Horatio Ross

an album containing 60 photographs of the Scottish Highlands, with many Landscapes, Architectural Studies, Views of Game, and several of Edinburgh, including two entitled ‘View from my House at Greenhill Gardens,’ primarily salt prints with a smaller proportion of albumen prints, each mounted, captioned and numbered sequentially in pencil on the mount, 1850s. Oblong folio, 1/4-calf and cloth-covered boards

Sotheby’s London, 2 May 1997, Sale 7266, Lot 352, Hans P. Kraus, Jr., as agent

The impressive album is composed primarily of salt prints, with perhaps 15 albumen prints appearing throughout. What is notable about this album is the overwhelmingly high quality of the prints. While the first few plates have suffered some discoloration and wear, by the fourth plate into the album the prints are remarkably strong. The last few plates, especially the final plate – an albumen print of Scott's Monument – show some discoloration and soiling. The majority are strong prints, with many rating a 10+ on a scale of 1 to 10. The prints range in tonality from rich sepia to a pleasing plumb with cream-white highlights. The mounts show scattered soiling, and occasional foxing; and these issues are present on a number of the plates throughout. Many mounts show edge wear, and there a few isolates edge tears that do not encroach upon the prints. A number of plates are detached from the binding. Eight of these were completely removed from the album and are present in archival sleeves. The album covers are worn, and the front cover is detached.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Captain Horatio Ross of Rossie Castle, Aberdeenshire, achieved distinction as a pioneer amateur photographer and an outstanding sportsman.  A member of Parliament for Aberdeen in 1832-34, he was attracted to the new medium of photography in the 1840s and worked first with the daguerreotype process.  By the late 1840s, he had turned his attention to the paper negative process and rapidly mastered it.  In 1856 he became a founding member and Vice President of the Photographic Society of Scotland and was a frequent exhibitor.  The album offered here comprises views of his Scottish environs as well as several excellent town views.  Ross is perhaps best remembered today for his deer-stalking images, of which the present album contains several fine examples.  The photographs in this album show Ross's equal strength as a photographer of Scottish landscape and architecture.