Cabinet Photograph Edward G. Brewis - Photographer Victoria Art Studios 8 & 10 New Bridge Street New Castle-On-Tyne, England c. 1905 The date of this photograph is based on the 1902 date of the King's South Africa Medal and the 1908 death of photographer Edward G. Brewis. Unfortunately the bemedaled sitter is unidentified so details of his years in active service will probably never be known. Besides the King;s South Africa Medal this member of the Corps of Commissionaire wears the Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps and the Afghanistan Medal An interesting detail of the photograph is its reverse side which at first appears to be of typical decorative imagery commonly seen on turn of the century photographic mounts as seen below. |
After a moments consideration it becomes apparent that the engraved image is in fact printed as a negative. While this effect may have been inadvertent I tend to believe that it was probably done intentionally as something of an inside photographic joke of sorts. This same image appears below reversed to create a "positive" version of the image. Interestingly I have seen other examples of Brewis' photographs with this same artwork printed as a "positive". |