A VICTORIAN travelling photographer’s studio is looking for a new home when it goes under the gavel at auction in Dorset.
Having spent most of its life in Swanage, the old photographer’s daylight studio was commissioned by the Pouncy family of Dorchester in Victorian times.
Father and son photographers John and Walter Pouncy, along with subsequent professional photographers, took a vast number of photos of seaside visitors to Wareham in the studio.
Auctioneers Charterhouse are selling the asset, which requires some restoration work, on August 5.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to acquire what we understand to be a unique piece of Victorian photography history which would make a stunning studio or office,” said Charterhouse founder Richard Bromell.
“Not an easy lot to put a value on. One year ago we sold a Victorian Shepherd’s hut for £13,000 and decided, after some discussion, to estimate this super rare studio at £8,000-12,000.”
The horse drawn studio has an interior with fittings for retaining the backdrops, a small darkroom for changing and processing plates, a glazed roof section and side, and has sprung wheels.
In the current ownership for several decades, it continued to be used as a photographer’s studio but now requires some work having lived in a field near Wareham for years.
The auction is being held at Charterhouse’s Sherborne salesroom, although the studio will remain onsite at Wareham from where it will need to be collected by its potential buyer.
Visit charterhouse-auction.com for more information.
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