Pair of unusual photographs of high waves and stormy seas in Bognor, Sussex 1875
 
One of the images with the blindstamp of W.P. Marsh, Bognor.
 
"William Pankhurst Marsh earned much of his income from taking carte-de-visite portraits at his Bognor studio, but even in the mid 1870s he was producing "Views of the Neighbourhood". With the introduction of the gelatin dry plate process and instantaneous photography around 1880, William Marsh became fascinated with the abillity of the "high speed" dry plate camera to capture the action of "high seas" on the seafront at Bognor. An article in The Practical Photographer observed that " Bognor is noted for its seascape photographs. During stormy weather Mr Marsh is always out on the promenade or pier." W. P. Marsh regularly exhibited his views of "high seas" and crashing waves and various "Sea Studies" at the Annual Exhibitions of the Photographic Society of Great Britain held between 1880 and 1891. Marsh's photographs were shown at various exhibitions at home and abroad. The Photographic News of 21st November, 1884, notes that at the Dublin Exhibition of 1884, promoted by the Photographic Society of Ireland, "Mr W. P. Marsh shows his Sea Studies". In May 1886, Marsh exhibited his sea views at the International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art in Edinburgh and submitted photographs for the International Exhibition of 1888. When Marsh exhibited his views at the National Photographic Exhibition held in Crystal Palace, he was awarded a Certificate of Merit for "excellence in photography". According to his own publicity, W. P. Marsh had received a Diploma of Merit at an exhibition in Vienna and medals for "Excellence in Photography" at Edinburgh, London, Falmouth, Lewes, Northampton, Saltaire and at the National Eistedfod of Wales. Marsh also exhibited his photographs at the Sixth Annual Exhibition organised by The Photographic Society of Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in April 1893. Marsh's last display at a major exhibition took place in London at the Royal Photographic Society's International Exhibition in April 1898.
Marsh's success with his "Sea Studies" at national and international photographic exhibitions led to the reproduction of his work in books and magazines. In 1891, two of Marsh's "seascape photographs" were used as illustrations in the book "The Ocean of Air : Meteorology for Beginners" by Agnes Gilberne and four of Marsh's "studies of rough seas" were reproduced in the Picture Magazine of 1894. The name of W. P. Marsh had now become strongly associated with "sea pictures" and he was now able to market them commercially. In the 1890s, W. P. Marsh was advertising his "Marvellous Instantaneous Photographs of High Seas and Breaking Waves" as enlarged carbon prints, measuring 48 inches by 36 inches. It is reported that when Marsh's large sea studies were first shown in a Bond Street shop window in London, "such large crowds collected that in consequence of the obstruction caused, the police made a complaint "." From: https://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/Marshbiog.htm
 
Albumen prints, unmounted
 
13,7 x 10 cm
 
In excellent condition