Fingerprints Collection

Fingerprint types, 17th century
Fingerprint types. 19th-century artwork showing three of the fingerprint types (arch, loop and whorl) identified by British scientist Francis Galton (1822-1911), who wrote on the subject from 1888

Fingerprint Sheet
Fingerprints on a fingerprint record sheet from the New Scotland Yard criminal record office. Metropolitan Police

Finger Printing, Records From Finger Print Bureau, Navy Department, 1912. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Finger Printing, Records From Finger Print Bureau, Navy Department, 1912. [USA]

Finger Printing, J.S. Taylor At Bureau of Finger Print, Navy Department, 1912. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Finger Printing, J.S. Taylor At Bureau of Finger Print, Navy Department, 1912. [USA]

Chief Geronimo's thumb & finger marks, Fort Sill, O.T. March 30, 1899 (drawing)
3672670 Chief Geronimo's thumb & finger marks, Fort Sill, O.T. March 30, 1899 (drawing) by Native American, (19th century); Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois, USA; © Newberry Library

Finger Print Department. Section of search room, officers searching records. Scotland Yard. London. May 1929

Index of fingerprints at Scotland Yard, London, c1912, (1935). Creator: Unknown
Index of fingerprints at Scotland Yard, London, c1912, (1935). The vast Scotland Yard index that contains more than 250, 000 finger-print entries

Fritz Lang's M
Images from Fritz Lang's 1931 film M, including Peter Lorre (1904-1964) as Hans Beckert in his first major film role. Date: circa 1931

Mug shot of Vincenzo Peruggia, Italian painter who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre on August 21, 1911, c
3714149 Mug shot of Vincenzo Peruggia, Italian painter who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre on August 21, 1911, c.1913 (b/w photo) by Italian Photographer

Transporting the wounded, Russo-Japanese war, 1904 (b / w photo)
833368 Transporting the wounded, Russo-Japanese war, 1904 (b/w photo) by Russian Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; Calmann & King Ltd; Russian, out of copyright

Detail of a French bulldog, small model, 1905 (bronze with brown patina)
5905907 Detail of a French bulldog, small model, 1905 (bronze with brown patina) by Bugatti, Rembrandt (1884-1916); 14x12.8x7.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Signed R Bugatti)

Baku Police form of the political criminal J Jugashvili (Stalin), 1910. Joseph Stalin (1879-1953) joined the Bolshevik movement in 1903

Human and gorilla handprints. On the left is a handprint from the left hand of a human adult male. On the right is a print from the right hand of a young gorilla

Enlarged fingerprint, artwork from Dr Henry Fauldss Guide to Finger-print Identification, 1905. Faulds, a Scottish scientist, was an early developer of fingerprint analysis

Sets of fingerprints, artwork from Dr Henry Fauldss Guide to Finger-print Identification, 1905. Faulds, a Scottish scientist, was an early developer of fingerprint analysis

Handprint of gorilla, artwork from Dr Henry Fauldss Guide to Finger-print Identification, 1905. Faulds, a Scottish scientist, was an early developer of fingerprint analysis

Illustration, index finger being pressed down on chart of fingerprints

Fingerprint records, 1924 C014 / 0459
Fingerprint records. 1920s application of fingerprinting technology to administer the bonus scheme established in the USA for World War I veterans

Wartime fingerprinting, 1917 C014 / 0460
Wartime fingerprinting. German being fingerprinted in New York City, USA, during the First World War (1914-1918). Research into fingerprinting developed throughout the 19th century

Military fingerprinting, 1930s C014 / 0461
Military fingerprinting. Uniformed man taking fingerprints during the 1930s. The ridges on the skin of human fingertips, a distinct and unique pattern

Fingerprints record, 1912 C014 / 0457
Fingerprints record, early 20th century. The ridges on the skin of human fingertips, a distinct and unique pattern, are an example of biometric data that can be recorded

Fingerprint analysis, 1918 C014 / 0458
Fingerprint analysis. Early 20th-century analysis of fingerprints, with a clerk using a loupe to examine the records. The ridges on the skin of human fingertips, a distinct and unique pattern

Global ID card
Biometric ID card. Computer artwork of a personal ID (identification) card carrying biometric data, data on biological measurements

Biometric ID cards. Computer artwork of personal ID (identification) cards carrying biometric data, data on biological measurements

Fingerprints made visible with ink, artwork from Dr Henry Fauldss Guide to Finger-print Identification, 1905. Faulds, a Scottish scientist, was an early developer of fingerprint analysis

Features of fingerprints, artwork from Dr Henry Fauldss Guide to Finger-print Identification, 1905. Faulds, a Scottish scientist, was an early developer of fingerprint analysis

Fingerprint dusting
MODEL RELEASED. Fingerprint dusting. Forensics officer dusting a window for fingerprints at a crime scene

Fingerprints, computer artwork

Orangutan and chimpanzee prints, from Dr Henry Fauldss Guide to Finger-print Identification, 1905. Faulds, a Scottish scientist, was an early developer of fingerprint analysis

Fingerprinting suspect
MODEL RELEASED. Fingerprinting suspect. Inked finger of a suspect who is being fingerprinted. The ink is applied to below the first knuckle

Recording thumbprint. Inked thumb of a suspect who is being fingerprinted. The ink is applied to the tip of the digit and this is rolled once over the paper to record a print of the whole surface

Fingerprint analysis. Forensic scientist pointing at fingerprints being compared by characteristic features (square yellow markers)

Fingerprints, historical image. Early 20th Century lithograph of male fingerprints (right hand). Published in A treatise on medical jurisprudence by George Vivian Poore (1902)

Fingerprint record card. Fingerprints are formed from the ridges on the skin of human fingertips. These ridges form a distinct and unique pattern

Metropolitan Police fingerprint database
A man sits at a monitor to look at fingerprints on the Metropolitan Police database

Metropolitan Police forensic investigators
Two Metropolitan Police forensic investigators gathering evidence at a crime scene

Criminal Record Offce
Checking fingerprints on the computer at the Criminal Record Office of New Scotland Yard. Metropolitan Police

Fingerprinting Training
New Scotland Yard fingerprint training class at Monck Street. Metropolitan Police

Police Fingerprinting
Police officer fingerprinting a man. Metropolitan Police

Criminal Record Office
Examining fingerprints at the Criminal Record Office looking through a microscope at New Scotland Yard. Metropolitan Police

Dusting for Fingerprints
Dusting a box for fingerprints at New Scotland Yard. Metropolitan Police

Fingerprinting techniques

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"Fingerprints: Unveiling the Unique Identity of Humanity" Intricate swirls and loops, arches and whorls; they have long fascinated humanity with their individuality. Dating back to the 17th century, these distinctive patterns became a crucial tool in identifying individuals and solving crimes. One can imagine the meticulous process of documenting fingerprints on an old fingerprint sheet, capturing every ridge and valley that tells a story unique to each person. Historical images transport us to bygone eras, like Fritz Lang's iconic film "M, " where fingerprints played a pivotal role in tracking down criminals. The infamous mug shot of Vincenzo Peruggia takes us back to August 21, 1911 when he daringly stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. This black-and-white photo captures not only his face but also serves as evidence of his one-of-a-kind fingerprint pattern. Scotland Yard's index showcases how this revolutionary identification method was embraced worldwide. The search room buzzed with officers meticulously searching records for matches, ensuring justice prevailed. Even beyond crime-solving, fingerprints found their way into unexpected realms. They adorned cards for an English family Murder/Mystery game called "I Commit" in the colorful litho style popular during the 1930s. Fingerprints hold stories beyond human history too – they witnessed moments like transporting wounded soldiers during the Russo-Japanese war or graced small bronze models such as a detailed French bulldog sculpture from 1905. Perhaps most intriguing is seeing Stalin's fingerprint form from Baku Police in 1910. Little did anyone know then what impact this political criminal would have on world history. From ancient times to modern investigations, fingerprints remain an enduring symbol of our uniqueness and interconnectedness as humans. Each print whispers tales untold yet waiting to be discovered—a testament to our shared past while shaping our future understanding of identity itself.