The database is designed to accommodate the nature and diversity of photographically illustrated books, photographs, scientific monographs and technical books (text only) published in different languages, relating to the history of photography. Complete bibliographic details of each work are contained in the book records. Where a book contains early photographs or early photo-mechanical prints general information is recorded in the photography section. In addition, there are individual records for each photograph in a book.
Searching the database
Two basic search options are possible: simple and advanced.
Simple search
This page allows you to use a single keyword search on all fields for the bibliographic and photographic data
which is divided into: Books and photographs, Photographs only and Books only.
Advanced search
This option allows you to find detailed information on photographically illustrated books, photographers,
titles and descriptions of photographs. You can search on one type of information or combinations.
Examples
| Photographer: | Abney |
| Publication date: | 1878 |
will retrieve books which contain photographs by Capt. W. de W. Abney; a list of photographs and their titles is provided; further information is available by clicking on the title of the photograph for a full record of the individual photograph (process, size, printer, etc). In this example digital images of a selection of photographs are available on-screen.
| Author: | Abney |
| Start date: | 1870 |
| End date: | 1878 |
Complete records will be shown of all works written or edited by Capt W.de.W.Abney within the dates specified.
The following fields are searchable on the database:
Bibliographic information
| Shelfmark: |
BL catalogue and location entry |
| Author: | author/s, editor/s of text |
| Title: | title of book |
| Publisher: | name and location of publisher |
| Country: | country of publication |
| Subject: | subject of text |
| Acquisition: | the date the book entered the British Library |
| Notes: | information relating to photography |
| Description: | basic information on photographs |
| Publication date: | the date the book was published. |
| Start year: | beginning of range of publication dates |
| End year: | final publication date in range |
Photography information
| Photographer: | name and location of photographer |
| Process: | type of photograph or print |
| Size: | size or range of sizes |
| Printer: | name of printer (or company) of original photograph |
| Genre: | genre of image (e.g. portrait, landscape) |
| Title: | complete title of individual photograph as used in the book |
Image Required
If the photograph has been digitised, a screen image is made available by clicking the square icon.
See also the glossary of terms used in this collection
