Photographic Views of North Wales WITH Views in North Wales

Chester: Eastgate Row: Catherall & Prichard, 1866. Hardcover. Very Good. Elephant Folio - over 15 - 23" tall. BEDFORD Francis. Two Fine Albums of Views by one of the greatest photographers of the nineteenth century. Two work, [1] oblong Folio, 380*265, title printed in red and black, 20 albumen photographs from collodion negatives [215*155 mm] each mounted on card with a gilt filet border and title printed in brown, original burgundy cloth, the upper cover with a panel design blocked and lettered in gilt; spine re-laid, some water staining to upper cover, gift in. [2] Oblong folio, 270*180 mm, title printed in red and black, 17 albumen photographs from collodion negatives [150*110 mm] each mounted on card with a gilt filet border and title printed in brown; original cloth, the upper cover with a panel design blocked and lettered in gilt; re-cased with repairs to joints and addition of spine. The views in each album fall into a series which begins at Llandudno, then onto Conway, Bangor (both suspension and Britannia bridges), Caernarvon, Bettws y Coed, Pass of Llanberis, Gwynant Lake, Beddgelert then the pass of Aberglaslyn, Plas Tan y Bwlch before ending with Snowdon. Some idea of Bedford's photographic progress can be defined from the reference numbers on each plate and indicate that five tours were undertaken in three successive years. This also shows that the larger album was published two to three years before its smaller companion. The reference numbers in the larger album are in the 200s, 400s, and 500s and in the smaller album 300s, 400s, 500s, 2100s, 1300s 1400s, 1600s and 1800. This would indicate him conducting in year one, two tours (covered by the 200s-500s series) in year two, two further tours (covered by 1300-1400s and 1600-1800s) and in the third year, one tour (covering the 2100s-2200s). The larger album produced tom satisfy the upper class market and the smaller coming a few years later to satisfy the pocket of the more popular buyer. Bedford turned to photography about 1853, just at the time when the medium was emerging more fully into the public domain following the introduction of the collodion process. This process offered a delicacy and tonal balance that must have appealed to Bedford's acutely sensitive eye, for throughout his long career as a photographer it remained his preferred medium. He first came to public notice in 1854 when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought examples of his work from the first annual exhibition of the Photographic Society, of which they had recently become patrons. Later in the year they commissioned him to photograph the works of art from the Royal Collection on public exhibition at Marlborough House. As a further mark of her regard the queen commissioned Bedford to travel to Germany incognito in order to photograph scenes associated with her husband's childhood in Coburg. The album she gave the prince as a surprise birthday present in August 1857 was warmly received and as a consequence Bedford was sent to photograph the adjoining principality of Gotha in 1858. When the prince of Wales undertook an educational voyage of the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Holy Land, and Syria in spring 1862, Bedford was chosen to accompany the royal party and document the tour. Despite the many discomforts of heat, dust, and insects Bedford made over 200 negatives. A comprehensive selection was shown in London at the German Gallery, Bond Street, and published as a series of portfolios by Day & Sons, the most expensive of which cost 43 guineas, a price placing it well beyond the reach of all but the most wealthy. Doubtless royal patronage helped to establish Bedford's status among the growing band of artist-photographers who were starting to define the professional future of the medium during this period. Bedford became an active member of the Photographic Society shortly after its formation in 1853; he was elected to its council in 1858 and twice became vice-president, first in 1861 and then again in 1878. His surviving prints are characterised by their rich tonalities and deep purple-brown colour.