336
at both ends of the scale, expanded to cope with printing
from the various sizes of roll fi lm negatives available
by the end of the century. Specialised frames were also
introduced to cope with particular processes.
In 1900 Houghtons Ltd., one of Britain’s largest
photographic manufacturers and retailers, carried seven
pages of printing frames plus one of printing frame
accessories listing over eight-fi ve different types of
frame. These ranged from pine models, ordinary teak
frames in ‘good’ and ‘best’ quality in sizes from 3½
× 2½ inches to 15 × 12 inches plus Continental sizes;
white wood frames, and a series of frames for roll fi lm
negatives from 2 1/8 × 1 5/8 inches to 3½ × 3½ inches.
Specialised printing frames for stereoscopic negatives
had been available in the 1850s and remained so in
1900 (sometimes called transposing frames). Frames
were also available for printing opals and lantern slides
and for making Bromide prints on to rolls of sensitised
paper. Accessories included rubber and felt pads for
the frames—some fl exibility of the frame back was
important so ensure perfect register between the two
photographic emulsions and to ensure that glass plates
did not crack when pressure was applied. Spare springs
could be purchased and a print indicator that could be
attached to a printing frame which recorded the number
of prints taken from a negative.
From the later 1880s and especially into the 1890s
patents were granted for a range of more specialised
designs some of which saw commercial development.
Other designs were registered or offered in manufac-
turer’s catalogues. A very basic design relied on metal
clips to hold the glass negative against the sensitised
paper and being light weight were intended for touring.
Lancaster of Birmingham produced the Triple Pressure
Frame that allowed a print to be inspected from both
ends without disturbing registration. The Birming-
ham Photo Co made a Full View Frame that allowed
the whole print to be inspected and also allowed for
vignetting and other masks to be attached. Pickard’s
printing frame was made solely of metal. Specialist
opalotype frames refl ecting the popularity process in
the early 1890s were designed to accommodate dif-
CONTACT PRINTING AND PRINTING FRAMES
Chauvassaigne, Frank. Seated Nude in
Studio.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith
Foundation Gift, 1998 (1998.338)
Image © The Metropolitan Museum
of Art.
