A paper calotype negative. A head-to-shin portrait photograph of an unidentified naval officer(?) leaning on a belaying pin rail with his left arm resting on the rail. He has his cap in his right hand. He is standing on the port side of the 80-gun Second Rate, three-decker HMS 'Superb' (1842) between first and second 32-pounder gun before the ship's waist. Part of the breech ropes of the second gun can be seen on the left of the image. Behind him is the high ship's barricade/bulwark with the canvas cover on the top protecting the stowed hammocks. HMS 'Superb' was part of the Experimental Squadron sent to sea to test the Symonds designs against earlier warship designs. It is not certain who took the photograph, as both Talbot and Henneman, acting as his assistant, were on board at the time. (See article 'Talbot and Henneman, Mount Edgcumbe and Plymouth Dockyard Images' by Michael Grey in "The PhotoHistorian", Autumn 2014). Talbot and Henneman had arrived at Mount Edgecumbe by 20 September and Calvert Jones wrote to Talbot on 1 October 'You were fortunate in having such capital subjects as the experimental squadron and I shall be most anxious to see a specimen.' [BL, LA45-133]

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An unidentifed naval officer(?) standing by the belaying pin rail on the port side of the 80-gun three-decker HMS 'Superb' (1842). Inversed digital file to create b&w positive.