E Baudoux 1869 - 1887
Ernest Baudoux Photographs 1869 – 1887
Baudoux is easily the most prolific Jersey studio. A Frenchman, he seems to have drawn his clients mainly from the Jersey born and French speaking population. He also helpfully numbered his photos. During his last year of operation he opened a branch establishment in Guernsey.
Using a few dated photographs, information gleaned from the backstamps, and the invaluable help given by Tony Moore of Jersey, who dated the photographers addresses using their adverts in the Almanachs, the photos of E Baudoux can be dated quite closely.
The studio address was 56 New Street from 1869 – 1875, the latest negative number known at that address being 14045. It is not known whether the negative numbers started at 1 or some other number. Only one negative number earlier than 10,000 is known, and that is in a different hand and place on the photo than the later ones, so may not be a photographers number. All the earliest photos have no numbers.
The address was 59 New Street from 1876 – 1887 the earliest negative number is 14439, the latest known is 36532. Very few photos have no number. From 1885 – 1887 the photos are marked Baudoux and Son. During these years he also had offices at 51 ½ New Street and 11 Craig Street.
The negative numbers can be dated as follows:
1869 – 1872 unnumbered
1873 ? – 10500
1874 10500 – 12000
1875 12000 – 14000
1876 14000 – 16500
1877 16500 – 19000
1878 19000 – 21500
1879 21500 – 24000
1880 24000 – 26500
1881 26500 – 28500
1882 28500 – 30500
1883 30500 – 32000
1884 32000 – 33500
1885 33500 – 35000
1886 35000 – 36500
1887 36500 – 38000
I would be very interested to hear from you if you have dated photos that agree with these dates or can correct them.
The different backstamps and fronts used by Baudoux can be dated as follows :
Baudoux CDV photographs.
1869 - 56 New Street, small numerals 56,
straight line under address.
1870 - 56 New Street, large numerals 56,
straight line under address.
1871 - 1872 - 56 New Street,
curly ornament under address.
1873 - 1876 - 56 New Street,
‘No.’ and ‘Les Cliches sont conserves’ added,
with handwritten negative number, consult
list above for more accurate date.
1876 - 1878 - same as above, but
address now 59 New Street.
At this time, all photos in a sitting were allocated
the same negative number, as these photos of
Susan Sebire, both numbered 14439, date 1876.
baudoux-downs-excursions-1869-78.jpg
1869 - 1878 On the back of tourist
photos there appeared this advert for
Down’s Excursions.
1879 - 1887 59 New Street, back showing prize medals.
Before Baudoux described himself in French as
‘photographe’ now he styles himself in English
as ‘photographer’
Baudoux specialised in ‘carbontypes’, photos printed
in carbon. These remain unfaded even today and
are among the best examples of Jersey photographs.
The photos are set in an oval or oblong cartouche
with a specially printed front. Ordinary photos have
no printing on the front. Carbontypes appear around
1877 and from then on account for about half of all
Baudoux’s photographs.
Baudoux also took cabinet photos, with a scaled up backstamp as illustrated.
baudoux-carbontype-cabinet-front.jpg
Carbontype cabinets also had printed fronts.
Unusually this cabinet has a blank back.
baudoux-landscape-1878-85-back.jpg
1878 - 1885 - a large landscape photo showing
St Helier from the West. The actual photo
measures 16.5 by 11cm. At least 64 different
views were sold by Baudoux.
By the 1880s, each photo was assigned an
individual negative number, even if taken
in the same sitting, as these two photos
of the same girl, numbered 33700 and 33701.
Unusually for this period she is smiling
in one of the photos. Date - 1885.
1886 - 1887 - From 1885 Baudoux’s son
joined the studio, trading as Baudoux and Son.
The backstamp shows this.
1886 - 1887 For carbontypes there was also
a new front printing.
This CDV back from 1887 shows the last negative number known,
and also mentions the shortlived Guernsey branch.
Photos of Baudoux and Son
are not common, perhaps denoting a
drop in business. In 1887 the studio was
sold to J R G Stroud.