Date of use : c. 1912 France

Lumière & Jougla: A Historic Merger in Photography

The firm Lumière & Jougla Réunis represents one of the most significant mergers in the history of photography. One of the companies behind this union, the Lumière Company, was founded by the French entrepreneur Antoine Lumière. In 1882, he established the first photographic plate factory in the Monplaisir district of Lyon. The company was officially founded on January 5, 1884, under the name "Antoine Lumière et Fils" ("Antoine Lumière and Sons"). In 1892, it became a joint-stock company and adopted the name "S.A. des Plaques et Papiers Photographiques Antoine Lumière et ses Fils." The company initially specialized in the production of gelatin silver bromide-based, fast-drying dry photographic plates and papers. Over time, it expanded into new areas such as photographic paper, cinematographic film strips, and color photography with its invention of the Autochrome process.

The Jougla Company was founded in 1882 by Joseph Jougla and his brother Zacharie Jougla in Nogent-sur-Marne, near Paris. It was established as a joint-stock company under the name "Plaques, Pellicules et Papiers Photographiques Jougla." The company focused on producing glass plates, photographic papers, and chemicals for photographers. It also manufactured a special camera named Sinnox, which allowed the user to change plates in daylight without needing a darkroom. Starting in 1907, the Jougla company began producing the world's first color photographic plates based on trichromatic color principles, under the name Omnicolor.

The merger of these two prominent French firms was largely a response to the global dominance of Kodak in the early 1910s. In an effort to compete with Kodak's growing influence, Joseph Jougla decided to unite his company with the Lumière firm in Lyon. As a result, on March 10, 1911, the new joint-stock company "Union Photographique Industrielle – Établissements Lumière et Jougla Réunis" was officially established. The company was headquartered at 82 Rue de Rivoli in Paris. Under the new structure, the Lyon factories remained under the control of Auguste and Louis Lumière, while the Joinville plant was managed by Joseph Jougla and his son Gaston Jougla. Following the merger, photographic cameras and films bearing the Lumière brand were launched. The company's official name became "Union Photographique Industrielle (Établissements Lumière & Jougla Réunis)."

After Joseph Jougla's death in 1927, the company name was gradually changed to Société Lumière. This structure continued to operate until 1966. In 1975, Société Lumière merged with the British Ilford Group. The Lumière brand remained in use until 1982, at which point the company was officially renamed Ilford France, marking the end of the historic Lumière brand.

Record Information

Title: Lumière & Jougla: A Historic Merger in Photography

Category: Photographic Industry History / Corporate History

Subcategory: French Photography / Mergers and Acquisitions

Country: France

City: Lyon / Nogent-sur-Marne / Paris

Date of use: c. 1912 (based on envelope design and post-1911 merger period)

Company: Union Photographique Industrielle – Établissements Lumière et Jougla Réunis

Lumière Company: Founded 1882 by Antoine Lumière, officially "Antoine Lumière et Fils" 1884, joint-stock company 1892, Lyon

Jougla Company: Founded 1882 by Joseph and Zacharie Jougla, Nogent-sur-Marne, manufacturer of Sinnox camera, Omnicolor color plates (1907)

Merger Date: 10 March 1911

Headquarters: 82 Rue de Rivoli, Paris

Key Figures: Antoine Lumière, Auguste and Louis Lumière, Joseph Jougla, Gaston Jougla

Later History: Renamed Société Lumière after 1927, merged with Ilford Group 1975, renamed Ilford France 1982

Object Type: Commercial envelope / business stationery

Language: French

Material: Paper envelope with printed letterhead

Dimensions: Standard early 20th century envelope format

Collection Theme: French photographic manufacturing, early color photography, corporate consolidation, response to Kodak dominance

Archival Significance: This envelope from the Union Photographique Industrielle documents one of the most important mergers in French photographic history—the 1911 union of the Lumière and Jougla companies. The Lumière firm, founded by Antoine Lumière and later led by his sons Auguste and Louis, was a pioneer in dry plates, photographic paper, and motion picture film. The Lumière brothers' invention of the Autochrome process in 1907 revolutionized color photography. The Jougla company, established the same year as Lumière (1882), contributed innovations including the Sinnox daylight-loading camera and the Omnicolor trichromatic plates. Their merger, driven by the need to compete with Kodak's global dominance, created a powerful French industrial group. This envelope, dating from shortly after the 1911 merger, bears the combined name of these two historic firms. The item is an essential primary source for understanding the consolidation of the French photographic industry, the collaborative response to international competition, and the corporate structures that supported early 20th-century photographic innovation. It represents a tangible link to the legacy of the Lumière brothers and the vibrant French photographic industry of the pre-World War I era.

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.
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