Date of use : United Kingdom

Artistic Photographic Co. Ltd. Business Stationery

This postcard represents a commercial promotional document illustrating the relationship between photography, print technology, and the art market in the early twentieth century. The card was produced by Artistic Photographic Co., Ltd., a London-based company operating from 90–92 Oxford Street, and functioned as a catalogue request form intended to be mailed to the company's Fine Art Department. The design and printed instructions reveal how photographic printing firms promoted their products through postal advertising during this period.

The illustrated side of the card features an image titled "A Sussex Lane." According to the printed caption, the image was produced from a painting by the artist E. Dalglish. The text also indicates that the image was presented at the Royal Academy exhibition of 1905, suggesting that the subject had a recognized presence within the contemporary British art world. The reproduction on the card is described as an engraved photographic surface, a phrase typically associated with photogravure or related intaglio printing techniques. These methods allowed the detailed reproduction of tonal photographic images and were widely used in the production of high-quality art prints at the turn of the twentieth century.

Along the margin of the card the company advertises specimen plates offered at the price of two shillings and sixpence. Additional technical notes printed beneath the illustration indicate that the original engraved surface measured approximately 21 by 14 inches, while the printing paper used for the plates was larger in format. Such technical information formed part of the marketing language used by print publishers to emphasize the craftsmanship and scale of their reproductions.

The reverse side of the postcard was designed as a catalogue application form. The printed text invites recipients to request, free of charge and with postage prepaid, an illustrated catalogue containing more than forty examples of engravings and photogravures offered by the company. Spaces were provided for the recipient's name and address, indicating that the card functioned both as an advertisement and as a direct ordering mechanism. This format reflects a common marketing strategy of the period, in which companies used postal cards as interactive promotional tools encouraging customers to request catalogues or price lists.

The company itself, Artistic Photographic Co., Ltd., was active in London during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and specialized in the production and distribution of photographic reproductions of artworks. The inscription "Established 1880" printed on the card indicates that the firm traced its origins to the late Victorian period, when photographic printing technologies were increasingly used for the reproduction of paintings and engravings. London at that time functioned as one of Europe's most significant art markets, and photographic reproduction methods allowed artworks to circulate widely among collectors, galleries, and publishers.

During this era photogravure became one of the preferred techniques for reproducing artworks because it allowed subtle tonal gradations and a high level of visual detail. Reproductive prints based on paintings were widely marketed through catalogues, exhibitions, and illustrated advertisements. Companies such as Artistic Photographic Co. therefore acted as intermediaries between painters, printmakers, and consumers of art reproductions, contributing to the broader commercialization of visual culture.

From a postal history perspective the card belongs to the category of commercial advertising postcards produced for mail distribution. The printed instruction panel indicating postage requirements demonstrates that the card was designed to be circulated through the postal system. Its dual function as both an advertisement and an order form illustrates the integration of postal services into commercial communication strategies during the early twentieth century.

From a collecting standpoint the item can be associated with several thematic fields, including the history of photographic printing, photogravure reproduction, commercial art publishing, and early advertising postcards. It also documents the interaction between photographic technology and the art market in London at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Record Information

Title: Artistic Photographic Co. Ltd. Business Stationery

Category: Photographic Printing History / Commercial Ephemera

Subcategory: Art Reproduction / Advertising Postcards

Country: United Kingdom

City: London

Date: Early 20th century (post-1905, based on Royal Academy exhibition reference)

Company: Artistic Photographic Co., Ltd., 90–92 Oxford Street, London

Established: 1880

Object Type: Promotional postcard / catalogue request form

Printing Technique: Photogravure / engraved photographic surface

Image Title: "A Sussex Lane" after painting by E. Dalglish (exhibited at Royal Academy 1905)

Language: English

Material: Printed card stock

Dimensions: Standard postcard format

Collection Theme: History of photographic printing, art reproduction, commercial advertising ephemera

Archival Significance: This postcard documents the commercial application of photogravure printing for art reproduction in early twentieth-century London. It illustrates how photographic technology was integrated into the art market through advertising and mail-order catalogue distribution, reflecting broader trends in the commercialization of visual culture.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.