Wood and brass list

[Michael Pritchard]

Thank you everyone one for your welcome messages. I'd like to thank Marcel Safier who made me aware of the list. For anyone who doesn't know I ran the photographic auctions at Christie's until they stopped and I am now doing a PhD on the nineteenth century British photographic manufacturing industry (more at my website). I have a pretty good collection myself of trade catalogues and literature so I should be able to contribute here… 

Michael Pritchard
 Web: www.mpritchard.com
 

[Rob Niederman]

Some parts of this message have been removed. Learn more about Nabble's security policy.

Hi Michael … good of you to join the list.

 

Regarding your PhD, have you seen the work by Dr. Alison Morrison-Low entitled “

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Michael Pritchard
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 2:30 AM
To: woodandbrass@...
Subject: [W&B] Wood and brass list

 

Thank you everyone one for your welcome messages. I'd like to thank Marcel Safier who made me aware of the list. For anyone who doesn't know I ran the photographic auctions at Christie's until they stopped and I am now doing a PhD on the nineteenth century British photographic manufacturing industry (more at my website). I have a pretty good collection myself of trade catalogues and literature so I should be able to contribute here… 

Michael Pritchard
 Web: www.mpritchard.com
 

[Rob Niederman]

Some parts of this message have been removed. Learn more about Nabble's security policy.

Oops … hit send button before finishing …

 

Michael … regarding your PhD, have you seen the research by Dr. Alison Morrison-Low (National Museums of Scotland) entitled “Instrument making and early photography”?

 

- Rob

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Michael Pritchard
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 2:30 AM
To: woodandbrass@...
Subject: [W&B] Wood and brass list

 

Thank you everyone one for your welcome messages. I'd like to thank Marcel Safier who made me aware of the list. For anyone who doesn't know I ran the photographic auctions at Christie's until they stopped and I am now doing a PhD on the nineteenth century British photographic manufacturing industry (more at my website). I have a pretty good collection myself of trade catalogues and literature so I should be able to contribute here… 

Michael Pritchard
 Web: www.mpritchard.com
 

[Michael Pritchard]

Some parts of this message have been removed. Learn more about Nabble's security policy.

Thanks, Rob. I know Alison's piece from the PhotoHistorian. It's a useful survey.

 

Michael

www.mpritchard.com

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Rob Niederman
Sent: 13 January 2008 18:03
To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass list

Oops … hit send button before finishing …

 

Michael … regarding your PhD, have you seen the research by Dr. Alison Morrison-Low (National Museums of Scotland) entitled “Instrument making and early photography”?

 

- Rob

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Michael Pritchard
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 2:30 AM
To: woodandbrass@...
Subject: [W&B] Wood and brass list

 

Thank you everyone one for your welcome messages. I'd like to thank Marcel Safier who made me aware of the list. For anyone who doesn't know I ran the photographic auctions at Christie's until they stopped and I am now doing a PhD on the nineteenth century British photographic manufacturing industry (more at my website). I have a pretty good collection myself of trade catalogues and literature so I should be able to contribute here… 

Michael Pritchard
 Web: www.mpritchard.com
 

[Milan Zahorcak*]

 Michael,

OH! can't miss this opportunity . . . and also a shameless plug for my eBay
listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230212154931

Can you tell me anything about: "W. Heath, Optician, Plymouth"  ???

Thanks,

Milan



   

[Michael Pritchard]

I have not come cross 'W Heath' before. I would imagine that he was just
a regular optician who bought in cameras to retail under his own name or
made them up from bought in parts. I can be certain that there is no
Murray & Heath connection as this Heath was 'Vernon Heath' who had a
career as a landscape photographer.

Regards

Michael Pritchard
www.mpritchard.com

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@...
[mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Milan Zahorcak
Sent: 15 January 2008 04:04
To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass - test for Michael


 Michael,

OH! can't miss this opportunity . . . and also a shameless plug for my
eBay listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230212154931

Can you tell me anything about: "W. Heath, Optician, Plymouth"  ???

Thanks,

Milan



   

[Milan Zahorcak*]

Hmmm . . . good point about Vernon.

My guy is probably William Heath.  But Dubya . . . W as you folks say, was also involved in photography.

W. Heath shows up at 24 George Street, Plymouth, and I have found many photographic references for Heath & Bullingham, also at 24 George Street, Plymouth.

 

And here is a satellite view of 24 George Street . . .

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=24+George+Street,+Plymouth,+England&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=45.822921,74.707031&ie=UTF8&ll=50.369199,-4.173015&spn=0.002265,0.00456&t=h&z=18&om=1

As far as hardware goes, both Christies and Sotheby's have auctioned various W. Heath instruments in the past, see below.

And Devonport is also mentioned on occasion; and is near Plymouth, I believe.

 

Oh, well . . . I'm still going to claim that the camera is rare and historically significant - at least for my wallet.

 

Thanks,

 

mz

 

 

HEATH, WILLIAM, 24 George Street, Plymouth, England, c.1850, MIM PHIM SIM Stick Barometer = Sotheby's 7/28/72; Theodolite = Ineichen 10/20/75; Microscope - Christie 11/22/78.    

HEATH, THOMAS C. England, c.1850, OIM PHIM Telescope, eight draw = DeLuca 8/1/87.  Optician; barometer maker; watchmaker; the telescope was signed "Heath, 24 George St. Plymouth;"

HEATH, WILLIAM.  England, fl.1850-57, MIM OIM PHIM Theodolites = P.C. (1968), Christie 4/3/85; Stadiometers = OXF, Christie 7/12/67.  often signed "W. Heath"; worked with Thomas Cornish in 1850; "Optician."  46 Fore Street (1850-52); 116 Fore Street (1857); both in Devonport. 

HEATH, England, c.1850, MIM OIM PHIM Binocular Microscope = D.(1972); Rule, ivory, = Sotheby's 10/15/73; Stick Barometer = X; Telescope = Frank Coll.  "Optician"; probably Thomas C. Heath or William Heath, Plymouth. 

 

 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: woodandbrass-bounces@...
> [woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Michael Pritchard
> Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 8:29 PM
> To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
> Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass - test for Michael
>
>
> I have not come cross 'W Heath' before. I would imagine that
> he was just a regular optician who bought in cameras to
> retail under his own name or made them up from bought in
> parts. I can be certain that there is no Murray & Heath
> connection as this Heath was 'Vernon Heath' who had a career
> as a landscape photographer.
>
> Regards
>
> Michael Pritchard
> www.mpritchard.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: woodandbrass-bounces@...
> [woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Milan Zahorcak
> Sent: 15 January 2008 04:04
> To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
> Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass - test for Michael
>
>
>  Michael,
>
> OH! can't miss this opportunity . . . and also a shameless
> plug for my eBay listing.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230212154931

>

> Can you tell me anything about: "W. Heath, Optician, Plymouth"  ???
>
> Thanks,
>
> Milan
>
>
>
>   
>
>
>

[Marcel Safier]

Some parts of this message have been removed. Learn more about Nabble's security policy.

Milan and Michael

 

Firstly Milan, I don’t usually propagate shameless plugs for eBay cameras I intend bidding on but you have flushed me out with your enquiry! I am working on a database of British camera manufacturers in the background and can provide the following:

 

William Heath was listed in the censuses thus.

 

1851 William and Thomas C. Heath, 46 Fore St, Stole Damerel, Devon Opticians and Nautical Instrument Makers

1861 William Heath, 1 Clarence Baths, Devonport Master Optician

1871 William Heath, Buckland Monachorum, Devon Mathematical Instrument Maker & Photographer

1881 William Heath, Portland Square, Plymouth Optician and Photographer.

1891 William Heath, Furzecroft, Tavistock Optician and Photographer (his daughter Elizabeth is listed as masseuse and nurse electrician – please count me in!)
1901 William Heath, Howard Heath licensee of the Plough Hotel, Weston Super Mare (he was listed in 1891 as a Photographer)

 

William Heath b. 4 Sep 1823, bap. 12 Oct 1823, Granby Or Mount Street Chapel-Independent, Devonport, Devon son of William Heath and Alice Cornish

William Heath died Tavistock, Devon 1896

 

I would like to mention the resource that might help others researching British instrument makers that you appear to have quoted, namely the Webster database of signed scientific instruments http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/signatures/

 

We note it lists William Heath and Thomas Cornish; barometer and instrument makers, 46 Fore Street, Devonport (1850-52). I can’t find a Thomas Cornish in the 1851 census. I believe this is an error and indeed refers to Thomas Cornish Heath b. 18 Feb 1826, baptized: 16 Apr 1826, Granby Or Mount Street Chapel-Independent, Devonport, Devon son of William Heath and Alice Cornish. I will be notifying the database maintainers of this correction.

 

William is listed thus as a photographer (thank you to Sandy Barrie for this):

 

William Heath, 5 George St, Plymouth 1866
Heath and Bullingham, 24 George St, Plymouth 1877-1892
Heath & Co, 24 George St, Plymouth 1893-1902
Heath and Stoneman, 24 George St, Plymouth 1902-1926

 

Since William died in 1896 and Howard went to Weston and ran a pub I wonder who the Heath was in the photography business after William’s death? He had no other sons I am aware of unless it was one of his daughters. His widow and daughters Elizabeth and Alice moved to Torquay. Maybe they just traded using Heath’s his name.

 

I would indeed consider William Heath likely to have been a camera manufacturer given his long history as an optical manufacture and his simultaneous occupation in photography. What do you think Michael?

 

Cheers!

Marcel
--
Marcel Safier (Photographic Historian)
PO Box 239
Holland Park 4121
Queensland Australia
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~msafier/index.html

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Milan Zahorcak
Sent: 15 January 2008 16:05
To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass - test for Michael

 

 

Hmmm . . . good point about Vernon.

My guy is probably William Heath.  But Dubya . . . W as you folks say, was also involved in photography.

W. Heath shows up at 24 George Street, Plymouth, and I have found many photographic references for Heath & Bullingham, also at 24 George Street, Plymouth.

 

And here is a satellite view of 24 George Street . . .

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=24+George+Street,+Plymouth,+England&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=45.822921,74.707031&ie=UTF8&ll=50.369199,-4.173015&spn=0.002265,0.00456&t=h&z=18&om=1

As far as hardware goes, both Christies and Sotheby's have auctioned various W. Heath instruments in the past, see below.

And Devonport is also mentioned on occasion; and is near Plymouth, I believe.

 

Oh, well . . . I'm still going to claim that the camera is rare and historically significant - at least for my wallet.

 

Thanks,

 

mz

 

 

 

HEATH, WILLIAM, 24 George Street, Plymouth, England, c.1850, MIM PHIM SIM Stick Barometer = Sotheby's 7/28/72; Theodolite = Ineichen 10/20/75; Microscope - Christie 11/22/78.    

HEATH, THOMAS C. England, c.1850, OIM PHIM Telescope, eight draw = DeLuca 8/1/87.  Optician; barometer maker; watchmaker; the telescope was signed "Heath, 24 George St. Plymouth;"

HEATH, WILLIAM.  England, fl.1850-57, MIM OIM PHIM Theodolites = P.C. (1968), Christie 4/3/85; Stadiometers = OXF, Christie 7/12/67.  often signed "W. Heath"; worked with Thomas Cornish in 1850; "Optician."  46 Fore Street (1850-52); 116 Fore Street (1857); both in Devonport. 

HEATH, England, c.1850, MIM OIM PHIM Binocular Microscope = D.(1972); Rule, ivory, = Sotheby's 10/15/73; Stick Barometer = X; Telescope = Frank Coll.  "Optician"; probably Thomas C. Heath or William Heath, Plymouth. 

 

 

 

[Milan Zahorcak*]

Some parts of this message have been removed. Learn more about Nabble's security policy.

Marcel,

 

You always astonish me.  Amazing work. 

 

Unfortunately, this item already has a bidder so I can't raise the price, but I do encourage you (and all other members who are not in full hibernation) to bid wildly as I am still paying off my share of the kids college loans . . . that will go on for years to come, sigh.

 

Many thanks,

 

mz

 

PS:  Holland Park, Queensland?  Near Brisbane, yes?  I spent a couple of months down-under in 2004 including a week in Port Douglas - none of the touristy Cairns for us.   Lovely country, had a wonderful time.  What would you like to know?   I could send you all 1249 pics  . . .

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Marcel Safier
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:20 AM
To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass - test for Michael

Milan and Michael

 

Firstly Milan, I don’t usually propagate shameless plugs for eBay cameras I intend bidding on but you have flushed me out with your enquiry! I am working on a database of British camera manufacturers in the background and can provide the following:

 

William Heath was listed in the censuses thus.

 

1851 William and Thomas C. Heath, 46 Fore St, Stole Damerel, Devon Opticians and Nautical Instrument Makers

1861 William Heath, 1 Clarence Baths, Devonport Master Optician

1871 William Heath, Buckland Monachorum, Devon Mathematical Instrument Maker & Photographer

1881 William Heath, Portland Square, Plymouth Optician and Photographer.

1891 William Heath, Furzecroft, Tavistock Optician and Photographer (his daughter Elizabeth is listed as masseuse and nurse electrician – please count me in!)
1901 William Heath, Howard Heath licensee of the Plough Hotel, Weston Super Mare (he was listed in 1891 as a Photographer)

 

William Heath b. 4 Sep 1823, bap. 12 Oct 1823, Granby Or Mount Street Chapel-Independent, Devonport, Devon son of William Heath and Alice Cornish

William Heath died Tavistock, Devon 1896

 

I would like to mention the resource that might help others researching British instrument makers that you appear to have quoted, namely the Webster database of signed scientific instruments http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/signatures/

 

We note it lists William Heath and Thomas Cornish; barometer and instrument makers, 46 Fore Street, Devonport (1850-52). I can’t find a Thomas Cornish in the 1851 census. I believe this is an error and indeed refers to Thomas Cornish Heath b. 18 Feb 1826, baptized: 16 Apr 1826, Granby Or Mount Street Chapel-Independent, Devonport, Devon son of William Heath and Alice Cornish. I will be notifying the database maintainers of this correction.

 

William is listed thus as a photographer (thank you to Sandy Barrie for this):

 

William Heath, 5 George St, Plymouth 1866
Heath and Bullingham, 24 George St, Plymouth 1877-1892
Heath & Co, 24 George St, Plymouth 1893-1902
Heath and Stoneman, 24 George St, Plymouth 1902-1926

 

Since William died in 1896 and Howard went to Weston and ran a pub I wonder who the Heath was in the photography business after William’s death? He had no other sons I am aware of unless it was one of his daughters. His widow and daughters Elizabeth and Alice moved to Torquay. Maybe they just traded using Heath’s his name.

 

I would indeed consider William Heath likely to have been a camera manufacturer given his long history as an optical manufacture and his simultaneous occupation in photography. What do you think Michael?

 

Cheers!

Marcel
--
Marcel Safier (Photographic Historian)
PO Box 239
Holland Park 4121
Queensland Australia
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~msafier/index.html

 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodandbrass-bounces@... [mailto:woodandbrass-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Milan Zahorcak
Sent: 15 January 2008 16:05
To: 'Collectors of 19th Century Cameras &Photographica'
Subject: RE: [W&B] Wood and brass - test for Michael

 

 

Hmmm . . . good point about Vernon.

My guy is probably William Heath.  But Dubya . . . W as you folks say, was also involved in photography.

W. Heath shows up at 24 George Street, Plymouth, and I have found many photographic references for Heath & Bullingham, also at 24 George Street, Plymouth.

 

And here is a satellite view of 24 George Street . . .

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=24+George+Street,+Plymouth,+England&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=45.822921,74.707031&ie=UTF8&ll=50.369199,-4.173015&spn=0.002265,0.00456&t=h&z=18&om=1

As far as hardware goes, both Christies and Sotheby's have auctioned various W. Heath instruments in the past, see below.

And Devonport is also mentioned on occasion; and is near Plymouth, I believe.

 

Oh, well . . . I'm still going to claim that the camera is rare and historically significant - at least for my wallet.

 

Thanks,

 

mz

 

 

 

HEATH, WILLIAM, 24 George Street, Plymouth, England, c.1850, MIM PHIM SIM Stick Barometer = Sotheby's 7/28/72; Theodolite = Ineichen 10/20/75; Microscope - Christie 11/22/78.    

HEATH, THOMAS C. England, c.1850, OIM PHIM Telescope, eight draw = DeLuca 8/1/87.  Optician; barometer maker; watchmaker; the telescope was signed "Heath, 24 George St. Plymouth;"

HEATH, WILLIAM.  England, fl.1850-57, MIM OIM PHIM Theodolites = P.C. (1968), Christie 4/3/85; Stadiometers = OXF, Christie 7/12/67.  often signed "W. Heath"; worked with Thomas Cornish in 1850; "Optician."  46 Fore Street (1850-52); 116 Fore Street (1857); both in Devonport. 

HEATH, England, c.1850, MIM OIM PHIM Binocular Microscope = D.(1972); Rule, ivory, = Sotheby's 10/15/73; Stick Barometer = X; Telescope = Frank Coll.  "Optician"; probably Thomas C. Heath or William Heath, Plymouth.