Francis Frith

Curt

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Does anyone have knowledge of the 19th Century photographer Francis Frtih of England? I was luck to get 12 Francis Frith photogravure postcards of Oxford University.

Thank you,
Curt
 

RH Designs

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Curt said:
Does anyone have knowledge of the 19th Century photographer Francis Frtih of England? I was luck to get 12 Francis Frith photogravure postcards of Oxford University.

Thank you,
Curt
Click to expand...

Check out the web site of the Francis Frith collection here. He set up a business in the 1860s to photograph every town and village in Britain and sell the photos through a chain of shops. Several books of his photos are available I think.
 

Steve Roberts

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Curt said:
Does anyone have knowledge of the 19th Century photographer Francis Frtih of England? I was luck to get 12 Francis Frith photogravure postcards of Oxford University.

Thank you,
Curt
Click to expand...

Frith photographs are still big sellers, both as books and individual prints. He certainly got around so that even if you live in a place no-one's ever heard of, as I do (Horrabridge) you can look in the Frith catalogue and find a couple of photos, perhaps including your house if you're lucky. Up until a couple of years ago the photographic department of UK Boots stores were promoting sales of Frith's prints in-store. Original postcards can sell for up to £50.

Steve
 
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Curt

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Thank you Steve and Richard, I received 12 postcards in unmarked and pristine condition for ten dollars. I think I would like to frame them and have them on my wall. I read somewhere today that Frith was one of the first people to introduce the photographic postcard, now that's getting in at the beginning. What attracted me were the images, Oxford must be an incredible place, I'd love to spend some time there just looking at the architecture.

Curt
 

RH Designs

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Frith was indeed one of the first - as soon as the British Post Office allowed them in 1894. There's some more history here. Parts of Oxford are indeed beautiful, but regrettably there are some ugly modern buildings in among the ancient which really make you wonder what the planners were thinking about when they allowed them. IMHO of course!
 

outwest

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I have a couple of the Frith "Giant Photo-Cards" (halfpenny post!) of St. Ives which measure about 9x11.5 inches. Lovely photos with interesting settings and characters.
 

Chazzy

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I'd really be interested to know whether Frith ever photographed Altarnun in Cornwall, since my Dunn ancestors lived there and in Launceston.
 
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