Bibliography - Books - History of Photography

BOOKS

LISTED IN PUBLICATION DATE ORDER

Some of the 19th century books might better be described as pamphlets.

History of Photography

19th Century Books

M Daguerre - translated by JP Simson

Publ. London (John Churchill), Edinburgh (Carfrae & Son), Dublin (Fennin & Co), Southampton (Fletcher & Son) 1839

To quote the frontispiece from the book: "A Practical Description of that process called The Daguerreotype. This process consists in the spontaneous reproduction of the images of nature received in the Camera Obscura - not with their colours, but with great nicety in the gradation of shades

- Photogenic Manipulation

George Thomas Fisher, Jun.

Publ. George Knight & Son, London, Manufacturers of Chemical Apparatus and Philosophical Instruments - 2nd edition 1843

The frontispiece of this book says: "Photogenic Manipulation, containing plain instructions in the Theory and Practice of the Arts of Photography, Calotype, Cyanotype, Ferrotype, Chrysotype, Anthotype, Daguerreotype and Thermography - illustrated by woodcuts.

- Photogenic Manipulation

Robert J Bingham

Publ. George Knight & Son, London - 8th edition 1852

This book, illustrated by small woodcut engravings, covers Anthrotype, Calotype, Catalisotype, Chromotype, Chrysotype, Cyanotype, Ferrotype, Fluorotype and pictures on glass.

- Practical Photography on Glass and Paper

Charles A Long

Publ. Bland & Long, London - Opticians, Philosophical Instrument Makers and Operative Chemists - 2nd edition 1856

The 2nd edition of this book is described as "A Manual containing simple directions for the production of Portraits, Views, etc. by the Agency of Light, including the Collodion, Albumen, Calotype, Waxed Paper (new to the 2nd edition) and Positive Paper Processes - to which is added a Paper on the Method of taking Stereoscopic Pictures."

Charles A Long says in the Preface that he will include some "simple and definite instructions". He also includes several pages of notes on "Failures and their Causes". This book consists of 72 pages, followed by a 64-page illustrated catalogue.

- The ABC of Modern Photography

WA Burton

Publ. Piper & Carter, London 4th edition: 1884

This small booklet has 124 pages followed by a few adverts. It is described as "a manual of photography for beginners on the assumption that the gelatine process is now the process of the day.

- Carbon Printing

EJ Wall

Publ. Hazel Watson & Viney, London 1894

This was No.8 in the Amateur Photographer's Library. It includes a carbon print of Musselburgh Fishwives. Please click here to see all books in this series.

- Platinotype Printing

A Horsley Hinton

Publ. Hazel Watson & Viney, London 1897

This small book was titled "Platinotype Printing - A Simple Book on the Process".
It was No.11 in the Amateur Photographer's Library. Please click here to see all books in this series. It included examples reproductions of platinotype prints, showing how a print appeared before and after development

20th Century Books

- Photographic Studios of Europe [PSE]

H Baden Pritchard

c.1900

- The History of Photography [HAG]

Helmut and Alison Gernsheim

Publ: Thames & Hudson, 1955, revised 1969

- The First Negatives

D B Thomas

A Science Museum Monograph, 1964 [SBN: 11 290089 5]

This is a well illustrated little booklet covering the discoveries and work of Talbot. It also refers to the exploitation of the calotype process by Claudet and others..

- Victorian Photography - A Collector's Guide

BEC Howarth-Loomes

Ward Lock Limited, London, 1974 [ISBN: 0 7063 1871 4]

- An Album of Carte de Visite and Cabinet Portrait Photographs - 1854-1914

Oliver Matthews

Reedmaster Publications, London, 1974

- Fox Talbot

John Hannavy

Shire Publications Ltd Lifelines 38, 1976, Third edition 1997 [SBN: 0-7478-0351-X]

This small illustrated booklet covers Talbot's early experiments in photography and his discovery of the calotype process. It also gives some background on WHF Talbot's family history and includes a table listing the principle events in his life, from 1800 to 1877.

- The Birth of Photography

Brian Coe

Ash & Grant, London, 1976 |Case bound: ISBN 0 904069 06 0: Paperback: ISBN 0904069 07 9]

This book covers the period to 1900, and includes an interesting collection of photographs, many by prominent 19th century photographers. The author is Brian Coe, curator of the Kodak Museum

- The Albumen and Salted Paper Book - The History and Practice of Photographic Printing 1840-1895

James M Reilly

Publ: Lighthouse Impressions 1980 [ISBN 0-87992-020-3 (hard back)]

I have not seen this book, but it has been recommended to me by Richard Morris. He is one of a few enthusiasts currently using the calotype process.

- The Origins of Photography

Helmut Gernsheim

Publ: Thames & Hudson, 1982

being a revised and expanded edition of Gernsheim's History of Photography (above).

A very informative book from a well respected photo-historian. It covers the period from the pre-history of photography up to 1850. It has 191 illustrations - with high quality reproductions, including some impressive illustrations of early daguerreotypes. The book includes 4 waxed paper prints taken around 1855 by the Edinburgh photographer, Thomas Keith. This book is available on loan from the Fine Art Room of Edinburgh Public Library [Ref. TR15]

- A Moment in Time - Scottish Contributions to Photography 1840-1920

John Hannavy

Publ: Third Eye Centre, Glasgow 1983 [ISBN 0906474-29-9]

This book was published in connection with an exhibition 'A Moment in Time' organised by the Third Eye Centre, Glasgow in association with BBC Scotland. The book includes brief biographical notes on several early Scottish photographers.

- Care and Identification of 19th Century Photographic Prints

James M Reilly

Kodak Publications No G-2S 1986 [ISBN 1 87985 365 4]

This book, written by JRM Reilly, Director of Image Permanence at the Rochester Institute of Technology includes a very useful flowchart for identification of 19th century photographic printing processes and periods for which each of these was in use. There are well illustrated examples of each:
- Photomechanical: Letterpress Halftone, Photogravure, Collotype
- Photographs (single layer): Salted Paper Print, Cyanotype, Platinotype
- Photographs (two layers): Albumen, Carbon, Woodburytype
- Photographs (three layers) Gelatin POP, Collodion POP, Gelatin Developing-out-paper

This book is available on loan from the Fine Art Room of Edinburgh Public Library. Ref: TR465 C0014422360

- Looking at Photographs - A Guide to Technical Terms

Gordon Baldwin [ISBN 0- 7141- 1720-x]

The J Paul Getty Museum in association with British Museum Press 1991

This is a thin paperback book written by Gordon Baldwin, Assistant Curator of Photography at the J Paul Getty Museum. It gives useful brief definitions and explanations of many photographic processes and terms found in early photography.

- Light from the Dark Room

Sara Stevenson, with essays from Alison Morrison Low, Allen Simpson, Julie Lawson, Ray McKenzie, Robin Gillanders and James Lawson [ISBN 0 903598 58 2]

Publ: National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh 1995

This book, including reproductions of many early photographs was published to accompany the exhibition, Light from the Dark Room, staged by the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. The exhibition was the result of a collaboration between:

- National Galleries of Scotland

- National Library of Scotland

- National Museums of Scotland

- National Archives of Canada

- National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

- Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal

- Photograph - A Concise History

Willfried Baatz [ISBN 1 85669 167 5]

Publ: Kommanditgesellschaft, Koln, Germany 1997, Laurence King, London 1999

This little paperback book contains a wealth of information, well presented. It covers photography from its pre-history to the present day. There are many small illustrations, brief monographs of major photographers, together with dates of photographic events and major world events.

This book is available on loan from the Fine Art Room of Edinburgh Public Library.

- Victorian Photographers at Work

John Hannavy [ISBN 0 7478 0358 7]

Shire Publications, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1997

This is one of several books in which John Hannavy records his research into Victorian photography. At the time of the publication John Hannavy was Head of Art & Design at Bolton Institute, UK. The book includes informative text, and is well illustrated with both photographs including many examples of the cases in which some of the Victorian photographs were mounted.

- Historic Photographic Processes
A Guide to Creating Handmade Photographic Images

Richard Farber Allworth Press, New York 1998 [ISBN 1-880559-93-5]

This book appears to be a good practical guide to many of the older photographic techniques. It is well illustrated and has a good index, so can be a useful reference book whether or not the reader wishes to try some of the processes. It includes chapters on Salted Paper, Albumen, Cyanotype, Kallitype, Platinum, Palladium, Carbon/Carbo, Gum Bichromate and Bromoil.

The Fine Art Room of Edinburgh Central Library has a copy of this book.
[Ref: TR 287 C0015370801]

- Stereo Views
An Illustrated History and Price Guide

John Waldsmith 2nd edition: 2002 [ISBN 0-87349-401-1]

This book is published in the USA and is directed towards the collector of stereo views in the USA, but nevertheless has a wealth of information of wider interest, including brief histories of many of the companies that have produced stereo views and many illustrations.