The example shown here probably dates from the 1890s, the Soho Sq. address was occupied from around 1888.

Krystal lantern plates appeared on the market in 1899 in lantern, quarter-plate and stereo sizes. Intended for lantern slides and transparencies by contact printing. Developed in gaslight.

RSO stands for Rapid Screenless Ortho.

The Finlay Colour process was based on the work of Clare Livingston Finlay, it was an additive screen-plate processes using a separate screen. The screen comprised diagonal lines of red and blue squares alternating with lines of green and blue squares. Separate screen processes had the advantage that duplicates of the image could easily made.

Different screens were used when making the negative and viewing the positive. The positive plate was produced by contact printing and then bound together with the viewing screen. As well as general colour photography the process was used in the printing industry (graphic arts), separation negatives were produced using 'block-out' screens to cover the appropriate squares in the negative that were not to print.

Finlay Colour Ltd. was wound up in 1936, Finlay Colour (London) was probably in operation during the disposal and winding up period.

Cut-film, made by Austin Edwards, was held in envelopes, an adapter held the envelope firmly to the film plane. The draw-slide of the adapter engaged the cover of the envelope, when the draw-slide was pulled out the film was uncovered.

The Tottenham address dates this item to before October 1898 when the company moved to Warwick.