Early 20th Century Indian Travel Photography.

India.. [Circa 1920-1930].. Set of 90 black and white Ilford Screened Chromatic Plates or glass negatives with accompanying photographs printed at a later date. An English family's trip in Northern India in the 1920s-30s. The negatives show scenes in Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Peshawar, Lucknow, Rajasthan, Varanasi and the Ganges where they appear to be honoured guests. The images show monuments, the family, hill stations and well-known buildings as well as street scenes and images of local people engaged in aspects of daily life including elephants and mahouts working with teak logs. Black and white photographs measuring 10 x 15cm printed at an unknown date accompany the negatives.

The negatives were taken on a Sanderson Field Camera (Model: Tropical, Half Plate); 90 glass negatives were produced: preserved in their original packaging which consists of 6 cardboard boxes with the original developing instructions produced by Ilford of London, contained inside two waterproof tin boxes with sliding oiled lids.

Prior to the invention of cellulose nitrate film in 1903, photographic emulsions were made on glass supports. These glass supports are typically referred to as glass plate negatives. The term “glass plate negative” refers to two separate formats: the collodion wet plate negative and the gelatin dry plate. Both formats consist of a light sensitive emulsion that is fixed to the glass plate base with a binder. Glass negatives continued to be used in various fields throughout the first half of the 20th century until cheaper, more convenient forms of photographic mediums became easily available. .