A collection of 24 hand-tinted albumen photographic images of Cape Flora from the studio of Samuel Baylis Barnard. Barnard had studied art in England before travelling to South Africa. He arrived in Table Bay in July 1864 and in May 1965 he opened a photographic studio in Adderley Street, Cape Town. He practised here for the next forty years becoming one of the most prominent photographers of the period. Barnard often advertised photographs of Cape wild flowers for sale and also invited the public to view his albums of Colonial and English flowers, beautifully coloured. A correspondent from the Cape Argus visiting the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1867 reported “The Cape part of the Exhibition is now arranged… visitors… notice particularly the photographs of scenery, wild animals and plants which Saul Soloman & Co., Dr Atherstone, Mr Chapman and Mr Barnard exhibit.” Saul Solomon printers and publishers and also proprietors of the South African Photographic Saloon are noted as exhibiting four “Specimens of Coloured Binding” one of which was “Wild Flowers in the Cape Colony – by Miss Anderson.” Could this have been a similar specimen to the one we have here – photographic copies by Barnard – Miss Anderson’s watercolours displayed in an example of Saul Soloman’s bindings? Ref. Dr A D Bensusan; “History of Photography in Africa”; and Marjorie Bull, “Secure the Shadow.” Unique Item. Good. Hardcover. Bound in velvet with brass plague on front cover. Brass closure clasp incomplete. Wear to velvet boards.
Publisher: Samuel Baylis Barnard
Date Published: Circa 1870
Publication Place: Cape Town
First Edition: Yes
Condition: Good.
Binding: Hardcover. Wear to velvet boards.
Dimensions: 19 x 22 x 3cm