embellishing each issue with an original photograph pasted into the front. This meant printing up to 6,000 photographs from one or more negatives and then cutting, pasting, and binding them into the magazine by hand.

However by the 1890s, Wilson noted that “the processes of reproduction have grown without number, in such variety as to render the method we have so long employed [albumen silver prints] almost obsolete.” Wilson begins to substitute ink prints made from photographic negatives for the light-sensitive photographs that once embellished each issue of his magazine.

While this is a reasonable decision, the impetus behind the change really came from a letter written by the Postmaster-General of the United States determining that the addition of an original photograph was, in fact, against the law. Here is a transcription of the letter he sent to Wilson:

“Photographic and other matter pasted to printed paper sheets are additional to the original print prohibited by law, which reads that these shall contain no writing, print, or sign thereon or therein in addition to the original print, except as provided by Sec. 3 of Postal Regulations, which provides as follows, to wit: The name and address of the person to whom the matter shall be sent; index figures of subscription-book, either printed or written; the printed title of the publication and the place of its publication; the printed or written name or address without addition of advertisement of the publisher or sender, or both; and written or printed words or figures or both, indicating the date on which the subscription of such matter will end; the correction of any typographical error; a mark except by written or printed words to designate a word or passage to which it is desired to call attention; the words ‘sample copy’ when the matter is sent as such; the words ‘marked copy’ when the matter contains a marked item or article.”

While silver photography does continue to appear from time to time, Wilson focuses on photogravure, color halftone, and other variations of ink prints to embellish his magazine. By 1900, only halftone prints are published.

Specimen of Three Color Gelatine Print

Photogravure

A photograph entitled “Cape Town, Africa” by Lulu Farini (Samuel Wasgott, 1855-1939) of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was printed in the September 1887 issue of The Philadelphia Photographer. The negative was made by a celebrated cross-dressing acrobat, born Samuel Wasgatt who performed under the name El Niño Farini and later, Lulu [above right].

Born in the United States, Wasgatt became the protégée of a Canadian acrobat William L. Hunt (1838-1929), also known as Signor Guillermo Farini [above left]. While working in France, the Farninis made the decision to dress the slender young boy as a girl and for five years the change went undetected. Their sold-out performances included various acts on a trapeze, tightrope walking, and being shot out of a cannon, now advertised as The Great Farini and Lulu.

In 1885, the Farinis traveled to South Africa and Lulu (who had returned to dressing as a man and married Hunt’s daughter), documented their journey in the Kalahari Desert with his camera. Returning later that year, Lulu had several exhibitions of these photographs in London http://erps.dmu.ac.uk/exhibitor_details.php?year=1885&efn=Lulu+Farini and then, published them in the book Through the Kalahari Desert; a Narrative of a Journey with Gun, Camera, and Note-book to Lake N’gami and Back (Firestone (F) DT995.K2 F2 1886).

In 1887,  Lulu Farini submitted one of his photographs to The Philadelphia Photographer, where over 6,000 copies were printed and published as the frontispiece of the September issue. Edward Wilson wrote: “Through the courtesy of Mr. Lulu Farini, Bridgeport, Conn., we are permitted once more to give a picture of that far-off, though well-known country—a view of Cape Horn and vicinity. Altogether, it is one of the strangest of landscapes, showing the curious site of a curious city and its marvelous natural surroundings. . . With reference to the view, we refer to a letter received from the talented African traveller and excellent photographer, Mr. Farini, who writes as follows:

“Is it possible that there is enough merit in my poor picture of Cape Horn and the Lion’s Head to justify its being honored by publication in your magazine?’ I have always felt a consciousness that this particular plate should be classed among the failures, not only on account of its technical imperfections, but because of its conveying so feeble an impression of a scene worth travelling many thousand miles to witness. When I look at this picture it makes me feel sad to think that I must be content with so insignificant a reward for the labor and patience expended on its production.”

“During the week’s interval between our landing at the Cape and continuing our journey southward to the Kalahari Desert, I found food for my camera in Cape Town and its picturesque surroundings. Instantaneous views from a row-boat were made of the harbor and town, backed with Table Mountain, which towers above the whole like a perpendicular wall 5000 feet high; to reach its summit one must climb by circuitous paths, and the time required to perform this upward journey averages six hours.”

“But, providing the sky is clear, no one will regret the laborious task, for the view from this elevation is magnificent. Not infrequently, however, is the sightseer not only disappointed, but put to considerable inconvenience and risk of personal safety, for it is no rare occurrence to have a dense fog shut down over the mountain totally obscuring the distant view, and, at the same time, increasing the difficulty and danger of climbing—in fact, many lives have been lost where the impatient tourist has rebelled against a prolonged imprisonment, and in attempting to regain a lower altitude, has fallen over the perpendicular cliff.”-L. Farnini

“The Change in Lulu,” Chicago Daily Tribune September 12, 1885: 12.

William Bell (1830-1910), “United States Capitol Building,” in The Philadelphia Photographer 4, no. 43 (July 1867). Graphic Arts Collection 2007.0008.

It is curious that one of the most valued photographs published in Edward L. Wilson’s The Philadelphia Photographer was unplanned and offered to readers with an apology. The Canadian photographer William Notman had given Wilson negatives to print for the July issue but when the prints were damaged, Wilson scrambled to find a substitute.

William Bell (not to be confused with William A. Bell or William H. Bell) was well-known in Philadelphia, having worked at John Keenan’s daguerreotype studio since 1848. After serving in U.S. Army during the Civil War, Bell moved to Washington D.C. as chief photographer at the U.S. Army Medical Museum. For whatever reason, this position did not last long and in 1867, Bell returned to Philadelphia, bought James McClees’s photography studio at 1200 Chestnut Street, and opened his own business.

William Bell (American, born England, 1830-1910), United States Capitol Building, 1866, albumen silver print, Museum Purchase: Photography Fund, no known copyright restrictions, 2003.26.1

According to Bell’s notes, his negatives of the Capitol were made in 1866 and he probably carried them back when he moved home. As usual, multiple glass plates were given to Wilson, who arranged for the contact printing of hundreds of albumen silver prints to be pasted into each issue of his magazine.

Note the photograph at the Portland Museum of Art [left] is slight different, missing the final row of windows seen above on the right.