Objects photographed by Tomkin

Ancient Egyptian Stele sold by Sotheby's 14.7.1975

Listed in National Archives Pitt-Rivers notebook 39/10. See here for more information about Tomkin and Photography.

Here are all the references to objects photographed by Tomkin during his training:

The following mentions are not matchable to objects listed in the second collection catalogue:

... No 4 plate specimen of object interior work terra cotta 5 ft 4 in from object to lens exposure 10 seconds full
No 5 plate as No 4 in every respect but with exposure of 20 seconds (Light the same)
No 6 plate Bronze statuette against white or light background. 5 ft from object to lens. Light failing so exposed for 4 minutes.

Plate 5 Interior exposure terra cotta objects exposed 2 minutes
Plate 6 Interior exposure terra cotta vase exposed 2 minutes Light very good

... At Grosvenor Gardens ... Bronze figure and Egyptian painted tablet taken with small lens no stop used. Light good exposed about 4 seconds Ditto for Tanagra figure and monkeys head

The bronze figure cannot be matched, but the Egyptian painted tablet might be the first object discussed here and shown in the first illustration, or it could be Add.9455vol1_p23 /2 or Add.9455vol1_p177 /5. The Tanagra figure and monkey's head can also not be matched.

Bronze figure holding vase exposed right time and the development about right. Might have been a little longer

This bronze figure cannot be matched.

Pl 1 Bronze figure of Faun (Satyr) no 4 stop used good light exposure about 5 seconds
Tanagra figure very much under-developed which causes background to be toned instead of white
Skull also underdeveloped giving same results.

The above objects cannot be matched

... Plate 1 Bronze figure of dancing faun Stop 5 used exposure 5 seconds Good strong light [insert] underexposed [end insert]
Plate 2 Bronze fig. of Gundsuma [?] Stop 5 used exposure 5 seconds Good strong light [insert] underexposed 3 times more [end insert]
Plate 3 Terra Cotta Tanagra fig against dark background Stop 5 used exposure 5 seconds Light not so strong
Plate 4 Two Tanagra figures against a white background Stop 5 used exposure 8 seconds Light not so strong

The above items cannot be matched.

Plate 5 Carved ivory figure on fish. Stop 4 used exposure about 10 seconds no sunlight [insert] exposure and development might have been slightly increased 50%

This might be Add.9455vol2_p514 /6.

Plate 6 Two [illegible] figures stop 4 used exposure about     seconds no sunlight

The above figures cannot be matched.

... Plate I Ivory Carving  Stop No 4 exposure about 15 seconds No sunlight D90 90 60 [insert] not so well [illegible] as the first exposure [end insert]
Plate II Bronze figure of Grenadier Stop no 4 exposure about 15 seconds no sunlight D 90 90 60 [insert] Details better in this than in first attempt [end insert]

The above objects cannot be matched

Add.9455vol1_p179 /2

Plate I Carved head of Cleopatra in granite No 2 stop used exposure about 15 seconds Developer 90 90 60 [insert] P. Good [end insert]

This must be Add.9455vol1_p179 /2 described as [Egyptian Antiquities (cont’d)][Collection of Egyptian Antiquities purchased at Sale at Sotheby’s Wellington St, Strand] ... Lot 104. Head of Cleopatra, relief in granite, mounted in black frame. The features of the Queen in this delicate carving exactly resemble those on the famous portrait at the temple of Denderah  [Drawing]

Plate II Flint implement no 2 stop used Exposure about 15 seconds Developer 90 90 60 [insert] [2 words illegible] not right otherwise about right

The above stone tool cannot be identified and matched.

Plate III Bronze figure of Dante  P. Good No 2 stop used exposure about 15 seconds

Add.9455vol2_p527 /2

This must be Add.9455vol2_p527 /2, described as Bt at Christies July 16 1889 ... Bronze statuette of Dante after the statue by Aubi in the square Monge, Paris Lot 10 [Drawing]

Plate IV Bronze figure P. Good No 2 stop used exposure about 15 seconds

The above object cannot be matched.

It is clear from the two catalogue entries illustrated here for the last 2 identified objects that photography might have been a better option than these somewhat vague illustrations!

Note that the objects cannot be matched because too little specific information is added

AP October 2011.

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