Diamond cameo portrait of Henry 5th Viscount Bolingbroke, 1860's

Here we have three rare images of Henry St.John 5th Viscount Bolingbroke (1820-1899) as a middle-aged man. This type of photograph was known as a Diamond Cameo Portrait, first introduced in 1864 and used on Cartes de Visite (visiting cards).

The 'diamond' name came from the arrangement of four small oval portraits in a diamond shape. Each portrait showed the subjects face in a different position. It was a difficult process to master as the individual photographs were 'punched' into a convex shape before all four were re-photographed on a single glass plate. Lord Bolingbroke patronised one of the exponents of this new technique, William Hall of Brighton.

At the time Henry was in a long term relationship with Ellen Medex whom he met in 1852. The couple lived between London and Brighton for over thirty years, masquerading as Mr and Mrs Morgan. Perhaps the missing photo, an ideal size for a locket, was made into a gift for Ellen.

Lockets reached their peak in popularity during the Victorian age and were typically given as a love token at weddings or on Valentine's day. On a long chain they could be worn close to the heart, opening to reveal a small photograph or a lock of a loved one's hair.