Lot Details
Lot 503
BENTLEY, WILSON A. (1865-1931) Five gold chloride toned photomicrographs of snow crystals,
about 1900. Printed from glass plate negatives, the largest approximately 4 x 3 inches (100 x 750 mm). Not signed or annotated, one with a presentation (not by the artist) on the verso. Generally near fine, some minor oxidation to dark areas of the prints; together with a photographic postcard of "Snowflake" Bentley with his camera and umbrella. Gelatin silver print. Unused, near fine.
Bentley, shown in the postcard, was a Vermont farmer, who in 1885 became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal. He recorded about 5,000 in all, discovering in the process that no two are alike, possibly the first time that this observation had been made. To create the images, he used a microscope attached to a bellows camera.
C
Additional Notes & Condition Report
No condition report? Click here to request one.