1.

Background

Photography replaces Engraving?

The 19th century Edinburgh photographers, no doubt, saw the the potential for photography to replace engravings in book illustrations, just as it had become accepted, rather than miniature paintings, for portraiture.

Several of Edinburgh's photographers from the mid 19th century onwards came from families of engravers, or had other links with engraving. -

John Horsburgh (1791-1869)
came from a family of engravers . His  grandfather, John Horsburgh,  worked chiefly in line on copper and produced views to illustrate The Land of Burns , published in 1840.

GW Wilson,

Alexander Adam Inglis ,

Francis Caird Inglis ,

Archibald Burns

and others were produced landscape and urban views, including  Edinburgh, in the 19th century.  It is interesting that some of these photos, themselves, became the subject of engravings for books.

Photographers appear to have taken an interest in engraving:

Thomas Annan , an exhibitor in several of the photographic exhibitions of the Photographic Society of Scotland established the printing and photo-engraving business, Swan & Annan in the 1880s . [ P&P:RL ]

Alexander Nicol gave a lecture to EPS in 1873
" Photographic Printing on Wood as an assistance to the Engraver'

George Aikman [photographer, 1907-09] gave a lecture to Edinburgh Photographic Society in 1906, entitled :
"A Sketch History of Engraving".

George Aikman may well have been son of the Edinburgh landscape, portrait and topographical engraver George W Aikman, who was himself son of the engraver George Aikman who worked for Lizars. [ P&P:RL ]

[Edinburgh Trade Directories]

2 .

Engravers who tried Photography

Some of Edinburgh's engravers turned their attention  to photography - in some cases briefly for longer:

Robert Bishop , partner of James Ross for a short period in 1844,  was a wood engraver.

RH Gibbs & Co
were Photographic Artists & Engravers , 1891-93

John Hislop
was Die stamper, Stamp Cutter and Engraver from 1885, and photographer from 1896.

John Le Conte
mezzotint engraver , worked for James Scott, engraver , 65 Princes St c.1830. He then set up his own engraving business 1845 until at least 1870.
He became a professional photographer briefly, 1860-63 .
He was described  as a Figure & Animal Painter 1868 .

John Moffat (1819-1894)
was Portrait Engraver and Crayon & Chalk Portraitist from about 1848. He took up photography as an amateur from about 1850, and as a professional in 1853.

T homas Pringle
was originally engraver , but took up photography soon after completing his apprenticeship, working first for Ross & Thomson Later, he and James Ross created the Ross & Pringle Partnership, 1867-83 .

Hugh H Ritchie
born in Edinburgh c.1822 was engraver, lithographer and printer .
He was an engraver throughout the period 1842-94 and a photographer , 1856-70.

William Watson
was a wood engraver , 1877 .  He became a professional photographe r, 1894 .

3 .

Photo Process Engravers

Engravers and Engraving

Books

Modern Athens - 1829

Old & New Edinburgh - 1890

Other engravings

Early engravers

More recent engravers

Engravings and Engravers

Engravings - index

Processes

Engravings

Etchers etc

Photographers

A selection of  Engravings