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Southwell Brothers cartes-de-visite


103 Portraits in set

The Southwell Brothers comprised the partnership between William (1823–70), Frederick (1833–83) and Edwin (1840–82) Southwell. They established their joint venture in 1862 at the height of the carte-de-visite’s popularity. The sons of a piano maker, the eldest two brothers followed their father’s trade before William opened a photographic studio in London at 16 Baker Street in about 1857. Early royal patronage ensured a further distinguished clientele that was made up of the aristocracy, politicians, clergy and members of the theatrical profession. Success continued with two further studios opening at 22 Baker Street in 1862 and 64a New Bond Street in 1867. Their reported daily earnings averaged between £70 and £100. After William’s sudden death in 1870 and the ensuing financial difficulties faced by the two surviving brothers, the studio passed through various hands. Sold in 1878 to the photographers Boning & Small, press advertisements were placed announcing their intention to destroy the Southwells’s negatives. As such, it appears the brothers’ complete archive is lost, though a record of their work demonstrating their artistic flair persists through their surviving cartes-de-visite.

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Harris Prendergast, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax39751

Harris Prendergast

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax39751

John Baily, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax39736

John Baily

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax39736

Fanny Stirling, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x26596

Fanny Stirling

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x26596

Rose Leclercq, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x74531

Rose Leclercq

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x74531

Susan Galton, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x28183

Susan Galton

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x28183

Ethel Lavenu (Eliza Lavenu), by Southwell Brothers - NPG x19899

Ethel Lavenu (Eliza Lavenu)

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x19899

Fanny Josephs, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x18956

Fanny Josephs

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
On display in Room 22 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG x18956

George Clifford Jordan, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x18951

George Clifford Jordan

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x18951

Miss Wallace, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x27232

Miss Wallace

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x27232

Charlotte Saunders, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x22367

Charlotte Saunders

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x22367

Edward Horsman, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax8573

Edward Horsman

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8573

Lord Edward Cavendish, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax8675

Lord Edward Cavendish

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8675

Sir David Brewster, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x19949

Sir David Brewster

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
On display in Room 22 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG x19949

Amy Sheridan, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x22567

Amy Sheridan

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x22567

Laura Conquest, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x6356

Laura Conquest

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x6356

Laura Conquest, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x6357

Laura Conquest

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x6357

Lord Charles Fitzroy, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax7442

Lord Charles Fitzroy

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1865
NPG Ax7442

Lord Alexander Victor Paget, by Southwell Brothers, published by  A. Marion, Son & Co - NPG Ax7449

Lord Alexander Victor Paget

by Southwell Brothers, published by A. Marion, Son & Co
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1863
NPG Ax7449

Renn Dickson Hampden, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax7465

Renn Dickson Hampden

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1862-1863
NPG Ax7465

Samuel Lover, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x45469

Samuel Lover

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG x45469

King Edward VII; Queen Alexandra; George I, King of Greece, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax46759

King Edward VII; Queen Alexandra; George I, King of Greece

by Southwell Brothers
hand-coloured albumen carte-de-visite, October 1863
NPG Ax46759

Queen Alexandra, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax46760

Queen Alexandra

by Southwell Brothers
hand-coloured albumen carte-de-visite, October 1863
NPG Ax46760

Queen Alexandra, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax46763

Queen Alexandra

by Southwell Brothers
hand-coloured albumen carte-de-visite, October 1863
NPG Ax46763

Queen Alexandra, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x12845

Queen Alexandra

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, October 1863
NPG x12845

Lydia Maitland, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x20478

Lydia Maitland

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, mid 1860s
NPG x20478

Kate Saville, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x22368

Kate Saville

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG x22368

Carlotta Patti, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x21725

Carlotta Patti

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, mid-late 1860s
NPG x21725

Benjamin Nottingham Webster, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x27310

Benjamin Nottingham Webster

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG x27310

Rosina Wright, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x27551

Rosina Wright

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG x27551

King Edward VII, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x11816

King Edward VII

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, October 1863
NPG x11816

King Edward VII, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x11817

King Edward VII

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, October 1863
NPG x11817

Agnes Strickland, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax7547

Agnes Strickland

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax7547

George I, King of Greece, by Southwell Brothers - NPG Ax46722

George I, King of Greece

by Southwell Brothers
hand-coloured albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG Ax46722

Rosina Murray, by Southwell Brothers - NPG x21459

Rosina Murray

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
NPG x21459