Charles Jones

Unique gold toned silver print. Initialled and titled in pencil on the reverse and with a gallery label bearing information about the work on the back of the frame.

Hamiltons Gallery, London. 

This print is in overall very good condition. With some handling marks across the print, only visible in raking light, and with some foxing marks to the paper on the reverse.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Charles Jones was born in Wolverhampton in 1866 and was a gifted gardener and plantsman, working on private estates such as Ote Hall, Sussex, creating typographical photographs of plants, fruit and vegetables. Despite the professionalism of his photography, he never once sought to publish or exhibit his work.

A mysterious figure, Jones lived isolated from the world, in a house with no running water or electricity, with barely anyone aware that he was a photographer at all. Fortunately, in 1981 the historian and collector Sean Sexton discovered 200 of his sepia-toned silver gelatin prints stored in a trunk in Bermondsey Market, and at last his oeuvre came to the attention of academics and collectors.

Jones’ photographs are celebrated for their sensibility, attention to detail and remarkable print quality achieved by natural sunlight, hence their warm and subtle tonality. Since their discovery twenty-two years after Jones’ death, his photographs have been exhibited in several institutions including the V&A in London, the Museum of Fine Art in San Francisco, and the Musée de Elysée in Lausanne.