WILLIAM HENRY FOX TALBOT | The Fruit Sellers

salt print from a calotype negative, with 'LA 300' in ink on the reverse, framed, circa 1845

Lacock Abbey Collection Robert Hershkowitz Ltd., London, 1998

André Jammes, William Henry Fox Talbot, Inventor of the Negative-Positive Process (New York, 1973), pl. 31 (there titled 'Group in the Lacock Abbey Cloister' and dated circa 1844) Richard Bretell, Paper and Light, The Calotype in France and Great Britain (Boston, 1987), pl. 13 (there titled 'Family Group at Lacock Abbey' and dated circa 1844)

Michael Gray, et al., First Photographs, William Henry Fox Talbot and The Birth of Photography (New York, 2002), p. 42

Grading this salt print on a scale of one to 10 – a 10 being a print that has rich brown dark tones, creamy highlights, and retains all of its original detail – this print rates a strong 8. It has rich chocolate-red tones and sets forth terrific detail. It is slightly lighter along the edges. This early photograph is in generally excellent condition. The print has full wide, richly pigmented margins. The margin edges are uneven along the top and right edges, with tiny tears which are barely discernable and only evident when viewing the reverse of the print.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Although the date of this image has long been the subject of debate, Talbot scholar Larry J. Schaaf suggests it was likely made on 9 September 1845 (‘The Layers of History,’ The Talbot Catalogue Raisonné, 7 April 2017).