An important collection of photography and photographic equipment has been saved for the nation and allocated to National Museums Scotland under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme.
Dating from the 1840s to the mid-20th century and comprising over 17,000 objects, the collection has been accepted in lieu of inheritance tax by His Majesty’s Government and allocated to National Museums Scotland by Arts Council England and Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.
The collection, which has a particular focus on the Victorian period, was amassed by the late Bernard Howarth-Loomes and his wife Alma over four decades. In the mid-1960s, Bernard bought a stereographoscope – a device for viewing photographs and postcards – in an antique shop. The purchase sparked a lifelong interest in Victorian photography and a particular passion for stereoscopic – or 3D – photography.
It contains examples of all photographic processes; from one-of-a-kind framed daguerreotypes – detailed images on silver-plated copper – which were only affordable to the wealthy to examples from the explosion of photography in the 1850s. By that time, people from all walks of life were being photographed for their own ‘carte de visite’ portraits.
Julie Gibb, Assistant Curator of Science at National Museums Scotland said: “The Howarth-Loomes collection is one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the UK, and I’m delighted that it’s been saved for the nation through the Acceptance in Lieu scheme. It offers a fascinating glimpse into Victorian society, and we now have the opportunity to research it; bringing subjects to life and finding out more about the people both in front of and behind the lens.”
Stereophotography makes up the most substantial part of the collection, with 11,000 stereographs and 200 stereoscopes. The stereographs reflect Victorian culture, depicting everything from comic scenes of family life to setups designed to warn of the perils of wearing a crinoline.
In addition to examples from well-known commercial photographers such as Francis Frith and George Washington Wilson, the collection contains work by smaller, provincial photographers who recorded scenes of their local area to be sold to the growing tourist market.
The collection has been on long-term loan to National Museums Scotland since 2002. It is being cared for at the National Museums Collection Centre, where curators will research the stories of some of the people who produced and consumed photography from the 1840s to the mid-20th century.
Digitisation projects are making the collection accessible to an online audience. A Zooniverse crowdsourcing project is currently underway, wherein a global bank of volunteers is creating a database of key words and writing alt text for stereographs which show the International Exhibition of 1862.
Michael Clarke CBE, Chair, Acceptance in Lieu Panel, said: “I am delighted that the Bernard Howarth-Loomes Collection has been acquired by National Museums of Scotland through the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme. This fascinating collection will be an invaluable resource for the study of the history of photography and optical science, particularly stereography. I hope that this example will encourage others to use the scheme and continue to support our national collections.”
Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture said: “I welcome this latest and permanent addition to National Museums Scotland’s world-class collections. The Howarth-Loomes collection offers fascinating insights into early photography and life in the Victorian-era, and its acquisition through the Acceptance in Lieu scheme ensures that it can be researched and enjoyed for generations to come.”
National Museums Scotland is one of the leading museum groups in the UK and Europe and it looks after collections of national and international importance. The organisation provides loans, partnerships, research and training in Scotland and internationally. Our individual museums are the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life and the National War Museum. The National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh houses conservation and research facilities as well as collections not currently on display.
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