Volltext Seite (XML)
636 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [OcToBER 2, 1885. graph and backing be quite dry, and pressed closely against each other. This is the class of picture which I claim could be made instrumental in giving an impulse to business were it reintro duced. ft was unfortunate that a system of toning was adopted by the patentee, some sixteen or seventeen years ago, by which the pictures soon faded and changed tone, leaving the crayonized enclairage of one tone, and the photographic image of another. To bichloride of mercury, followed by sulphide of ammonium, was this solely owing. Gold, platinum, or palladium, are un changing, hence their value as toning agents. Such is the rapidity with which work may be done that within one hour after looking at the small negative from which the enlargement is to be made, the photo-crayon may be made, finished, framed, and sent home, and a handsome price received for it, the cost of which may be mainly estimated by that of the glass and frame, for all the chemicals that enter into the pro duction are of little value to be estimated financially. I submit a specimen which was made in 1869, and by examin ing it you will form an idea of the extent to which the develop ment should be carried. G. W. WILSON AT HOME. BY A. L . HENDERSON.* “ Is Mr Wilson at home ? ” I asked, as I entered the spacious offices in Swithin Street, Aberdeen. A reply in the affirmative was given, and in a few moments I was face to face with the great landscapist. Although several years had elapsed since we met, he looked as hale and hearty, and more youthful than 1 had ever seen him, and I have no doubt as full of energy. I mentioned that I would like to look over his works, and my only regret is that a shorthand writer was not present to note down all that passed between us. Mr. Wilson’s premises cover about half an acre; the front portion of the ground floor is used as offices, and the dimensions, at a rough guess, are about 80 by 25 feet. Here are to be seen rows of shelves on which are arranged thousands of blads of photographs. Several young ladies are sorting out orders, which are hourly arriving by post. The upper floors of the building are used for finishing, and several females are busy mounting paper photographs on glass in optical contact (using gelatine as a-mountant). They are then placed on canvas shelves to dry preparatory to being fixed in brass rims. These views are all vignetted, and this is done by using a sheet of lead as a mask, the centre of course being cut, and the edges bent outwards, which give more or less soft ness as desired. In another room a ponderous hot rolling machine is worked by steam. The surface of the photographs are placed face downwards on the burnished plate, a thick piece of mill-board is put over it, a lever is touched, when away goes the plate under the roller, and returns, stopping to allow changing. I noticed one print hold somewhat to the plate, doubtless from being damp ; a second passage through the roller sufficed to allow an easy removal without the slightest injury to the print. The steel plate is heated by an atmospheric movable burner, which the operator moves about under the plate at will. The printing, toning, and fixing rooms are at a right angle with the front building ; each of these has a glass covering top and front, and tramways run into them, so that in wet weather the carriages holding the printing frames can be expeditiously run out and in. At the back of the glass buildings are the changing and sensitizing rooms ; in one of them I noted some half-dozen girls floating and drying albumenized paper, and Mr. Wilson informed me that in fine weather it took them all their time to keep up the supply. There can be no doubt that freshly-prepared paper conduces to permanency. Mr. Wilson does not fume; he tones with acetate and gold. The washing of the prints is done by placing them on a large circular frame about 8 feet in diameter, revolving horizontally ; this wheel is covered nearly all over with fine cord, the prints are laid over it, the water is turned on, which beats down like rain all over the prints, and falls into a receptacle below. • The water in Aberdeen is very pure ; solutions of silver may be made with it, without any precipitate forming. I believe that the permanency of Mr. Wilson’s prints is also largely due to the purity of the water. I saw a large album full of views ’ Bead before the London and Provincial Photographic Association. printed over ten years ago, and on one only did I notice the faintest indication of fading. Mr. Wilson is happy in having a talented daughter, who scans all the foreign journals, translat ing anything that is likely to be of service to her father. She, too, is an experimentalist. A print or two (gelatine reliefs for Stannotype) was shown me, and a question asked regarding them that puzzled me, and perhaps some of you may explain the peculiarity. Miss Wilson, in endeavouring to get greater depth by longer exposure, in the relief got a reversed image, and this impression is sharper and more brilliant than the non-reversed one. I place them before you for explanation. Mr. Wilson is successfully competing with the German litho graphers ; he has now inaugurated a system of producin ; books of twelve views (Collotypes), sizes of plates about 5 by 3, neatly bound in scarlet cloth and gold lettered ; the retail price is a shilling each. Mr. Wilson takes a very active partin all branches of photography. I noted him erasing a stain from the sky of a large negative taken from the top of Ben Nevis. I am told one might have to live up there for months before they could get so fine a result; the layers of mist and the clear tips of the moun tains are truly grand. Mr. Wilson informed me that he has often sat beside his camera a whole day watching a tree to get it still. On the floor of one room were some dozen sets of appa ratus placed there by the operators, who had just returned, after being away’ some weeks, having scarcely exposed a plate. On another floor Mr. Wilson, Junr., and several assistants, might be seen packing large tin boxes with sample books of photos, preparing for a long journey. In answer to a question, if I might relate all I saw, Mr. Wilson remarked that he never had but one secret. I forget how he said it was let out, but it was this : he had seen Mr. Tunny, of Edin burgh (his initiator) taking glass positives and then converting them into negatives ; he conceived that an instantaneous result might be obtained in the open air ; he succeeded admirably. I had the pleasure of seeing many of these negatives ; they are in a perfect state of preservation ; the ripples on the water and the sharpness of the oars of a boatman testify to the rapidity. I asked his opinion as to the comparative quality of wet verw dry plates. His views coincided with mine, that there is difficulty in getting detail and pluck in the foliage without over-exposing and flattening some portions of the picture. He is seriously thinking of returning to the wet process. An elder son of Mr. Wilson conducts the portrait branch at a superbly-appointed studio in Crown Street, where are to be seen numerous groups of Royalty. Mr. Wilson’s presence at Balmoral is very frequent. If I may be allowed to express an opinion, although Mr. Wilson was many years in advance of his time, there are few, even now, who can equal his early results. The Glasgow PHOTOGRAPHERS at Home. From Aberdeen I made my way to that city where, as the proverb says, “ It only snows when it docs not rain.” I found all the photographers fairly busy. I visited one of the oldest photographers, Mr. Urie ; he is very enthusiastic over a machine for printing by development. The machine is certainly ex ceeding clever; a roll of alpha paper is arranged by clockwork to pass underneath a negative, a couple of ordinary gas-burners are placed about six inches from the plate, the clockwork is set in motion, and after a given number of seconds the gas burns itself down, while the changing takes place (all automatic). I carefully timed about two dozen prints, and saw them deve loped ; the resulting prints were very equal. In answer to a question as to the comparative cost, I was informed that they could be produced fifty per Cent, cheaper than silver printing. Of course I am somewhat sceptical on this point. I noticed in the strips containing thirteen prints about four that might be con sidered useless; there is no doubt of this. However, Mr. Urie is turning out large numbers of these prints. I saw some dozens of rolls of paper ready to be sawn in strips the depth of a C.D.V. This is done with a fret-saw ; the machine is patented, but how it differs from the one I saw at Cincinatti last year I am unable to say. I visited the new studios of Messrs. Turnbull and Sons, three in number ; they are splendidly appointed. I was sorry to see such good work being done at such low prices. I learn that there are only three or four Glasgow photographers who are not doing club work. My next visit was to the gelatine and ice works of Messrs. Verill, of Cathcart. I did not see anything new. The premises are very large; I daresay they cover more space than any I have
