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Lot Essay
The note signed by Noel accompanying the photograph of him holding this Una camera states: '12.2.78...the camera I am seen holding was built by Messrs. Newman and Sinclair of London in 1922, for my use in making the still pictures for the Everest Expeditions, for which I was official photographer in 1922 and 1924. It was made of seasoned teak, with brass bindings, and remained completely unaffected by the extremes of temperature and rugged use... [signed] Captain J. Noel'
John Noel (1890-1989) led an unauthorised expedition into Tibet in 1913 in an attempt to chart the route to Everest and became the first European to get within forty miles of the mountain before he was turned back by Tibetan forces. In 1919 after active war service he presented his findings to the Royal Geographical Society and a reconnaissance expedition was mounted in 1921 which he was invited to join but he was unable to get leave from the army. In order to join the 1922 expedition Noel resigned his army commission and joined as official photographer, producing moving and still pictures. For the 1924 expedition Noel undertook to raise £8000 and to pay his own expenses and in returned was granted copyright on all photographic material. He aimed to recover his costs through the exhibition of film and selling of postcards and prints of the expedition.
The 1924 expedition resulted in the loss of George Leigh-Mallory and Andrew Irvine on the mountain, believed by some, including Noel, to have reached the summit. Noel was the recipient of Mallory's last written note giving him instructions on where he and Irvine could best be filmed on their fateful climb. Mallory's body was found in 1999 and reburied on the mountain. Searches continue to be mounted for the camera he and Irvine carried which might prove whether they reached the summit. Noel was convinced the pair had conquered Everest's summit.
Noel's commercial postcard venture proved successful with images taken during the 1922 expedition being posted from the 1924 base camp via India (see lot 322a). The cards announced the film to be shown at the Scala cinema in London in November 1924. Noel's Newman Sinclair motion picture camera was given to the Science Museum. Thes camera offered here was used to make the still photographs during the two expeditions and took the last photographs of Mallory and Irvine leaving base camp.
The photographs in this lot are not offered with copyright.
John Noel (1890-1989) led an unauthorised expedition into Tibet in 1913 in an attempt to chart the route to Everest and became the first European to get within forty miles of the mountain before he was turned back by Tibetan forces. In 1919 after active war service he presented his findings to the Royal Geographical Society and a reconnaissance expedition was mounted in 1921 which he was invited to join but he was unable to get leave from the army. In order to join the 1922 expedition Noel resigned his army commission and joined as official photographer, producing moving and still pictures. For the 1924 expedition Noel undertook to raise £8000 and to pay his own expenses and in returned was granted copyright on all photographic material. He aimed to recover his costs through the exhibition of film and selling of postcards and prints of the expedition.
The 1924 expedition resulted in the loss of George Leigh-Mallory and Andrew Irvine on the mountain, believed by some, including Noel, to have reached the summit. Noel was the recipient of Mallory's last written note giving him instructions on where he and Irvine could best be filmed on their fateful climb. Mallory's body was found in 1999 and reburied on the mountain. Searches continue to be mounted for the camera he and Irvine carried which might prove whether they reached the summit. Noel was convinced the pair had conquered Everest's summit.
Noel's commercial postcard venture proved successful with images taken during the 1922 expedition being posted from the 1924 base camp via India (see lot 322a). The cards announced the film to be shown at the Scala cinema in London in November 1924. Noel's Newman Sinclair motion picture camera was given to the Science Museum. Thes camera offered here was used to make the still photographs during the two expeditions and took the last photographs of Mallory and Irvine leaving base camp.
The photographs in this lot are not offered with copyright.