Hemdé was a trademark for photography accessories and stereoscopes. The name was composed of the company’s location in Hem, a small village near Lille in northern France, and letters from the surname of the founder, Maurice Henri Louis Delécaille (1859–1917).
From 19021, the company advertised accessories for the slow development of photographic glass plate negatives (“développement lent”). In 1908, Hemdé introduced the “Marbach”, a tank for the development of Autochrome plates2. The Autochrome colour photography process was introduced by the Lumière brothers a year earlier. In 1908, Hemdé was also the exclusive dealer in France for the camera Le Giorno3.
Delécaille patented a design for a stereoscope mechanism in 1907, together with Émile Cuny and Paul Sorel4. The patented mechanism was used in Hemdé stereoscopes, but Cuny also developed stereoscopes based on the mechanism. Probably some prototypes or early models were made before the general market introduction5.
Co-patent holder Sorel owned the photography store Photo-Luxe at 89, Rue Nationale in Lille6. He became the second director of Delécaille’s company7, which was renamed to Societé Delécaille et Sorel. The company was dissolved on 31 December 19098. The breakup between Delécaille and Sorel was a friendly one because the manufacturing of Hemdé products and stereoscopes was continued by Sorel. The business activities moved from Hem to Lille. From that moment on, the stereoscopes bore both names, Hemdé and Sorel.
Delécaille continued as a photographer. He devoted himself to the Autochrome colour photography process. Albert Kahn’s Archives de la Planète project contains a few autochromes from 1917 that were made by Delécaille9. His death was probably the reason that his contribution to the project remained small. Delécaille died in 1917 and his death certificate lists his profession as “Autochromiste”10.
Hemdé and Sorel
Hemdé products were sold to consumers and offered via resellers. Stereo camera manufacturer Lucien Leroy offered the Hemdé stereoscopes in his catalogue from 1913. The Hemdé products were exported to Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
Sorel died on 3 February 191311 at the age of 36, and his company was split up. Photo-Luxe was continued by Léon Hamy at 89, Rue Nationale. The business activities that were linked to the Hemdé brand were continued by Sorel’s widow12, Rose Dejonghe13. She moved the company to 9, Rue Macquart in Lille, which was her residence. The company continued operating under the name P. Sorel.
After the outbreak of the First World War, Lille was occupied by the German army on 13 October 1914. An occupation of four years followed, which took a heavy toll on the city and its inhabitants. It is unlikely that the manufacturing and sale of Hemdé products could continue in these difficult circumstances. Many companies were plundered by the German army of machines and raw materials to support the German war effort.
Lille was liberated on 17 October 1918. The company of Sorel’s widow had survived the war or was revived, because in 1919 it advertised the Hemdé stereoscopes again14. This time the address was 3, Rue Macquart, and the company probably only focused on sales through retailers and wholesalers. Some stereoscopes have been seen with a label showing the new address.
No new advertisements from the company appeared after 1919, but Hemdé’s products were promoted in advertisements and catalogues of resellers until the mid-1920s.
References
- L’Information photographique (1902), p. 81. Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- Bulletin de la Société française de photographie (1908), p. 289. Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- Hemdé (1908) Le “Giorno” Appareil Photographique ↩︎
- Cuny, E., Sorel, P. and Delécaille, M. (1907) Vis perfectionnée. Via: data.inpi.fr ↩︎
- Photo Comptoir Artistique. Via: stereosite.com ↩︎
- Photo-Luxe in Le Nord photographe (1914). Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- Bulletin de la Société française de photographie (1909), p. 14. Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- Archives commerciales de la France (16-02-1910), p. 316. Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- Archives de la Planète. Via: data.opendatasoft.com ↩︎
- Départment de la Seine Commune de Vincennes (1917), Register double des actes de décés pour l’an 1917. Via: nl.geneanet.org ↩︎ ↩︎
- Le Grand écho du Nord de la France (05-02-1913). Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- L’Information photographique (1913), p. 210. Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- État civil (Mariages) – Lille, Nord, France. Via: geneanet.org ↩︎
- Le Grand écho du Nord de la France (31-08-1919). Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎