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Valentine and Wrench

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 9:30 am
by Staffordian
Hi. I have a mounted photograph (8"x6") titled 'Isaak Walton Walk Stafford' followed by the code 28444. JV which I assume is a large print from an Original Valentine negative. I also have a postcard by Valentine with exactly the same view (same people in it etc), it carries the same title and reference number, the photo is slightly cropped in this one.

I also have exactly the same photo on a wrench postcard with the title 'Stafford Isaak Walton Walk' and a reference The Wrench Series No 7607. This one is cropped slightly more than the Valentine postcard.

My question is were Valentine and Wrench working together in some way or would it be that Wrench copied the original and then sold it as one of his own?

Might seem an odd question but I am working on an MA in photographic archives and am looking at working practices associated with material culture, specifically with photographs of and photographers from Stafford

Re: Valentine and Wrench

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 9:13 am
by eastlondonpostcard
I don't believe that the two companies Wrench and Valentine worked together. It is more likely that they may have both been approached by the original photographer to publish the image. Or that one company sold on the image to the other.

Both these scenarios were commonplace at the time... major publishers such as these used local photographers work, or employed them specifically to record an area or local event.

Best luck :)

Re: Valentine and Wrench

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 8:04 pm
by Dave43
Dunno if it helps but you can find originals of Valentines photos on University of St Andrews special collections, Scottish photographers, James Valentine I think, put in identity JV- and the number on the postcard but don't forget the hyphen! Its getting v difficult to use as database is getting so big but you should be able to find date of original but remember Valentines (and others) were producing books of photos before postcards ever came out!