Skip to content
History of Science Museum
Hire the Museum for filming

Photograph (Photogenic Drawing) of Bird Silhouettes, by George Dollond, April 25, 1840

Inventory Number 11892

Item type
Object
Provenance
Presented by Dr A. E. Gunther in 1986. Part of the collections of his father R. T. Gunther, founding Curator of the Museum, previously on loan to the Museum. R. T. Gunther purchased various Hartwell House manuscripts and books from the Hartwell House sales in 1939. The photograph was given to John Lee of Hartwell House, or possibly made during his visit, by George Dollond in 1840.
Other inscriptions
Manuscript caption on album page: 'A note by Mr. Dollond. and a Photogenic Drawing by him. 25 April. 1840. -' [in John Lee's hand].
Physical material
Paper
Dimensions
Height: 51mm Width: 217mm
Inventory No
11892

Description

In MS Gunther 9, f.146v, Hartwell House commonplace book, volume 1. Photogenic drawing of three bird silhouettes, showing birds in flight; they are presumably cut-out paper silhouettes, contact copied on to the photographic paper. It is a conventional silver based, hypo fixed image, of a strong sepia colour. Corners bevelled, and vertical crease at middle. Captioned beneath, on the album page (in John Lee's hand) 'A note by Mr. Dollond. and a Photogenic Drawing by him. 25 April. 1840. -'. The note in Dollond's hand, above the photograph, is an unrelated bibliographical note about optics.

For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives.

Related Items

More related items