Lafayette (1880-1962) (photographers)
Dates
- Existence: 1880 - 1962
Biography
Lafayette was a commercial photographic company. It was founded in Dublin in 1880 by James Stack Lauder, who used the professional name of James Lafayette. The firm was known as 'Jacques Lafayette', 'J. Lafayette' and 'Lafayette'. Lafayette's three brothers also worked for the firm. In 1884 Lafayette was elected a member of the Photographic Society of Great Britain. By 1885 the firm had attracted the attention of the British Royal family and, in 1887, James Lafayette was invited to Windsor to photograph Queen Victoria. He was granted a Royal Warrant as 'Her Majesty's Photographer in Dublin'.
In the 1890s Lafayette established studios in Glasgow (1890), Manchester (1892) and London (1897) and Belfast (1900). The company flourished and many of the firm's photographs were published in newspapers and magazines such as the 'Illustrated London News', 'The Gentlewoman', 'Country Life' and the 'Scots Pictorial'. From 1914 to 1927, the company even had a special office in Fleet Street to deal with press work.
James Lafayette died in Bruges in 1923. The company suffered during the 1930s but continued to function until 1952. The business was finally wound up in 1962 (Lafayette Photography 200?, pp.1-3).
Sources:
Lafayette Photography (200?), 'Lafayette Photography - History' [Internet]. Dublin: Lafayette Photography. Available from:
http://www.lafayette.ie/html/history.htm [Accessed 21 January 2004].
Found in 14 Collections and/or Records:
35 yrs [1899-1900], 1899 - 1900
100 x 145 mm. Three quarter length portrait in civil service uniform. Cabinet portrait.
38 yrs [1903], 1903
92 x 134 mm. Oval. Head and shoulders full face portrait of Bell in uniform and wearing the C.M.G. (awarded 1903). Also marked in pencil at bottom of print 'aged 39'. Dismounted cabinet portrait, probably by Lafayette.
[Aged 35 years], 1899-01
102 x 148 mm, vignetted. Cabinet portrait. Head and shoulders full face portrait. Signed 'H. Hesketh Bell. Jan. 1899'.
[Aged 35 years], 1899-01
101 x 143 mm, vignetted. Head and shoulders full face portrait marked, presumably erroneously, 'Aged 24'.
[Aged 35 years], 1899-01
101 x 148 mm. Cabinet portrait. Head and shoulders full face portrait. Marked '29 years' on print and 'Aged 34' on reverse.
[Aged 38 years], 1903
94 x 134 mm. Oval. Head and shoulders profile portrait of Bell in uniform and wearing the C.M.G. Cabinet portrait.
[circa 1908], 1908
123 x 202 mm. Full length portrait in uniform and wearing the C.M.G. and K.C.M.G. 'Photo Mezzotint'.
[circa 1908], 1908
127 x 200 mm. Full length portrait in uniform and wearing the C.M.G. and K.C.M.G.
[circa 1908], 1908
105 x 177 mm. An autochrome (coloured transparency on glass) portrait of Bell in full uniform wearing the C.M.G. and K.C.M.G. The transparency is mounted in a wooden frame hinged to a mirror which reflects light through the transparency for better viewing.
[circa 1940], 1940
138 x 189 mm. Full face head and shoulders portrait.
[circa 1940], 1940
139 x 191 mm. Half length, full face, seated portrait.
Mrs. Eckstein and child, 1890 - 1910
A full length studio portrait of Mrs. Eckstein and one of the girls seen in Y3055C/12.
Mrs. Eckstein and children, 1890 - 1910
A full length studio portrait, with expensive props, of Mrs. Eckstein and two girls, presumably her daughters. Mrs. Eckstein was married to Hermann Eckstein.
[Portrait of Bell] 1910, 1910
81 x 119 mm. A three-quarter length studio portrait by Lafayette showing Bell in uniform and wearing the C.M.G.