THORNTON-PICKARD HORIZONTAL ENLARGER
Whilst not strictly in the projected image phenomena this
instrument deserves a place in this Collection. Glass
plate cameras were predominant until the wide use of film
and then a piece afterwards. Very big enlargements of
those photographic plate images could be obtained with
these enlargers. They held their place until the introduction
of vertical enlargers.

In the early days of photography
the enlarging of photographs was very much a manual affair.
Early enlarging was achieved by a horizontal enlarger
much as seen here.
Nearly always of wooden construction,
as were the glass plate cameras of the day, they used
quite primitive methods of illumination. The carrier for
the glass plate is clearly seen before the bellows and
there were lenses to concentrate the light source as well
as the focal variety at the head of the enlarger.
This example had electric light
for its light source as there is a Brass lampholder fitted
to the rear of the lamphouse. With the chimney above the
lamphouse however it could well have originally have been
fitted with any earlier light source.
Loaned by Peter Stamp
