Glass plates by Dr Kissling

  Glass plates by Dr Kissling, Dumfries Museum, 2019    These are three glass-plate photographs taken by Dr Kissling and their box, which has a label from a London photography company A. Sinclair & co. They show some of his photographs taken on Eriskay in 1934.   Although their box is from a London company these glass plates were found in a bin in J. J. Byers camera shop in Dumfries in 1979, due to be thrown away.   After moving to Dumfries in 1968, Dr Kissling continued to have copies of his photographs developed to sell and to give as gifts to friends. He was remembered as a regular visitor to J. J. Byers.   As his health and financial situation declined, he was less able to go out to the camera shop and some of his photographs were left behind.   Luckily, these were rescued before they were thrown out and were donated to Dumfries Museum in 2019.   With thanks to Amanda Marchbank and Sarah for providing information.   Dr Werner Kissling (1895-1988) was a German photographer and ethnographer who spent most of his life documenting Scottish crafts, architecture, and agricultural practices. He was associated with Dumfries Museum from the mid-1950s until his death in 1988.