The Jamiesons

I couldn’t resist this set of family portraits dating from February – October, 1884. I’m assuming its Father, Mother, Son and Daughter.Amazing quality and a pleasure to have the four together.

A set of four 11×13 ish inch over painted (oil) portraits with accompanying albumen prints in each corner. On the reverse are instructions for the colourist.

These are by Brown, Barnes and Bell, who once claimed to be the largest Photographers in the world. Taken at their Glasgow branch for 30 shillings each print.

Introducing Mr Jamieson…

Heres a full list of the details offered to the Colourist.

Date when Ordered: 1st Feb 1884

Name: Jamieson

Complexion: Clear Good Flesh Colour

Eyes: Medium Grey

Hair: 16. Shade darker

Whiskers and Beard: Light Auburn, very slightly grey

Moustache:

Dress: Black

Jewels, &c: Gold Stud

Extra Frame – Style: Oil     Price: 30/-

Remarks: (missing label) ….well marked….. black.

Mrs Jamieson

Date when Ordered: October  (missing label)

Name: Jamieson

Complexion: Sallow, little colour

Eyes: Light blue

Hair: I.17

Whiskers and Beard:

Moustache:

Dress: Dark green

Jewels, &c: Gold. jet necklet

Extra Frame – Style: Oil     Price: 30/-

Remarks: eyebrows slightly (missing label).

I notice that Mrs Jamieson has been printed in reverse/mirrored. I wonder if this was intentional or an error of some sort. The other three are printed in the same orientation as their smaller albumen prints.

 

Master Jamieson

Date when Ordered: (missing label)

Name:(missing label)

Complexion: …. color

Eyes: …. L Grey

Hair: I.17

Whiskers and Beard:

Moustache:

Dress: …..rk

Jewels, &c: ….. Buttons?

Extra Frame – Style: Oil     Price:

Remarks: (missing label)…. brows well defined. Blue Stockings, Blue & white tie.

This one also has an advertisement label in two halves of each side unfortunately.

 

Miss Jamieson

Date when Ordered: 14th December (missing label)

Name:(missing label)

Complexion: Pale a nice color?

Eyes: Med blue

Hair: Sample sent

Whiskers and Beard:

Moustache:

Dress:Navy blue velvet silver bu….

Jewels, &c:Blue beads round ne…..

Extra Frame – Style: Oil     Price: 30/-

Remarks: Eyebrows med mar…(missing label)… White lace at neck

I’d love to see the colour chart they are matching the hair colours to.

Codes of I 17 and 16, were they colour patch swatches or real life samples of hair? I notice they have “Sample sent” for Miss Jamieson for them to match it.

Also I though maybe Brown, Barnes and Bell are not the photographer but the colourist only, or maybe vice versa? On the bottom of the blue label it does say …gate, Wigan. Which would contradict the Glasgow label.

Surely there must be some literature or book with all this info in, I can’t remember reading it anywhere.