Glass plate negative of Sydney Harbour from McMahons Point, 1885-1893
Object No. 85/1285-952
This image from a glass plate negative produced between 1885 and 1893 is a view of Sydney Harbour from McMahons Point looking east. There is much activity on the Harbour, including small sailing boats and the large Manly ferry 'Brighton' as well as an auxiliary steamer at anchor. The steamer, one of four ships of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company's 'Chimborazo/Lusitania' type (1871 onward), is 'dressed' with a full flag hoist and may be acting as regatta flagship for the many sailing craft on the harbour. Two of the 'Waratah' class paddle ferries (1884-1920) can be seen in the middle ground, one leaving and the other approaching McMahons Point wharf. On the shore opposite to the right the developing Milsons Point transport interchange (completed in 1893) is visible although the railway spur cannot be seen. Graeme Andrews OAM, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences volunteer under the supervision of Margaret Simpson, Curator, October 2015 This photographic negative was taken by the Sydney based photographer Henry King. It is part of a collection of over 1300 glass plates taken between 1880 and 1917, although most appear to have been made in the late 1880s and 1890s King was one of the Colony's most significant early photographers and although born in England around 1855 grew up in Sydney. He found work with the well-known Sydney photographer J. Hubert Newman and in 1880 established a studio in partnership with William Slade. Four years later he was sole proprietor. King quickly established a reputation for himself due to the high quality of his finished work. While King's income, like many other photographers, was dependent on portraiture he, like Kerry, is best known for his outdoor work. These views, particularly his city views, are justifiably praised and seem more carefully framed and printed than Kerry's. Outdoor views of Sydney make up the main bulk of King's work in the collection although, like Kerry, he took a series of photographs of the Jenolan Caves using magnesium flares. Henry King died aged 68 in Waverley War Memorial Hospital on 22 May 1923 following abdominal surgery Geoff Barker, Curatorial, December, 2008 References King, Richard, Australian Dictionary of Biography - Online Edition Josef Lebovic, Henry King, 1855 - 1923, auction catalogue, Josef Lebovic Gallery, Paddington, Australia, date unknown Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988
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Summary
Object Statement
Glass negative, entitled 'Sydney Harbour from McMahons Point, N.S.W.', full plate, glass/silver gelatin, photograph by Henry King, Sydney, Australia, 1885-1893
Physical Description
Glass negative, entitled 'Sydney Harbour from McMahons Point, N.S.W.', full plate, glass/silver gelatin, photograph by Henry King, Sydney, Australia, 1885-1893 Silver gelatin dry plate glass negative in landscape format. The caption, studio number and studio mark are inscribed on the reverse of the negative. 1/298 Tyrrell Inventory Number, 1198 King Studio Number
DIMENSIONS
Width
215 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
Henry King became sole proprietor of a photographic studio in George Street in 1880. Henry King's studio closed around 1900 and Charles Kerry acquired some of his negatives.
HISTORY
Notes
This photograph is one of 1334 Henry King photographs which are also part of a larger collection of 7,900 negatives once owned by Sydney bookseller, James Tyrrell. After King's death in 1923 the studio collection of glass negatives was purchased by Tyrrell. In addition to the Henry King images, the Tyrrell Collection at the Powerhouse Museum includes glass plate negatives published by Kerry & Co. Studio and a number of other negatives by unattributed photographers. James Tyrrell used the images by Kerry & Co. and Henry King to produce his own booklets and views of New South Wales but although full of iconic Australian images, the collection does not appear to have been fully utilised by Tyrrell. The photographic collection acquired by Tyrrell was purchased by Australian Consolidated Press and its new owners almost immediately set about producing a limited series of complete sets of contact prints of the collection for libraries and museums in New South Wales. Housed in boxes copies of these were given to the State Library of New South Wales and the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney. In 1985 Australian Consolidated Press donated the collection to the Powerhouse Museum. The collection at this time consisted of 7,903 glass plate negatives and 7,916 contact positive prints. Of these 493 glass plates were damaged but usable and 13 plates totally broken. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, December, 2008
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of Australian Consolidated Press under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme, 1985
Acquisition Date
19 July 1985
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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