Albert Sachs Studio - Dating and Numbering of Photos

In an attempt to try and date the photographs from the Albert Sachs studio we need to study the collection throughout the period over which the studio operated, which was from 1873 through to 1920. The studio moved from its first location at 151 Westgate to 20, Manningham Lane in 1877, sometimes referred to as 20, North Parade. When some of the properties in Manningham Lane were renumbered in 1880 it became No 8, Manningham Lane. Since the address of the studio is nearly always printed on the mounting card, of any portrait taken by Sachs, then it is possible to identify the date range by checking the address first. A more accurate dating can be ascertained by checking other factors such as the style of, and the manufacturer of, the mounting cards, the mention of electric light studio, the inclusion of a telephone number and the numbering which started in the early 1890s.

Very few photos have dates written on them and these may not always be reliable. The numbering of the Sachs portraits most probably started after 1890, so we know that any that are numbered were most likely produced after this date. You would think that the numbers would run sequentially, and the higher the number, the later the date, but this may not be the case. Numbering may have restarted and there may be two or more sets of numbers running in parallel. This is what needs to be investigated to give us a clearer understanding, and a better chance of dating the photographs more accurately.

Sachs used slight variations of his standard design of mounting card and different printing processes so this gives us further clues. He also introduced additional information on the cards such as a telephone number. Some of the cards were produced by George Mason & Co and some later ones by Trapp & Munch from Berlin, and these names appear on the back of the cards. This again helps is narrow the period in which a particular photograph was produced.

From 1873 until 1876

Albert Sachs set up his own studio in 1873 after leaving the employment of James Hertz, who was unfortunately killed in Leeds Train Station. Albert's business started at 151 Westgate and operated there from 1873 through to 1877. We also know from information in the local press that the studio started to produce carbon prints during 1876. Below you can see some examples of the card designs used during this period. The second one is referred to as a raised cameo, the third uses a different coloured card. The portrait on the right is one of the first Permanent Chromotype carbon portraits produced by the Sachs studio. This must have been produced during the period when Sachs had both the Manningham Lane studio and the Westgate studios, running at the same time, possibly during a period of just one year. When Albert opened his studio at 20 Manningham Lane he announced in the press that the studio at Westgate was continuing and would be run by 'experienced operators and assistants'. He would take on the responsibility of the 'much larger and more convenient' site in Manningham Lane. (Ref Bradford Observer 17th August 1876). No accurate information has been found yet as to when Albert's younger brother Oscar came into the business but it could very well be around this period.

From 1876 until 1880 - The Period during which practically all the permanent chromotypes were produced.

From 1876 until about 1880 Albert ran his studio from 20 Manningham Lane where he produced most of his Permanent Chromotype carbon prints. These prints were not numbered. To use this printing process Sachs had to take a licence and the production itself was not straight forward. He would have offered his sitters a choice of a standard print, or a more permanent Chromotype print, and possibly given them other options for which they would have had to pay extra. Albert Sachs was certainly one of the most successful photographers in the country in applying carbon printing to portraiture and he must have spent a great deal of time perfecting his skills. Here are some excellent examples of his work which not only display his skill in printing but also his artistic talent.

From 1881 through to 1890

In approximately 1880 the properties in Manningham Lane were renumbered and No 20 became No 8. The same property was also referred to as 20 or 20a North Parade which must have caused a great deal of confusion. Looking at the 1851 ordnance survey maps reveals that Manningham Lane extended further into the town centre than it does today and the properties on one side of Manningham Lane, for quite some distance, were referred to as North Parade. In 1880, or thereabouts, Manningham Lane was cut short and started where it does today and the section of road nearest town was renamed North Parade, and so after 1880 the studio was being referred to as being at 8 Manningham Lane.

Albert died in 1886 (aged 44) after which his brother Oscar took over the management of the business. There is evidence to suggest that when Albert died he left the business to his wife Hannah (Wilman) and that Oscar was managing the business on her behalf. Shortly afterwards their brother Wilheim (William) came over from Germany with his wife and children and worked as a photographer. The 1891 census shows him living at 25 Clarendon Place, Manningham, occupation photographer.

It is not certain when this next portrait was taken but it was most likely during the 1880s. It shows the card manufacturer as being George Mason & Co, and since there are so many examples of portraits showing the Masons name, then the studio must have used these cards over quite a few years. Unfortunately Masons were in business for quite a long time so its not possible to use this information to accurately date the portraits.

The next portrait from 1890 is unusual in that it has a date printed on the card to celebrate the couples silver wedding anniversary. Unfortunately we don't know who this family were. Like most studios of the time names were not written on the mounting cards. It can be seen that the same standard card design was still being used, some seventeen years after the business had started. There are also no signs of the card being numbered, or any sign of a card manufacturer. This example is also interesting in that the description of where the studio is has not changed. It says 'Between the Grammar School and Theatre Royal' and 8 Manningham Lane is not specifically mentioned. The fact that it is not numbered would suggest that numbering started after or during late 1890.

From 1890 through to 1920 - Negative numbering in operation.

It is most likely that the numbering of the photographs started in the early 1890s. One early example of a dated and numbered photo is that of Bradford's Mayor Thomas Priestley who was Mayor from 1891 to 1892, this one is numbered 19150P and dated 1892 . The P may be significant, but at this stage it is not known what this refers to. Could it indicate that a painted portrait was to be produced? Other photographers such as Edmund Wheeler of Brighton used letters after the negative number to indicate a year and for example in his case the letter P would mean 1886/1887, but this was not the case at the Sachs studio. The identity of the second man is not known but this portrait again is marked with the letter P. Another portrait which is possible to date is that of Edmund Kilburn, Mayor of Dewsbury photographed with his chain of office. He was Mayor from 1891 till 1892. The card is numbered 19451V

In the collection of Albert Sachs's photos that have been gathered so far the numbers range from 18302 through to 62409. So from this we know that over sixty thousand portraits were produced over about a twenty plus years, from 1890 onwards. Since the business had been running since 1873 it is fairly safe to assume that the studio must have produced over one hundred thousand portraits, possibly even as many as one hundred and fifty thousand. None of the glass plate negatives are known to have survived, unlike the collection of W W Winter of Derby where tens of thousands of negatives still exist, and great efforts have been made to retain the collection. What is remarkable about the Winter studio is that it is still in operation today, operating from the same street where it started in 1867. There is also the Brunskill collection of 17,800 glass plate negatives, which is held by the Armitt Museum in the Lake District. In this case many of these sitters are named. Perhaps it is is possible to draw parallels between the Winter and Brunskill operation and that of Albert Sach's studio to give us a better understanding of the Sachs studio. All three studios were operating at the same time and faced the same challenges and changes in working practises. The run rate of the Sachs studio would have varied with the seasons, and the year of course, but the number of portraits being taken could equate to an average of about three thousand portraits a year, or sixty a week.

From 20563 to 22591 the standard mounting card design is still being used, the example below has a plain tissue cover attached.

Within the range 24304-30496 Platinum prints with tissue covers were being produced. The logo has been moved to the front of the card, the bevelled edges of the card are finished in gold and the back of the cards are plain. As yet no information has been found describing the Sachs studio use of Platinum prints or when they were being produced but a local competitor Edmund Passingham did have a piece printed in the local press and this makes interesting reading. The Bradford Daily Telegraph 20th May 1886 described a photograph taken by Passingham of a Halifax football team with the challenge cup. "The photographs are interesting by reason of the fact that they are are produced by what is known as the Platinotype patent, a printing process which for some years Mr Passingham has made a special study. The photos thus produced vary considerably from the conventional photographs, being in fact more like fine pencil drawings than the latter. The effect as seen from a distance is also strikingly good, and one of the chief merits of the process is to be found in the absolute permanency of the work produced." Another local photographer W G Thompson had also been producing Platinotypes from 1882 and he was giving sitters a choice of Autotype, Silver or Platinotypes. (Ref Shipley Times and Express 18th Feb 1882)

These two portraits are numbered 24304 and 24332 and and the sitters may have been related.

There is a noticeable change after 30574 when the manufacturer Trapp and Munch's name appears on the back of some of the cards and the design is changed to include a telephone number and the words Electric and Daylight studio on the front. Again the cards have a gold bevelled edges. You will notice that the address on the card is now shown as 8 Manningham Lane. The first telephone directory that the Albert Sachs appears in is 1896. His number was 1035. The telephone directory of 1888 only shows Appleton & Co, Passingham and Bridges and Smith. According to the Practical Photographer March 1896 Sachs adopted The Adamson Electric Light in late 1895 or early 1896. If we assume that he didn't have a different system in place before this then this could mark the date at which the term Electric Light Studio started to be used.

Proofs

The photo here is of Mabel Gertrude Midgley, b 1st May 1890, numbered 45091. She was the daughter of James Spencer Midgley of Queensbury. The tissue cover shows that the Sachs studio offered proofs, presumably given to the customer first so that they could confirm the order and number of copies etc. This tissue cover is quite a rare item. If she was about four or five years of age in this photo then it would have been taken in 1894/5. She went on to marry Jonas Sharp Birkett in 1911.

Numbered Postcards

When postcards started to be produced the studio continued their numbering and four examples are shown here. However by 1907 promotional postcards were being produced without numbering.

And just when we thought we had figured out the numbering system this photo showed up. It is numbered 45737 is of the Electric and Daylight studio design with telephone number but is dated 1909 and cannot have been taken before that date. The photo is of a wall plaque produced to commemorate Frederick Kimball March MD who was a local doctor and also choirmaster for the church which may have been College Chapel. He died on the 9th May 1909 and is buried at Undercliffe Cemetery. An obituary was printed in the Shipley Times and Express 14th March 1909.

As more information and examples come to light this article will be updated.