Item Summary

Descriptive Information

Title
The pencil of nature / by H. Fox Talbot.
Call Number
gax TR144 .T2q
Identifier
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/6t053k79z
Publisher
London : Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, 1844 [i.e. 1844-1846].
Language
English
Date Created
1844-1846
Extent
[80] p., [24] leaves of plates : ill. ; 31 cm.
Source Acquisition
GAX copy is a gift of David H. McAlpin, class of 1920.
References
Yanul, R. Photographically illustrated books before 1860, p. 16.
Goldschmidt & Naef. Truthful lens, 160.
Gernsheim, H. Incunabula of British photographic literature, 6.
Rights Statement
No Known Copyright
Notes
"The first publication of photographs conjoined to a printed text"--Goldschmidt & Naef.
Issued in 6 pts., 29 June 1844-23 April 1846.
The plates are mounted photographs (calotypes) by Talbot, printed at the Reading Establishment under the supervision of N. Henneman and, later, B. Cowderoy.
The prints are mounted on stiff card, within a single rule inked border, and numbered in the lower right in ink or pencil.
Plates 1 and 5 exist in 2 different images. Plate 1: in earlier copies, the building is cropped; in later copies, the building is fully visible. Plate 5: in earlier copies, the bust faces straight ahead and the print measures 12.5 x 13.5 cm.; in later copies, the bust faces to the left and the print measures 17.5 x 17 cm.
GAX copy: NOTICE: Access to this volume is restricted. Inquire in Graphic Arts Division.
GAX copy has plate 1 with building cropped and plate 2 with bust facing straight ahead.
Title printed in red and black within border of type ornaments.
A 3-line slip, "Notice to the Reader", was inserted in most or all copies of pt. 2; a 5-line slip was inserted in pts. 3-6 and later issues of pt. 1.
Each pt. was issued in cream paper covers, with decorated front cover lithographed in black and red; the pts. were numbered in ms. The front cover was retouched as pt. 5 was being issued: some copies of pt. 5, pt. 6, and later copies of pt. 1 have the cover in second state.
GAX copy bound in contemporary calf by James Hayday; housed in light brown buckram clamshell box.
"Brief historical sketch of the invention of the art": pt. 1, p. [7]-[27].
GAX copy has bookplate of William Twopeny.
GAX copy has stamp on t.p.: Camera Club Library, catalogued & indexed 1930 by Hal. D. Bernstein, librarian.
NOTICE: Because these photographs fade irreversibly in light, access to this volume is restricted. Less sensitive facsimiles are available under same author and title. Inquire in Graphic Arts Division.

Discovery Information

Subject
Talbot, William Henry Fox 1800-1877
Photography—Early works to 1850
Photography—History—19th century
Calotype

Physical Characteristics

File Count
186

Institutional Information

Collection
Selections from the Graphic Arts Collection
IIIF Manifest URL

https://figgy.princeton.edu/concern/scanned_resources/9bebaaf8-28d0-4757-b571-cfbe17d44e8b/manifest