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Calotype camera, owned by William Henry Fox Talbot

Camera
1839-1848 (made)
Place of origin

Talbot was the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints. This revolutionised image making.

Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Camera
  • Camera Back
TitleCalotype camera, owned by William Henry Fox Talbot (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Calotype camera belonging to William Henry Fox Talbot, made between 1839 and 1848. Wooden construction with a metal plate and lens housing on the front panel with a hole above and to the side of the lens for viewing the negative during focusing. The single uncorrected lens slides in a sleeve for focusing, and has a fixed aperture of about f/3. The camera has a removable wooden back, with adjustable tabs to allow it to be attached to the camera body. The camera would take paper negatives of approximately 4 3/8 inch square.
Physical description
Calotype camera, wooden construction with a metal lens housing on the front panel with a hole above and to the side of the lens for viewing the negative during focusing. The single uncorrected lens slides in a sleeve for focusing, and has a fixed aperture of about f/3. With a removable wooden back, with adjustable tabs to allow it to be attached to the camera body.
Dimensions
  • Whole camera height: 120mm
  • Whole camera width: 120mm
  • Whole camera depth: 222mm
  • Camera body depth: 157mm
  • Lens housing diameter: 64mm
  • Inner body height: 110mm
  • Inner body width: 110mm
  • Camera back height: 110mm
  • Camera back width: 110mm
  • Camera back with adjustable tabs depth: 13mm
  • Camera back without adjustable tabs depth: 9mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • '2970' (On a white sticker in black ink on the side panel at the rear of the object.)
  • '1928-679' (Painted in white on the top panel at the rear of the object.)
  • 'B' (In pencil on camera back)
  • '2970' (On a white sticker in black ink on the camera back.)
Gallery label
Photography Centre 2018-20: William Henry Fox Talbot (1800–77) Talbot was the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints. This revolutionised image making. Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography. You can see how calotypes are made in the ‘Dark Tent’ film room in Room 99. The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A, acquired with the generous assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Art Fund
Credit line
The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A, acquired with the generous assistance of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Art Fund.
Association
Summary
Talbot was the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints. This revolutionised image making.

Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography.
Other numbers
  • 2970 - Royal Photographic Society number
  • 1928-679 - Science Museum Group accession number
Collection
Accession number
RPS.3047-2017

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Record createdDecember 22, 2017
Record URL
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