Richard Kearton Glass Lantern Slide St Kilda Cleit Stone Hide 1896 Outer Hebride For Sale

Item Description

An exceptional, original vintage hand-tinted glass lantern slide (3.25 x 3.25inches) from the Cherry Kearton Archive, produced by Newton & Co., London.

This historic behind-the-scenes photograph depicts pioneer naturalist Richard Kearton standing on the open moorland of remote St Kilda beside a traditional dry-stone cleit (a native island storage structure, which the Keartons famously adapted as a natural camouflage hide for photographing nesting seabirds).

Historical Significance & Expedition Context

• The 1896 St Kilda Expedition: Photographed during Cherry and Richard Kearton’s landmark June 1896 expedition to the St Kilda archipelago in the Outer Hebrides. This trip produced some of the earliest photographic records of the island's wildlife, unique architecture, and native inhabitants before the 1930 evacuation.

• Publication History: Images from this trip were featured in the Keartons' famous 1897 publication, With Nature and a Camera (Cassell & Co.).

• Hand-Tinted Finish: Beautifully hand-tinted in period pigments showing the lush green ground cover and subtle sky tones against the dry-stone structure.

Condition Report

• Glass & Image: Excellent vintage condition. The glass plate is completely intact with no cracks, chips, or fractures. Tonal quality remains sharp and clear with rich hand-applied colour.

• Binding & Labels: Original black paper binding tape remains intact along all edges. Features the original paper index/catalogue label on the lower corner, inscribed "42 T" (or asimilar lecture index code).