Darkroom set-up.
Adams and Co.
Category
Photographic technology
Date
Unknown
Materials
Wood, Leather, Fabric, Metal, Card, Glass
Measurements
730 x 460 x 323 mm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1525135.1
Summary
Darkroom set-up. This is a very complicated light proof bag to allow loading of film or plates without access to a darkroom. It comprises two wooden frames covered with black leather or leather effect cloth. The bottom frame is covered with a leather covered board to make the base, of the bag when in use and of the case when in transit. A black fabric bag is attached to thre inside of the base board. The bag has two openings to allow the user to put their hands into the bag. Inside the bag attached to the base is a mirror, presumably to allow as much red .light as possible to be utilised when using the bag. The top frame attaches to the bag in the same way as the bottom frame but the board has two apertures, a small one which takes the viewer attachment (merely two eyepieces mounted above a piece of red glass, and a larger one which is currently covered by a glass plate. The plate appears to be two layers of glass with fabric between. The fabric is orange on one side and red on the other. The upper frame is lifted and held in position by four hinged posts one in each corner which fold up out of the base. On top of the top frame is a stiff card cover which hinges from the back edge and acts as a lid for the equipment when it is folded up for transit. The inside of this lid bears a black sticker with gold printed "Telephone 4731 Gerrard Telegrams Pyro London Adams & Co 24 Charing Cross Road London W.C. "
Provenance
Part of the Fenton Collection. A gift from British Film Institute in 2017. From 1986-1999, part of BFI collection for the Museum of the Moving Image. BFI purchased collection in 1986 from James Fenton's Museum of Photography, Port Erin, Isle of Man 1976-1986
Makers and roles
Adams and Co., manufacturer