The Poached Spessart Stag

Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). In the Year. 1728. this wondrous Stag has been shot in the old Beech Forest in the Spessart, two hours from Wertheim, by those game thieves – and this one standing half behind his likewise rare weight brought to me by a good friend and presented in kind. Who had bought it in an estate. Etching with engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). Rolled-on photograph by Johann Laifle (ascertainable as active Regensburg 1865 – about 1900). (1865.) Inscribed: E. Ridinger Sculp (recte, see below, M. E. Ridinger, Sculp. A. V.), otherwise in German as above & on the mounting carton: 48. / Photographirt von J. Laifle. / Verlag von A. Coppenrath in Regensburg. Size of photo 6¼ × 5⅛ in (16 × 12.9 cm), of carton 12⅞ × 9¾ in (32.7 × 24.8 cm).

Sheet 48 of the 50-sheet Laifle set published in 5 numbers as plate 38 of the Accidens et Evenemens particuliers à la Chasse (figuring altogether as plate 31 in the 3^rd edition of the Most Wondrous Deer from c. 1859, as with regard to the diverging inscription due to supposed faintness of printing apparently present to Laifle), Thienemann 371. The bibliographical literature only records the 1^st number of the album. – On paper coated with the white of egg, that is

albumen print “ of high gloss … (which) renders the most minute details ”

(Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed., XIII [1889], page 17, yet recording it as standard a quarter of a century later only). This in contrast to the previously common papers coated with starch, hence resulting in a dull image effect, which consequently could not meet the standards of the great Ridinger collector Coppenrath as the publisher. And Danuta Thiel-Melerski 2006:

“ The first photographs on albumen paper were so thin

one had to glue them onto cardboard ”

As here then, too. By Johann Laifle’s “Photographic Institute for Portraits and Landscapes” at Klarenanger No. 2 in Regensburg. His Ridinger Album. A Collection of the Finest and Rarest Deer and Roebuck Abnormities photographed from the Original Engravings – complete showcase copy available here – supposedly representing both Laifle’s earliest group of works as also

the earliest Ridinger photographicum

in general. In short ,

the youthful photography is enthusiastic about Ridinger

and therewith bestows a collection enrichment of the most charming kind . Up to the spot on the wall !

Of significantly more comprehensive sets announced by two competitors between 1867 and 1873/75 nevertheless 24 and 48 sheet resp. seem to have been realized only and therefore take second place to Coppenrath’s pioneer edition not just chronologically. In such a manner Laifle & Coppenrath not only were the first to pay their photographic reverence to Ridinger, rather this even in virtually chronological setting as

incunabula of photography !

Laifle’s late period documented here besides by a “Portrait Postcard System Laifle.” from 1899, by which individual portrait photographs were applied to Laifle’s landscape postcards. Laifle won medals at the World Exposition Vienna 1873 & 1876 in Munich.

Offer no. 15,691 | EUR 118. (c. US$ 143.) + shipping

„ I have seen your excellent promo for this item (referring to the Diogo Ribeiro map) and I may be interested in acquiring it for a very important gift … “

(Mr. M. A. B., December 5, 2008)

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