Meet Our Exhibitors at Firsts London: Stewart & Skeels

Ahead of Firsts London, we spoke to exhibitor Stewart & Skeels. Based between London and Scotland, and comprised of a partnership between Lindsey Stewart and Joanna Skeels, they deal primarily in photography and related material. Having met while working at Bernard Quaritch Ltd., they discovered a shared passion and expertise for photographic material, and established Stewart & Skeels together in 2019.

Stewart & Skeels specialise in early photography. What is it about this subject area that drew you?

Lindsey Stewart – I initially found myself being amazed by the quality of depth and detail that could be seen in early contact-printed images when I volunteered at Stills Gallery in Edinburgh, where the programme included historical exhibitions. Whether they were large albumen prints by Julia Margaret Cameron or stark black and white prints from the mid- 20th century, they could be visually compelling and this seemed fascinating when their original purpose might often have been completely different – perhaps scientific or documentary.

Joanna Skeels – While at Quaritch I found myself drifting more and more towards the photography cataloguing and projects, working alongside Lindsey; viewing and handling early photographs makes the 19th century feel so immediate and exciting, and the research can send you into rabbit holes of historical events and personal stories. The idea that photographers in this era were so ambitious, dogged, and adventurous also captures my imagination; experimenting with the chemistry and technology to capture, firstly, an image; then a permanent image; then a reproducible image – and often while off the beaten track in the Scottish Highlands or Far East.

Who are your favourite early photographers?

LS - My favourites change constantly because whenever I start delving further into someone’s work at an exhibition or researching a print or collection for sale, I nearly always find something to like. Despite specialising mainly in British photography, I would have to mention the early French daguerreotypist Girault de Prangey, who is partly fascinating because despite a few books and a major international exhibition there are still gaps in what we know about him and his work. For a home-grown photographic ‘dynasty’ it would be hard to beat Thomas and James Craig Annan, the Scottish father and son who excelled in architectural and landscape photography as well as portraiture, while leading the way in introducing and perfecting permanent photographic processes.

JS – Likewise, I’ve always enjoyed learning more about a new photographer and their oeuvre, whoever’s work I may be cataloguing. The work of the Victorian greats like Roger Fenton, John Thomson and Julia Margaret Cameron are always exciting, but I also love delving into photographs by smaller commercial studio photographers, perhaps in compilation albums or archives, in which you get a sense of what was going on with photography in the second half of the 19th century and what it meant to ordinary people.

What is your opinion on selling into private collections vs. selling to institutions?

We enjoy both – the most satisfying aspect of our work is when you know a single photograph or a whole collection has gone to what feels like the ‘right’ home where it will benefit from being enjoyed or understood better in the context of other works in the same collection, whether that is private or institutional.

Have you encountered any mysterious or unexplained items in your time dealing with photography?

LS - Lots of curious unidentified portraits and amateur snapshots where people have photographed some of the quirkiest subjects or activities and you have absolutely no idea why, but someone once knew all about it

Are there any ‘holy grail’ items you would love to get your hands on, or any items you’ve come across that you wish you’d bought at the time and have looked for ever since?

LS - Having worked in auctions and the trade I’ve been lucky to sometimes work with ‘holy grail’ items. One that I remember vividly and wish I could have bought was a photogenic drawing of two plant specimens by Talbot from April 1839 - it was beautiful, and it was signed, titled, dated and still with a little folded paper envelope he had used to send it to his aunt, the Marchioness of Lansdowne. It was bought by an American dealer from the auction at Christie’s and is now in the Getty, so it did find a decent home.

How did you first connect with the Roger Mayne archive?

LS - When I worked at Christie’s, Roger turned up one day with some early photographs he had collected, looking for some advice on their value. I knew his work so and we gradually got to know each other and kept in touch. When his London dealer, Zelda Cheatle, closed her gallery, he was looking for someone new to work with in the UK and came to see me again at Quaritch. We organised an exhibition there to celebrate Roger’s 80th birthday, which he visited a few times with family and friends. After Roger died a few years later we were delighted to be able to continue our relationship working with his daughter who runs the archive.

What are you most looking forward to in exhibiting at Firsts London?

LS - This is our first Firsts, so the whole fair is an adventure for us. We like the space and its location and the wide range and quality of material on display at the fair.

JS – Not having a shop premises, it’s great to have a chance to show off the things we have in a venue like the Saatchi and to meet new people as well as familiar faces. On a normal working day, you might be looking at a book or photograph thinking “Maybe client X would like to have this” and get in touch with them – but at a fair, that client might come up and say “That’s for me” and take you totally by surprise as to why they want it. Or a fresh face may take home a really special item that you knew was great, but still couldn’t visualise where it might end up. That gives you a buzz. We’ve seen 19th-century photographs enter more traditional art collections, and bibliophiles enriching their collections with visual material, be it prints or photographically-illustrated works. That ‘in person’ moment, when a collector spots an item and has their own visceral reaction to it, it’s exciting. The unexpected can happen at a fair.

You can visit Stewart & Skeels at stand I79 at Firsts London.