{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O144062"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O144062/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HX2870/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HX2870/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HX2870","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O144062/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O144062","accessionNumber":"E.430:11-2006","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This albumen print from a glass negative is a type of photograph that was made in the mid decades of the nineteenth century. In this particular photograph, the thinness of paper and dullness of albumen indicate an early example of that process dating from the 1850s to the 1860s.  It comes from an album of photographs from the Victorian metalworker Francis Skidmore's ( 1817-1896) firm.  It is of a weathervane and is the work of the firm which may have been made either at the firm's premises which were located in Coventry firstly at West Orchard from 1853 and secondly at Alma Street from 1859.  This photograph is thus a record of the work done.  \r\n\r\nThere are printed designs for weathervanes, including one surmounted by a cockerell as in this photograph, in a pattern book lettered 'Skidmore's Art Manufactures Co. Book of Designs' in Coventry Public Library. Some printed designs for weather vanes are in a private collection which are from a later date than the ones in Coventry because they are lettered 'BIRMINGHAM' as below. In 1872 Skidmore's Art Manufactures and Constructive Ironwork Company (founded in 1865) went into liquidation and was taken over by Winfields of Birmingham so it appears that Skidmore was producing similar weathervanes for decades.because the pattern book in Coventry Library is lettered with the title that Skidmore's firm used from this earlier date. The page of designs in the private collection is lettered 'VANES, FINIALS and HINGES.' and 'F:A:SKIDMORE: COVENTRY and 24 HUNTERS Rd BIRMINGHAM.'","physicalDescription":"Albumen print (brownish) of a single weather vane in an album.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Skidmore, Francis Alexander (the younger)","id":"A8856"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"albumen","id":"AAT11802"},{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"},{"text":"albumen process","id":"AAT133274"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print from a glass negative on photographic paper","categories":[{"text":"Architectural fittings","id":"THES48994"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HX2870"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC (VA)","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"M","shelf":"82","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Coventry","id":"x32527"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Birmingham","id":"x28748"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1850s-1860s","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1869-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"9.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The provenance is the grand-daughter of Francis Skidmore.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph from an album of record photography of Francis Skidmore metalwork manufactory, Coventry, 1850s-1860s.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"There are printed designs for weathervanes, including one surmounted by a cockerell as in this photograph, in a pattern book lettered 'Skidmore's Art Manufactures Co. Book of Designs' in Coventry Public Library. Peter Howell (see References) has some printed designs for weather vanes in his private collection which are from a later date than the ones in Coventry because they are lettered 'BIRMINGHAM' as below. In the 1872 Skidmore's Art Manufactures and Constructive Ironwork Company went into liquidation and was taken over by Winfields of Birmingham so it appears that Skidmore was still producing similar weathervanes for more than seven years from 1865 because the pattern book in Coventry Library is lettered with the title that Skidmore's firm used from this earlier date. The page of designs in Peter Howell's collection is lettered 'VANES, FINIALS and HINGES.'  and 'F:A:SKIDMORE: COVENTRY and 24 HUNTERS Rd BIRMINGHAM.'\r\n\r\nMarta Weiss, Curator, Photography, thinks that this is an early albumen print dating from the 1850s to the 1860s but no later because of the thinness of the paper and the dullness of the albumen.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"weathervanes","id":"AAT192061"},{"text":"albumen prints","id":"AAT127121"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.430:11-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"430","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2008-01-25","availableToBook":false}}