Dickens Picture Library & Photographic Archive
Victorian Historical Photos, 35mm Slides and Reproductions
Sep 25, 2009
Charles Dickens lived at 48 Doughty Street in London from April 1837 to December 1839. Today the three-storey building, in which the famous Victorian novelist wrote the Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nichleby, houses the Charles Dickens Museum and the world's most important collection of Dickens-related material. It is an important picture library and photographic archive which includes
- over 500 portraits of Dickens, 1830s-1860s
- portraits of Dickens' associates
- photos of Victorian London buildings and locations related to Dickens novels and Dickens' life
- photos of illustrations to Dickens' novels
In total, there are over 5,000 photographs, 2,000 magic-lantern slides, 1,000 35mm slides and over 500 colour transparencies.
Dickens Portrait Archive
This historic photo archive contains photos of
- portraits of Charles Dickens from his youth in the 1830s to 1869; some of them taken by famous Victorian photographers, such as John Watkins and R. H. Mason.
- pencil drawings of Dickens
- Dickens busts, sculptures, bronzes and coins
- cartoons of Dickens
- illustrations of Dickens, for example portraits of Dickens surrounded by the characters of his novels
Dickens Victorian London Photographic Archive
The Charles Dickens picture library holds an extensive collection of B&W Victorian photos and 35mm slides of locations all over London associated with Dickens’ novels. There are approximately 46 London districts listed alphabetically, including the famous Old Curiosity Shop, Clerkenwell, Greenwich, Hampstead and Mayfair associated with the Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Little Dorritt, David Copperfield, Our Mutual Friend, Nicholas Nichleby and Sketches by Boz.
In the photographic archive are also
- Photos of London taverns and hotels, such as the Adelphi Hotel, associated with the Pickwick Papers and the Blue Boar in Aldgate, Whitechapel, associated with David Copperfield.
- Photos of London churches, such as St. Pancras old church associated with A Tale of Two Cities and the church of St. Martin-in-the-fields (David Copperfield).
Dickens Book Illustrations
The photographic archive includes Victorian illustrations from Dickens’ novels. Titles include Bleak House, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Hard Times, Little Dorrit, Martin Chuzzlewit and A Christmas Carol with some delightful colour images.
Reproduction Fees
The Museum can provide high-quality professional images made to order for personal use in print or digital format (up to 1200dpi, jpg, tiff, pdf). Prices start from
- £15 for B&W photography
- £20 for colour photography
- £12 for digital images
- £50 for colour transparencies
Reproductions of pictures for books, partworks, electronic publishing (DVD, CD-ROM), educational and documentary videos start from
- £60 for image to be used in the inside of a book/periodical, UK only
- £120 for image to be used on a jacket/cover, UK only
For world use excluding U.S.A. add 35% to the above and for world incl. U.S.A. £100 for inside book, £200 for jacket/cover. Discounts are available for large orders and for charitable or educational purposes.
- 35mm slides can be loaned for £4 to £35 with a £10 returnable deposit for each batch.
The Charles Dickens House Museum Photographic archive can be viewed by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm. Address: 48 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LX
Sources
Charles Dickens Museum website
Author's review of the collection on site.
Photo of Charles Dickens is courtesy of the Charles Dickens House Museum, reproduced with permission. With thanks to Museum Staff, Kate Gazzard for her help.
Related Articles
- On Dickens manuscript collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, see Charles Dickens Manuscript Collection: Dickens' Ink Supplies and the Conservation of his Manuscripts.
- On Dickens' drawing room displayed in the Dickens House Museum as inspiration for a Victorian room makeover, see How to Decorate a Dickensian Drawing Room.
- Best Vintage Dickens Xmas Gifts
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