In 1909 Charles K. Bowers was apprenticed to a photographer called Pickard in Leeds. He worked with Pickard until the outbreak of war when he was sent to work for Short Brothers Aircraft Factory on the Isle of Sheppey from where he was later transferred to Sopwith Aviation at Kingston-upon-Thames.
Following its liquidation in 1922, he joined the STD Combine and formed the photographic department of their publicity company, The Albermarle Press. Bowers subsequently bought the rights and continued his photographic business.
The collection, which is being sold direct from the family, is contained in small boxes with each glass plate negative being wrapped in protective covering. Delicate by nature, the negatives are of incomparable quality and cover a vast range of motoring subjects and marques.
Some of the familiar coachbuilders, personalities and manufacturers include H.J. Mulliner, W.O. Bentley, Park Ward, Lagonda, Darracq, Talbot and Morris.
This very well-known archive will be sold as one lot and is expected to realise in excess of £30,000.
A lens makes its marque
Coming up in ....Hendon: The Bowers archive, depicting some of the most historic and important monochrome images of the motoring industry dating from the early part of the 20th century to the 1950s, will be included in Bonhams’ sale of Collectors’ Motor Cars, Cycles, Automobilia, Toys & Models at the RAF Museum, Hendon on April 28.
