This uncommon figure study is likely the work of Herbert Vandyk of London’s Vandyk Studio, who in 1913 took over the business which claimed members of the royal family and society as customers founded by his father Carl Vandyk in 1881.

Studio background-National Portrait Gallery, London: Photographic holdings – print and negative collections, online resource accessed July, 2018:

Vandyk  (floruit 1881-1943)

Photographic studio founded by Carl Vandyk (1851-1931). From 1881 to 1913 Vandyk Ltd. were based at 125 Gloucester Road and from 1901 to 1947 they had their premises at several addresses in Buckingham Palace Road. Carl Vandyk was succeeded by his son Herbert Vandyk (1880-1943), who had spent several years working for photographers in Berlin and Paris and having served his apprenticeship under his father. In 1913 Herbert Vandyk opened new studios in Buckingham Palace Road. The new premises consisted of two studios with six mercury vapour lamps, a lounge, four dressing rooms, offices and several dark rooms to accommodate the growth of the business. By 1916 there were over fifty members of staff employed there to deal with the huge quantity of work arising from the studio’s success. In 1964 the company became ‘Bassano and Vandyk Studio’ and a year later it incorporated ‘Elliott and Fry’.

The Gallery holds approximately 2,500 negatives 15 x 12 in, 10 x 12 in., whole-plate, half-plate, quarter-plate, glass and film, 1890s-1950s. Given by Bassano and Vandyk, 1974.

Studios:


125 Gloucester Road, Kensington 1881-1913.


37 Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster 1901-11.


39 Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster 1911-12.  Studio rebuilt.


41 Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster 1912-47.

Print notes, recto: signed in graphite or white pencil within lower left corner of print: Vandyk London; not shown: original but incomplete painted black-wood, table-top frame with miniature Vandyk London gilt sticker to verso; title of work assigned by this archive.  Condition: silvering to print margins along with losses to margins; areas of chemical or other staining to upper portion of print.

Provenance: acquired by this archive in June, 2018 from Herefordshire, UK dealer who originally purchased it from a Cotswolds house clearance at unknown date.