John Joseph Griffin FCS of 10 Finsbury Square, London, described himself as a 'chemist, mineralogist and optician'. The firm was established in 1826 and associated with Richard Griffin and Company of Glasgow. J. J. Griffin moved to London in 1848. It was located at 53 Baker Street before moving to Finsbury Square circa 1852. The firm was active in supplying apparatus and chemicals for photographic purposes from an early date and by May 1854 when its catalogue appeared in Robert Hunt's Manual of Photography (fourth edition, 1854) it retailed a full range for all photographic processes.

Griffin offered a range of printing or 'Pressure Frames' described for 'producing positive pictures, copying Botanical Specimens, Flowers, &c' from 8½ x 6½ inches for 10s for a basic model to £1 5s for a 12 x 10 inch model 'with the latest improvements'. The basic frames had a simple retaining bar, the next style was made of oak and allowed the inspection of the developing picture without moving the paper; their Improved pressure frames allowed the copying of collodion negatives and the top-of-the-range models were produced in French-polished mahogany with folding backs and 'all the recent improvements'. This example is the latter model. Hunt described this model in his book 'a more convenient pressure frame in cosntrcuted in the manner represented by... This contains two bars, one of them movable, and both of them may be fixed in any required position by binding screws'.