You know every individual has his idiosyncrasies – Metol hasn’t harmed me yet. I’ve used gallons of it per week – but the alkali in Rodinal does mischief as far as I’m concerned. Now I mentioned Rodinal because it is the simplest of all developers & consequently is used by children & all those those [sic.] ignorant of chemicals generally – for that reason it is the most dangerous of all developers. Such is my opinion & unless proven to be wrong I shall stick to the result of a ten year’s experiment! This will interest you & hence I write it. Camera Work No. 7 was mailed a few days ago – hope you’ve received it. Also Secession leaflet No. 5. In great haste with kind regards. Yours etc…”
Alfred Stieglitz
An early advocate of photography as an art form, Alfred Stieglitz, in 1905, led a group of like-minded artists, the “Photo-Secessionists,” in opening the 291 Gallery in New York City, focused on exhibiting photography and works of modern art. From 1903-1917, Stieglitz edited the quarterly Camera Work, known for its high-quality photogravures produced from its contributors’ original negatives. Stieglitz was an exacting editor, personally overseeing all aspects of the production, even stipulating that Eastman Kodak’s advertisements on the back cover of most issues match the cover design done by photographer and artist Edward Steichen. Stieglitz’s campaign on behalf of photography was a success. His works were among the first to be accepted as art by most major U.S. museums.
Our letter relates to a controversy surrounding the developing agents Rodinal and Metol, both of which had been in use since 1891. Edward W. Newcomb was a photographer and editor of the monthly magazine The Photo-American, which focused on amateur photography. In a May 1904 article entitled “The Developer Question” in The Photographic Times Bulletin, Newcomb takes on claims made by Stieglitz in his “Some Photographic Tips” on the safety of Rodinal.
Our letter accuses Newcomb of needing the “gold cure,” a medical intervention to treat alcohol and opium addiction, very popular at the turn of the 19th century. It consisted of injections of bichloride of gold pioneered by Dr. Lesley Keeley whose Keeley Institutes would number more than 200 around the United States and Europe.
Nicol was a founding member of the Edinburgh Photographic Society who immigrated to the United States in 1885. He contributed an article to Stieglitz’s Camera Notes in July 1901 entitled “The Past, the Present and the Future.”
The 7th issue of Camera Work, from July 1904, featured the work of Stieglitz, Hofmeister, Demachy, Steichen, and Devens.
Likely docketed in Nicol’s hand in the lower left corner of the last page. Folded with some minor creasing; otherwise in fine condition. Rare from this period and the earliest letter from The Photo-Secession that we have seen offered for sale.
