Early Photographic Materials 1839-1871

Early Photographic Materials is a strong collecting area for the university. The collection series is comprised of material which mostly originates from Scotland's engagement in the development and pursuit of photography from 1839 to ca.1871. This period spans from the invention of the photographic medium to the advent of the dry plate negative which made photography less technically demanding and more accessible to the public.

The material in these collections has been consolidated due to its focus on Scottish content in addition to its demonstrating the evolution of photographic practice as a cultural, artistic, and commercial medium of representation. The collection holds early examples of the work of Scotland's pioneering photographers in the form of calotypes, salted paper prints, albumen prints as well as daguerreotypes. The provenance of this material is varied with much photography originating from the communities surrounding St Andrews, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and further afield.

Additional examples of promenant photographers during the first 30 years can be found in the Early Named Photogrpahers Collection.

Other Scottish photography is contained in most photographic collections such as but not limited to: James Valentine Photographic Collection, The David Hay Fleming Photographic Collection, The Photographic Books Collection, The Photographic Portraits Collection, The Photographic Album Collection, Photographs from the University of St Andrews Library Manuscript Collection.

Collections