GEORGE WASHINGTON WILSON
G. W. Wilson is firmly established today as one of the masters of nineteenth century photography. Only 25 years ago his name was remembered by only a handful of dedicated researchers and enthusiasts. The book 'George Washington Wilson, Artist and Photographer' by Roger Taylor, published by Aberdeen University Press in 1981, introduced Wilson to a much wider and appreciative audience. I am indebted to the Aberdeen University Press for permission to quote extracts from the book here.
In 1852 Aberdeen in Scotland mounted its first photographic exhibition at the Mechanics' Institute, displaying work by, among others, Cundall, Delamotte, Fenton, Le Gray and Fox Talbot. A special feature of the exhibition was the inclusion of a competition section for work by Scottish photographers. Wilson, in partnership with John Hay Junior, recognising the opportunity for publicity, submitted 22 portraits and two landscapes. The judges awarded a bronze medal to Wilson and Hay and, in addition, presented them with an additional silver medal for '... the general excellence and evidence of progress displayed in their collodio-calotype portraits'.
Wilson, aged 29, was on his way to established success. In 1853 however, an event took place some 50 miles from Aberdeen that was to have a profound effect on Wilson's social and business prosperity. On 23 September, Queen Victoria, aided by Prince Albert, laid the foundation stone of their new highland home, Balmoral Castle.
Once
the work was under way, Prince Albert commissioned Wilson and Hay to make
photographs at regular intervals of the building's progress. What prompted
Albert to select Wilson and Hay is unknown. Although Wilson initially produced
factual photographs of the construction work, when this was completed he
was retained by Albert to photograph the interior and, gradually, the family
including the Queen and the many European royal visitors who came to the
castle.
George
Walker, stationer, bookseller and friend of Wilson tells us that in 1855
'stereoscopic views began to appear at this time, and Wilson experimented.
Early views by Wilson, although his technique was not perfected, found
a ready market at 2/- (15 cents) each. This was the period when the railways
were opening up what until then had been far-flung areas to tourism, and
one of the first regions to feel the benefit of a vast influx of tourists
(all wanting photograpic souveniers) was the Trossachs and Loch Katrine
immortalized by Sir Walter Scott in his epic work 'The Lady of the Lake'.
No 3.
The Cora Linn on the Clyde.
Condition
7/8.
Order
#3951.
Price
$12.
No 4.
The Brig o' Balgownie, on the Dee, near Aberdeen.
Condition
6.
Order
#3952.
Price
$8.
No 8.
Falls of Inversnaid, Loch Lomond.
Condition
9.
Order
#3954.
Price
$22.
No 9.
Loch Katrine, Perthshire. Dated Sept. 21st 1866.
Condition.
Slightly light images.
Order
#3956.
Price
$12.
No 10. Loch Katrine- Path by
the Loch.
Condition 9.
Order #3957.
Price $18.
No 10A. Loch Katrine.
Condition 8/9 (slight marks
in sky).
Order #3958.
Price $18.
No 14. Balmoral Castle from
the N.W.
Condition 9.
Order #3960.
Price $18.
There
are several versions of the Clamshell Cave, Staffa, views. Whether Wilson
visited more than once is not known but all feature old fishermen who would
have been the ones who transported Wilson and his equipment.
No 16.
Mouth of the Clam Shell Cave, Staffa. Same neg. as above.
Condition.
Mount not split but some soiling.
Order
#3962.
Price
$12.
No 17.
Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition.
Bottom right corner is creased.
Order
#3963.
Price
$8.
No 21. The Pass of the Trossachs,
looking towards Benvenue.
Condition 8.
Order #3965.
Price $15.
No 21. The Pass of the Trossachs,
looking towards Ben Venue. Same neg. with much more contrast.
Condition. Some slight spots.
Order #3966.
Price $15.
No 21. The Pass of the Trossachs.
Variant.
Condition. Some stains at
top left.
Order #3967.
Price $12.
No 22. The Pass of the Trossachs,
looking towards Ben Venue.
Condition 9.
Order #3968.
Price $18.
No 28. Loch Katrine, Perthshire.
Condition 8.
Order #3970.
Price $18.
No 34. The Peak of Ben A'an,
from above the Trossachs Inn.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3973.
Price $18.
No 36. Loch Katrine - Ellen's
Isle.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3975.
Price $18.
No 36. Loch Katrine - Ellen's
Isle. Variant.
Condition 9.
Order #3976.
Price $22.
No 38. 'Glasgow Cathedral,
from the Necropolis'.
Condition 8.
Order #3977.
Price $18.
No 41. The Linn of Corrymulzie,
Braemar.
Condition 8.
Order #3978.
Price $15.
No 58. Bit on the Trossachs.
Condition 8.
Order #3981.
Price $15.
No 59B. Loch Achray and Ben
Venue.
Condition 9/10.
Order #3983.
Price $22.
'When
he made his first visit to the Trossachs with George Walker in 1859 they
seem to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Walker tells us how they "bathed
in the loch, in spite of the monster pike we saw, and we hid ourselves
in the bracken, which was in many places eight feet in height". The midges
(mosquitoes) they disturbed attacked Walker with ferocity and brought his
face and neck out in bright red swellings. He was puzzled that they left
Wilson entirely alone and wondered if it was "in consequence of the fumes
of chloroform and colloidion with which his clothes were saturated"'.
No 60. The Trossachs, from
Ben Venue; Ben A'an in the distance.
Condition 8 but misty again.
Order #3984.
Price $12.
No 65. The Trossachs and Loch
Katrine from the Brow of Ben Venue.
Condition. Light marks in
sky.
Order #3985.
Price $18.
No 68. Interior of Fingals'
Cave, looking to Iona.
Condition. A very good attempt
at an exceptionally difficult shot.
Order #3986.
Price $18.
No 69. Loch Katrine.
Condition. A few tiny spots
in sky and water area.
Order #3987.
Price $12.
No 70. The Otter Island, Loch
Katrine.
Condition 8.
Order #3988.
Price $18.
No 72. Invercauld House, Braemar
- From the 'Lions-Face' Rock.
Condition 8,
Order #3990.
Price $18.
No 83. In the Pass of the Trossachs.
Dated Aug. 9th 1870.
Condition 8.
Order #3992.
Price $15.
Melrose
Abbey must have been one of Wilson's great successes as there are many
variations and views from different angles with different people appearing.
Here we show a selection.
No 97. Melrose Abbey from the
south-west.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3993.
Price $18.
No 99. Melrose Abbey from the
east.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3994.
Price $22.
No 104. Dryburgh Abbey. The
Tomb of Sir Walter Scott.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3996.
Price $18.
No 104B. Dryburgh Abbey - St
Mary's Aisle, from the West Door. Dated 1865.
Condition 8/9.
Order #3997.
Price $18.
No 107. Edinburgh, from the
Calton Hill.
Condition. Some light marks
in sky.
Order #3998.
Price $15.
No 108. Old town of Edinburgh,
from the Calton Hill.
Condition 7.
Order #3999.
Price $15.
'It has often been noticed in history that new ideas and developments occur simultaneously yet independently of each other. Unfortunately this was the case with Wilson's Princes Street photographs which coincided with those published by Edward Anthony in New York. Anthony's views of Broadway were sent to Photographic Notes with an accompanying letter explaining how they were taken, and asking "if you have any specimens of similar results obtained in Europe we should be pleased to hear how they compare". The letter was dated 29 August 1859. . . . Unknown to Anthony, Wilson had taken a similar photograph of Princes Street, Edinburgh that summer which was released at about the same time to Anthony's. It was taken from the upper balcony of a building next to the Sun Fire and Life offices looking towards the Calton Hill. One reviewer noted with delight that "it is high noon-day, the pavement is thronged with pedestrians, and the roadway with vehicles in motion". . . . Copies of this first photograph are rare and its scarcity can be attributed to its brief existence in Wilson's negative files. The following year, 1860, he revisited Edinburgh and made a whole new series of instantaneous views of Princes Street from the same position. . . Wilson took yet another series of views between 1863 and 1864 from the identical position of those made in 1860. This has led to inevitable confusion about the dating and identification of these views. To differentiate between the photographs made in 1860 and those made in 1863/64 one should look at the name of the hotel on the extreme left of the picture. In 1860 this was the "Star Hotel", but between 1861 and 1862 it was modernized . . . reopening in 1863 under the new name of the "Edinburgh Hotel"'.
We are pleased to be able to offer this early view with the Star Hotel on the left. Please also see views #186 and #187 for variants of this most important view.
No 110. Princes Street, Edinburgh
(Instantaneous).
Condition 7/8.
Order #4000.
Price $90.
No 111. Edinburgh Castle, from
Princes Street Gardens.
Condition 7/8.
Order #4001.
Price $15.
No 123. Loch of Park, Aberdeenshire
(Instantaneous). One of Wilson's earliest views which he visited several
times. The boatman was called Sandy by the way.
Condition. Light marks in
sky.
Order #4003
Price $22.
No 133. Balmoral Castle, from
the N.W.
Condition 7.
Order #4008.
Price $15.
No 138. Lower Falls on the
Garr-valt, Braemar.
Condition 7.
Order #4010.
Price $15.
No 140. Fall of the Garr-valt,
Braemar.
Condition. A large chunk of
sealing wax on the back. Images 8.
Order #4011.
Price $15.
No 145. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition 9.
Order #4012.
Price $18.
No 145. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Variant.
Condition 9/10.
Order #4013.
Price $22.
No 145. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Variant.
Condition 8.
Order #4014.
Price $18.
No 145A. Fingal's Cave, Staffa.
Condition 7.
Order #4015.
Price $12.
No 146. The Bending Pillars,
Staffa.
Condition. Light mark in sky
on left image.
Order #4016.
Price $18.
'The
guidebooks recommended the Fall of Foyers as "the most magnificent cataract,
out of sight and hearing, in Britain". Wilson's viewpoint coincided exactly
with that recommended by the guide books. It was below the second of the
two falls, looking up, where "you are so blinded by the sharp spray smoke,
and so deafened by the dashing, and clashing, and tumbling and rumbling
thunder, that your condition is far from enviable".'
No 148. Fall of Foyers, Inverness-shire.
Condition 8.
Order #4017.
Price $18.
No 149. The Falls of Foyers,
Inverness-shire.
Condition 7.
Order #4018.
Price $12.
'We
went off to Glencoe where we staid (sic) in a vile little carriers'
inn in the Glen for some days, photographing busily and profitably. The
beds in the place did not seem at all clean, being chiefly used by drovers,
and as I had a horror at the bare possibility of catching the itch, I stripped
to the skin before laying down believing that there was more danger in
them attaching to the clothes than to the skin. I had not been asleep for
a couple of hours when I was roused by finding I had more bedfellows than
was agreeable ... Luckily we had ordered a bottle of whisky the night before
but not finding it palatable toddy, it was little used. Getting up, I washed
myself all over with it and turning down the blankets gave the bed a good
sprinkling, and lay down again getting three hours comfortable sleep, when
I repeated the dose with capital effect. The beggers were forced to break
the pledge!'.
No 154. View in Glencoe.
This was a difficult shot and I have seen versions with varying clarity.
This one is excellent.
Condition 9.
Order #4019.
Price $22.
No 157. View in Glen Coe.
Condition 9.
Order #4022.
Price $22.
No 158. Rocks in Glen Coe.
Condition 9.
Order #4023.
Price $18.
No 166. A 'Bit' on Loch Katrine.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4025.
Price $18.
No 170. The Hermitage Bridge
on the Braan, Dunkeld.
Condition 8.
Order #4026.
Price $18.
No 171. Falls at the Hermitage
Bridge, Dunkeld.
Condition. The odd small mark,
one soft corner to mount.
Order #4027.
Price $12.
No 173. Upper Fall of Moness,
Aberfeldie.
Condition 7.
Order #4028.
Price $12.
No 174. Middle Fall of Moness,
Aberfeldy.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4029.
Price $18.
Please
see view #110 for full information on this important view.
No 186. Edinburgh - Princes
Street looking towards the Calton Hill (Instantaneous).
Condition. A couple of creases
in the left image.
Order #4031.
Price $80.
No 187. Edinburgh - Princes
Street looking towards the Calton Hill (Instantaneous). The best of the
three versions we have.
Condition 9.
Order #4032.
Price $120.
No 192.
Westminster Abbey - The Nave.
Condition
8.
Order
#4033.
Price
$22.
No 193.
Interior of Westminster Abbey - The Choir.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#4034.
Price
$22.
No 199.
Interior of Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey - Stalls of the Kinghts
of the Bath.
Condition
8.
Order
#4035.
Price
$18.
No 212.
Salisbury Cathedral. The Nave.
ConditionMount
lightly split thru center.
Order
#4036.
Price
$5.
No 215.
Salisbury Cathedral - The Transept.
Condition
8.
Order
#4037.
Price
$15.
No 217.
Salisbury Cathedral - The Cloisters.
Condition
8.
Order
#4038.
Price
$18.
No 253. The Entrance to the
Caledonian Canal - Ben Nevis in the distance.
Condition 7/8.
Order #4040.
Price $15.
No 253A. Ben-Nevis from above
Corpach - Inverness-shire.
Condition 8.
Order #4041.
Price $15.
No 254.
Dunolly Castle, near Oban.
Condition
9.
Order
#4042.
Price
$22.
No 272. View in Glencoe, looking
down.
Condition 8.
Order #4043.
Price $18.
No 273. Bridge of the Three
Waters, Glencoe.
Condition. Very light spotting.
Order #4044.
Price $15.
No 276. Lower Falls of the
Bruar, Blair Athole.
Condition 9.
Order #4045.
Price $18.
No 295. Exeter Cathedral -
West Front.
Condition 7.
Order #4046.
Price $15.
No 297.
Interior of Exeter Cathedral - The Choir, looking East.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#4047.
Price
$18.
No 300.
Exeter Cathedral - The Great West Door.
Condition
8.
Order
#4048.
Price
$18.
No 301.
Glo'ster Cathedral, from the North-west.
Condition.
Slight bend in bottom right corner of mount.
Order
#4049.
Price
$15.
No 304.
Gloucester Cathedral - The Cloisters.
Condition
9.
Order
#4050
Price
$22.
Wilson
first stereographed Roslyn (sometimes printed 'Roslin') in 1859 and returned
in the 1860s for further views, some of which he assigned to the same numbers
in his stock list. One of his problems was that only a maximum of six prints
could be made from one negative per day as the exposure was by daylight.
This reduced to four at most in the winter months. As his business
grew the demand for views increased dramatically and the only solution
was to revisit old haunts and produce futher negatives which became variants
of the same scene.
No 362.
Interior of Roslyn Chapel - The Apprentice's Pillar.
Condition
9.
Order
#4052.
Price
$18.
No 362.
Interior of Roslyn Chapel - The Apprentice's Pillar. Variant.
Condition
9.
Order
#4053.
Price
$18.
No 366.
York Minster - West Front.
Condition.
Right image has a crease at the bottom (white mark).
Order
#4054.
Price
$8.
366A.
York Minster from the South West.
Condition.
Light marks in sky and child's scribble on the back.
Order
#4055.
Price
$12.
370.
York Minster. Nave looking East.
Condition
9.
Order
#4056.
Price
$18.
371.
York Minster. Choir looking West. (This has been changed to 'East')
Condition
9.
Order
#4057.
Price
$18.
374.
York Minster. The Stone Screen.
Condition
7/8.
Order
#4058.
Price
$15.
379.
Durham Cathedral from the River Side.
Condition
8.
Order
#4059.
Price
$18.
385.
Durham Cathedral. The Galilee or Lady Chapel.
Condition
9.
Order
#4060.
Price
$22.
387.
Peterborough Cathedral, West Front.
Condition
8.
Order
#4061.
Price
$18.
388.
Peterborough Cathedral, The Nave.
Condition
9.
Order
#4062.
Price
$22.
390.
Peterborough Cathedral, The Choir.
Condition
9.
Order
#4063.
Price
$18.
391.
Peterboro' Cathedral, Roof of the Choir.
Condition
8.
Order
#4064.
Price
$18.
392.
Peterboro' Cathedral, South Aisle of the Nave.
Condition.
Very slight cut to bottom of mount.
Order
#4065.
Price
$18.
396.
Westminster Abbey. South Transept.
Condition
9.
Order
#4067.
Price
$22.
409.
Winchester Cathedral. Bishop Waynflete's Tomb, Lady Chapel.
Condition
8.
Order
#4068.
Price
$18.
451.
Lincoln Cathedral. Nave looking West.
Condition
10.
Order
#4070.
Price
$22.
460.
Beverley Minster. The Choir.
Condition.
Mount very slightly split thru center, not affecting images.
Order
#4071.
Price
$19.
466.
Lincoln Cathedral from the East.
Condition
8/9.
Order
#4072.
Price
$18.
No 470. Pass of Killikrankie,
looking down. Dated Sept. 8th 1865.
Condition 8.
Order #4073.
Price $18.
No 473. Pass of Killikrankie,
looking up.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4074.
Price $18.
No 473. Pass of Killikrankie,
looking up. Variant.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4075.
Price $18.
No 474. In the Pass of Killlicrankie.
Condition 7 including very
slight split on left side of mount.
Order #4076.
Price $12.
No 485. Taymouth Castle, from
the Fort.
Condition. Some light marks.
Order #4077.
Price $15.
No 508. Loch Tummel.
Condition 10.
Order #4078.
Price $22.
No 528. Melrose Abbey - The
East Window.
Condition 9.
Order #4079.
Price $18.
No 547. Fountains Abbey - The
North Aisle.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4081.
Price $18.
No 549. St George's Church,
Doncaster. From the South West.
Condition. Light marks in
sky and child's scribble on the back.
Order #4082.
Price $12.
No 628. Gloucester Cathedral
- Nave, looking East.
Condition 9.
Order #4087.
Price $18.
No 630. Gloucester Cathedral.
Choir, looking West.
Condition 9.
Order #4088.
Price $22.
No 635. Bishop Hooper's Monument
- Gloucester.
Condition 9.
Order #4089.
Price $22.
No 636. Wells Cathedral. West
Front.
Condition 9.
Order #4090.
Price $22.
No 639. Wells Cathedral. Nave,
looking West.
Condition 9/10.
Order #4091.
Price $22.
No 641. Wells Cathedral. Choir,
looking East.
Condition 9 but very slight
ripples on right image.
Order #4092.
Price $22.
No 726. Castle Urquhart, Loch
Ness..
Condition 9.
Order #4093.
Price $22.
No 730. Ben Nevis from Banavie.
Excellent view.
Condition 9.
Order #4094.
Price $22.