Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level F , Case X, Shelf 37, Box B

Bank cheque dated 13 April 1858

Photograph
1858 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Joseph Sidebotham was a leading amateur photographer in Manchester. He was also a senior partner in the Strines Calico Company. His photographs appeared in the company newspaper.

Photography was used to copy designs in the textiles industry from the 1850s onwards. This copy of a bank cheque may be a demonstration of exact copying technique. Equally, Sidebotham may have been trying out a new lens by the Parisian instrument-maker N. P. Lerebours.

Facsimile photographs such as this alarmed some commentators of the time. They feared that photography would open up new possibilities for fraud.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBank cheque dated 13 April 1858 (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Albumen-silver photograph
Brief description
19thC; Sidebotham Joseph, Banknote, 1858
Physical description
Sepia photograph of a bank cheque
Dimensions
  • Height: 9.5cm
  • Width: 18cm
Style
Production typeUnlimited edition
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed in ink on reverse: Photographed by / Joseph Sidebotham / May 1858 / with a Lerebours lens (English)
Production
Attribution note: This was probably a technical experiment with a new lens
Subject depicted
Summary
Joseph Sidebotham was a leading amateur photographer in Manchester. He was also a senior partner in the Strines Calico Company. His photographs appeared in the company newspaper.

Photography was used to copy designs in the textiles industry from the 1850s onwards. This copy of a bank cheque may be a demonstration of exact copying technique. Equally, Sidebotham may have been trying out a new lens by the Parisian instrument-maker N. P. Lerebours.

Facsimile photographs such as this alarmed some commentators of the time. They feared that photography would open up new possibilities for fraud.
Collection
Accession number
PH.740-1987

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 7, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest