Frederick Scott Archer (1813-1857) invented the photographic collodion process which preceded the modern gelatin emulsion. He was born in Bishop’s Stortford in the UK and is remembered mainly for this single achievement which greatly increased the accessibility of photography for the general public.

Scott Archer was the son of a butcher who went to London to take an apprenticeship as a silversmith. Later, he became a sculptor and found calotype photography useful as a way of capturing images of his subjects. Dissatisfied with the poor definition and contrast of the calotype and the long exposures needed, Scott Archer invented the new process in 1848 and published it in ‘The Chemist’ in March 1851, enabling photographers to combine the fine detail of the daguerreotype with the ability to print multiple paper copies like the calotype.

He later developed the ambrotype jointly with Peter Fry.

He died impoverished, as he did not patent the collodion process and made very little money from it. An obituary described him as “a very inconspicuous gentleman, in poor health.” His family received a gift of £747 after his death, raised by public subscription, and a small pension was also provided to support his three children after the death of their mother. The Royal Photographic Society has a small collection of Scott Archer’s photographs.

Interior of the Great Hall 1851, F.S. Archer. Sel d’or toned Abumen print from whole plate collodion negative signed and titled on the mount by Archer in pencil. From the Kenilworth Castle series photographed by Archer in 1851. Provenance: William, 2nd Earl of Craven. Courtesy Scully & Osterman Archives.

Archer is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery London W10 4RA. The grave is on the right hand side of the leaning stone and it’s position indicated by the wreath of white flower.

It is a tragedy that more than 150 years have passed and yet Frederick’s grave still lacks a marker. Mark Osterman of “George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography” hopes to raise enough money to have a memorial stone placed on Frederick Scott Archer’s grave. If you would like to contribute please contact Scully & Osterman at: sculloster@gmail.com

Other Places To Donate:

http://www.scottarchermemorial.co.uk/

http://www.wetplateday.org/wpd_base_fr.php?p=4
In honor of the process and the inventor, Frederick Scott Archer, we are going to publish a soft cover, 8.5” x 8.5” perfect bound, color book. This book will be available on Lulu for purchase. The proceeds will go toward a proper grave stone for Mr. Archer’s burial lot.
The storefront is: http://stores.lulu.com/wwpcpd