Photographs

Photographs have existed in various forms from the daguerreotypes of the early 19th century right through to today’s development of digital technology.

London dealers P & D Colnaghi have been selling photographs since the 1850s while the first photographic auctions took place in London in the mid-19th century, and though slower to take hold in the US, Alfred Stieglitz established important photographic galleries in New York during the first half of the 20th century.

Some of the most collectable photographers include Julia Margaret Cameron, Ansel Adams, Cindy Sherman, and Irving Penn.


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Photo collection offers huge mix of eclectic subjects

22 January 2024

A huge collection of black and white, celluloid negatives was described by the Lincoln auction house that offered them as a ‘magnificent, massive, eclectic mix of subjects’.

Kodak No 1 camera

Early Kodak camera discovery leads to unexpected development

08 January 2024

The story of how a camera collector made an intriguing discovery after buying a very early Kodak camera

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Faces of crime: mugshots reveal minor offenders

08 January 2024

These days you have to pay for the privilege of spending the night at the former House of Correction in Folkingham, Lincolnshire.

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Life of a debutante — and views of destroyed ships

02 January 2024

The handstitched booklet titled Balls & My Partners, 1844-1845 was written by Adelaide Horatia Elizabeth Seymour (1825-77) as she enjoyed the life of a debutante.

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Mapplethorpe without the whips

02 January 2024

It’s Robert Mapplethorpe but not, perhaps, as you know him.

Florence Nightingale

The ‘final photos’ of Florence Nightingale

18 December 2023

A fascinating personal collection of items relating to Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) that sold in a south London auction included what are among the last photographs ever taken of her.

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Top stories this week including a dealer spotting a photo of his mum at an antiques market

17 December 2023

The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of a dealer at Old Spitalfields Antiques Market being surprised by an early morning chance discovery.

A photo of Lawrence Prentice’s mother

Hang on… that’s a photo of my mum you’re selling

11 December 2023

A dealer at Old Spitalfields Antiques Market was surprised by an early morning chance discovery.

Terracotta dog

Pick of the week: Sculpture by 3D printing pioneer soars above estimate at Chiswick Auctions

11 December 2023

It was around 1860 that the trained artist François Willème (1830-1905) began to experiment with photography as a way to create sculpture.

Frank Sinatra

Yul Brynner behind the lens at auction in Vienna

20 November 2023

Spanning two sessions at Leitz Photographica in Vienna on November 24-25 are consignments from the personal collection of the late Yul Brynner (1920-1985) via his daughter Victoria.

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Dodgson photograph of Xie snapped up in the saleroom

13 November 2023

A photograph by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-98) - aka Lewis Carroll - was among the highlights of Hindman’s (26/20/15% buyer’s premium) October 19 sale of Photographs from the Joe Baio Collection.

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Man of letters: correspondence from famous figures

30 October 2023

A collection of correspondence penned by leading figures of the 20th century to an Oxford academic raised more than £20,000 for charity at Chiswick Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) on October 10.

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Bob heads off to war

30 October 2023

A never-before-seen photo of soldiers leaving Ulster to fight in the First World War and a serviceman’s diary from the trenches have been uncovered.

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The web shop window: photograph of Frida Kahlo

23 October 2023

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

A young Edward VIII

Intimate photographs of the young Edward VIII star in our pick of five auction highlights

13 October 2023

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a pair of portrait photographs linked to a mistress of Edward VIII.

Cuthbert J Ottaway

Pick of the week: Signing the first England captain

11 September 2023

A timed online sale of sporting memorabilia that closed on August 27 at Graham Budd was topped by a photocard of Cuthbert J Ottaway (1850-78).

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Picture a new way of exhibiting: Michael Hoppen moves to Holland Park

04 September 2023

Specialist who left Chelsea for a move across west London feels the existing gallery model is ‘tired’

Franklin daguerreotypes

Rediscovered images of the crew of Franklin's lost expedition come to auction next month

29 August 2023

Rare daguerreotype photographs of Sir John Franklin and his fellow senior officers of the ill-fated HMS Erebus and Terror have been rediscovered and will be offered at auction by Sotheby’s.

Naked Union soldier photo

Bare essential of early photography field

14 August 2023

Scenes of nudity in American Civil War photography are typically accidental or produced in field hospitals for medical study.

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Photographica: Double visions – stereoscopes

24 July 2023

An early version of virtual reality, the Victorian craze of stereoscopes is firmly in focus this summer

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