The Amateur Photographic Association (A.P.A.) was formed in England in May, 1861.
As an exchange club, each year members provided the Association with negatives for
printing in exchange for prints from other members.  Subscribers who simply wished to
purchase photographs were also welcomed as members.

The Association grew quickly, with nearly 3,000 prints submitted for consideration in
1863.  Prizes were awarded, often a silver goblet or a handsomely bound photograph
album.  Royal patronage and a membership that included military officers, nobility, and
an archbishop reflect the upper class character of the Association.  The A.P.A.
continued its activities through 1888.

Bib. Ref.  "Evasion in Victorian Landscape photography: The Amateur Photographic
Association album."  Elizabeth Anne McCauley.  Bulletin.  The University of New Mexico
Art Museum.  1978-79.

Photographs of British landscape, ruins, and cottages account for over half of our
collection of A.P.A. photographs.  An additional 33 views from Canada, India, Europe
and the Middle East make landscape the predominant subject of this collection.  A small
number of portraits, still lifes, genre scenes, and art reproductions complete the collection.

Though the photographers represented in this collection are not well known to photographic
history, they were highly skilled amateurs.  Excellent examples of landscape work are found
in the work of Capt. Bankhart, the Earl of Caithness, Ernst Edwards, and J. Hyde, while
still lifes by F.E. Currey and genre scenes by A. Suzanne are also of high quality.

Most photographers are represented in this collection by 1-3 photographs.  Larger holdings
(5-12 prints) are found for Capt. Bankhart, Major Grasley, J. Rivington, A. Henderson, F.E.
Curry, and F. Beasley.

Photographs are identified verso by a pencilled number that appears as a fraction.  The numerator
is the photographer's A.P.A. identification number while the denominator is the print's number.
For example, prints by Capt. Bankhart will be inscribed 446/52 and 446/107.  In some instances,
this numbering system has been used to ascertain a photographer's identity.

These photographs were purchased by the museum in 1952.  They were part of the A.E. Marshall
Collection.

D. Wooters 6/96