The arrival of the carte de visite format in the late 1850s provided those wanting a life-like portrait with an affordable photographic alternative.
Studios sprang up in every town and city in the United Kingdom and beyond.
Competition for customers was intense.
For photographers who had trained as artists, the new palm-of-the-hand sized carte format offered an exciting commercial opportunity.
Among these multi-skilled practitioners was William Softley Parry (1826-1915) whose studio in Newcastle upon Tyne offered his services as both ‘Photographer and Artist.’
Originally a window glass merchant, Parry embraced the new practice of wet-plate photography during the 1850s and his ‘portrait rooms’ soon became among the most respected in the city.
Photographic styles were available “in every variety … upon paper and glass, plain or coloured.”
By 1864, when he and his wife Christiana and their ‘assistants’ opened The Eldon Portrait Rooms at 17 Eldon Square, the Parry’s newspaper advertisements included glowing reviews from the national press.
The Pressphotoman collection features a number of Parry carte de visites, however a tinted or coloured portrait stamped ‘17 Eldon Square’ on the verso has proved more difficult to track down … until now.
If you’re interested in discovering more about W.S. Parry’s career, two earlier Pressphotoman posts are available via the links below.
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