Other  Exhibition Pages

Edinburgh Photographic Society

1890

Open Exhibition

The 1890 Open Exhibition was held from 14 November 1890 until 7 January 1891 at the RSA National Galleries, Princes Street.

This view inside the National Gallery at the Foot of the Mound will give some idea of the surroundings in which the 1890 Exhibition was held.

The Practical Photographer described the Exhibition as

 "the finest by a long way that has yet appeared in Scotland".

This was the Season Ticket for the Exhibition.

Season Ticket (outside)

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

Season Ticket (inside)

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

1,500 Photographs Exhibited

There were over 1500 photographs in the Exhibition.  There were five judges, described in the catalogue as jurors.

It was reported in Practical Photographer:

Catalogues

1350 catalogues sold at 6d each for £33 15s 0d.  They gave details of all photographs in the exhibition  -  titles, process and name of exhibitor

A series of lectures was run in connection with the Exhibition.  Each catalogue had about 80 pages and included a summary of these lectures together with a review of the progress in photography over the previous 50 years.

Exhibition Entertainment

There was Musical Arrangements by kind permission of the Officers, the String Band of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders played selections on Wednesday Afternoons 3-5pm; and on Saturday Evenings 8-10pm.  

The Exhibition advertised:

"Afternoon Tea and Coffee in the South Octagon, served in first-class style by The Edinburgh Café Company."

and

"Popular Lectures illustrated by Lime-Light Views.  Charming display of Photo Transparencies on the Screen,  Every Friday Evening at Eight.  Open to all Visitors"

Exhibition Lectures

A series of lectures was run in connection with the Exhibition.  
They were:

-   Historical Sketch of Photography

-   Photographic Optics

-   Chemistry in the Dark-Room

-   Woodburytype

-  Ten Days on the Hardanger Norway

-  The Architecture of Normandy and Brittany

The Exhibition Catalogue includes a summary of the subjects included in each of these Lectures.

Finances

EPS Council suggested 5/- be paid by each member towards a Guarantee Fund, and that each member should buy a season ticket for 2/6d.

Medals

There were five judges, described in the catalogue as Jurors.  Awards were:

1 Gold Medal 

-  for the Best Picture in the Exhibition.

 3 Silver Medals  and 3 Bronze Medals

-  for Apparatus

-  for Materials

-  for Processes

1 Silver Medal  and 1 Bronze Medal  
for the best two prints in each of the following classes:

-  Landscapes 6½  x 8½ inches and under

-  Landscapes over 6½   x 8½ inches

-  Portraits below wholeplate size in sets of 12 direct prints

-  Portraits 6½  x 8½ inches up to 10 x 12 inches in sets of 6 direct prints

-  Portraits above 10 x 12 inches in sets of 6 direct prints

-  Single Figure Studies, not to exceed 15 x 12 inches, direct prints

-  Combination Printing

-  Genre Pictures

-  Instantaneous Pictures

-  Architecture and Engineering

-  Scientific: Micro-Photography, Botany, Astronomy, Geology, Surgery,  &c

-  Landscapes, Half-plate and under.  Confined to Amateurs

-  Photographs, any subject. Confined to Amateur Members of  EPS

-  Pictures which have previously not Obtained a Prize

-  Lantern Slides, in sets of six

-  Reproduction of Pictures by any Process not Mechanical

-  Vitreous Enamels

-  Photo-Mechanical Prints

-  Enlargements, which must be accompanied by Original Negatives

Exhibits

Many valuable and rare historic items were loaned for display at the Exhibition. 

The journal Practical Photographer reported:

The catalogue listed:

-  early Daguerreotypes, including , among others, group of Her Majesty the Queen, with  Princess Royal and Prince of Wales, l845

-  early Calotypes taken by Fox Talbot himself

-  early Calotypes of Edinburgh Celebrities by DO Hill

-  copies of “Sun Pictures” , being the first book illustrated by Photographs, containing Calotypes of Heriot’s Hospital ,and Sir Walter Scott’s Monument in course of erection, &c; and many other interesting relics of the early days.

-  From E Lennie: 

-  From JM Turnbull:  an Old Camera fitted with back, carrying four plates which are exposed in the Bath by means of Shutters, a daguerreotype of about 1849 and 3 glass positives.

-  From J Moffat:  exhibited a Stereoscope, with Daguerreotype of Queen &c, at Crystal Palace Exhibition, 1851.

-  From Major Plant:   several Daguerreotypes, from 1844 onwards.

-  From Misses Radcliffe:

-  Early Tablotypes
-  Sun Pictures of Scotland, by Fox Talbot
-  The Pencil of Nature by Fox Talbot
-  Photogenic Drawings, 1837, by Fox Talbot

Photographs by DO Hill

Amongst the exhibits in the exhibition were some early prints by DO Hill, which his widow had kindly loaned to EPS for display.  Click here to see the Bill from the company commissioned to remove the prints from Mrs Hill's house for display in the exhibition.

Press Reports

The 1890 Exhibition was widely reported in the Press.  Here are some extracts from the reports:

“We may say at once that no exhibition of recent years has equalled the manner in which the rooms are arranged.  True, the Royal Scottish Academy National Galleries are not only eminently adapted for the purpose, but are in themselves beautifully designed and decorated.  

Not content with this however, the Society has still further improved the general appearance by artistic drapery. The galleries consist of a series of alcoves with archways between.  These run in a straight line, and the view from either end is enchanting, compared to the rough and ready style of most of our exhibitions.  The archways are draped, and round the two sides of each alcove, just above the pictures runs a continuous drapery.  

Plants, handsome lounges and chairs, and curtains go to form accompaniments that are in themselves extremely attractive.  .  .  .  .  At Edinburgh everything is done neatly, and the artistic mind receives no shocks, but is pleased form beginning to end."

“The President, Mr Hippolyte Blanc, is quite an enthusiast in the educational aspect.  All round, just underneath the drapery above the pictures, appear the names of the various inventors and discoverers; and the collection of loan pictures of old work is not only interesting, but far away exceeds anything of the kind attempted before.  These in themselves are quite a feature of the exhibition  and reflect great credit upon the Council of the Society."