Folio albums. Sizes: (9 1/4 x 12 inches) 24 ff.; (14 x 17 inches) 68 ff.; (14 x 17 inches) 40 ff
1900 · Wellington Bridge, Hobart, Australia
by ANSON BROTHERS FIRM. ANSON, Henry Joseph (1853-90), ANSON, Joshua (John) (1854-?); BEATTIE, John Watt (1859-1930)
Wellington Bridge, Hobart, Australia: Anson Brothers Firm; John Watt Beattie, 1900. Folio albums. Sizes: (9 1/4 x 12 inches) 24 ff.; (14 x 17 inches) 68 ff.; (14 x 17 inches) 40 ff. Image Sizes: (5 3/4 x 8 inches); (10 x 13 inches). 100 photographs in 3 albums. First is 48 albumen photographs mounted recto verso on thick paper, all but two with manuscript titles in ink or pencil underneath photographs. "Anson's Photographs" label printed in black on inside front cover. Pencil signature of "John L [indecipherable]" on front flyleaf. Second is 32 albumen photographs, most with white titling on front of photographs. "T. Keig, Photographer" bookplate label on inside back cover. Third is 20 albumen photographs with white titling on most. First volume with original publisher's binding half-bound in black Morocco with gilt tooling, brown cloth boards with embossed gilt titles, ornament, and edges. Second and third volumes half-bound in black Morocco with blue boards and gilt letters, ruling, bands, and edges. Photos laid loose in part of second and all of third volume. All three volumes have same patterned paper endpapers.
Three historically significant bespoke albums of 100 combined photographs of Tasmania, taken c.1880-1900 by the ill-fated, prize-winning, criminal Anson Brothers' firm and its successor, John Watt Beattie. Wonderfully executed, in publisher's bindings, with manuscript captions and lyrical photos of Hobart, Huon, and New Norfolk, including tours of mountains, rivers, forests, government buildings, and monuments.
The Anson Brothers, who kept a commercial photography studio from 1879-1891 in Hobart, made albums to order, with varying selections of photographs. As did John Watt Beattie, who bought the Anson Brothers out of their studio in 1891 after two years of working with them. Accordingly, the photographs are mounted in these three albums, which carry no other text or identifying material in their interiors, except for manuscript captions and titles printed on photos. Other versions of Tasmanian Scenes seen in institutional collections have only 23 or 24 photographs, as is the case with the National Library of Australia's versions. The Beattie volumes seem even more uncommon. Text from an 1891 advertisement for the Anson Brothers studio reads: "Tasmanian Scenery. Mountain, Lake, River and Waterfall." The Largest Collection of Photographs of the above to be seen in the Colonies, From Sixpence Each, or 5s, 10s, 15s, and 25s per doz. Assorted Packets sent on receipt of P.O. Order to the Amount. Albums from 2s. 6d. to 10 10s." Another advertisement adds: "Books of Views in Infinitive Variety. Any taste can be gratified. Any means satisfied. Shortly to be ready. Books of views from 6d each." The photographs chosen for these albums put one on a grand tour of Tasmania in its infancy, showcasing the beauty of its geography in views of enormous fern trees, Mount Wellington, and grand rivers and ports. Touristic sights such as Tasmans Arch and Franklin Square are captured, so too is the city of Hobart, from all directions, its dirt roads evocative of the period. Fundamental infrastructure and important government buildings are also presented from Hobart. Separate volumes give the same treatment to New Norfolk and the Huon Valley respectively. The Anson Brothers led lives of great promise and drama. They were able to maintain a studio through disease, bankruptcy, and intermittent prison sentences. John Watt Beattie, who was the official photographer for the government of Tasmania, later took over their studio and turned it into a success: "John took over the whole building. The shops were turned into exhibition rooms, one for landscapes, and the other for portraits and groups. The basement was used for making and mixing chemicals and sensitising printing papers. There was a large framing department, workrooms and darkrooms, the Beattie Lending Library, the Beattie Museum of Van Diemens Land relics, a huge studio where groups of seventy or eighty people could be taken, and access to a roof top for sun printing." Titles of photographs in Tasmanian Scenes: "Government House, "Botanical Gardens" (4), "Hobart looking East," "Hobart looking South," "Hobart from the Bay," "Hobart from M'Gregors," "Hobart from Domain," "Hobart from new town," "Part of Hobart," "Hobart looking South," "Sunny side new town," "St. Johns Church new town," "Fern Tree Bower," "Huon Road," "Macquarie Street" (in pencil), "Town Hall" (in pencil), "Coach on Huon Road," "Huon Road," "Mt. Wellington from Huon Road," "Ploughed fields," "Sleeping Beauty victoria Huon," "Huon Bridge," "Road to Salmon Ponds" (2), "Salmon Ponds" (2), "River Derwent near new norfolk," "Hells Gates new norfolk," "Derwent Lighthouse," "Carleton Bridge," "Natural Pavement" (2), "Port Arthur" (2), "Tasmans Arch," "Launceston from Cataract Hill," "Franklin Mon[ument] & Square" (in pencil), "Hobart from Rosny" (in pencil), "Corra Linn," "Mt. Bischoff" (2), "Punch Bowl," "Public Buildings Launceston." Titles of photographs in New Norfolk and Lakes Tasmania: "Asylum from Pepperment Hill, New Norfolk," "New Norfolk from Cemetery Hill," "Pulpit Room, from Veranda Bush Hotel, New Norfolk," "New Norfolk from Pepperment Hill," "The Derwent and Hop Gardens at New Norfolk," "The Derwent at New Norfolk," "Russell Falls - Lower Fall," "English Trout Captured at the Great Lake Tasmania Weight from 11 to 17 Lbs, 1898," "Trout, Taken at the Great Lake, Tasmania," "The Derwent and Dunrobin Bridge," "Falls on the Clyde, Near Bothwell," "Mt. Gould - Du Cane Range - from Narcissus River - Lake T. Clair," "Manfred Gorge - Lake St. Clair 440 A," "Mt. Gould - Lake Marion 272 A," "Mt. Olympus from N. End of Lake St. Clair 244 A," "Mt. King William from Linda 254 A," "The Needles - Lake St. Clair 261 A," "Mt. Byron - Lake St. Clair 262 A," "Lake Mariom 265 A," "Falls on Derwent at Lake St. Clair 215 A," "Lake St. Clair from SW 223 A," "The Frenchmen Range from Mt. King William 240 A," "Mt. King William from Road to Arrowsmith 175 A," "Mt. Byron, Manfred, and Marion, Lake St. Clair 226 A," and "River Derwent at New Norfolk." Titles of photographs in Huon Tasmania: "Huon Road, Near the Fern Tree 1019 A Beattie, Hobart," "On the Huon Road," "Mt. Wellington from Huon Road," "On the Huon Road (2)," "Fern Tree Bower and Track," "Fern Gully from Above Silver Falls, Fern Tree Bower," "Fern Scenery Huon," "Track to Silver Falls, Fern Tree Gully 865 A," "The Sandfly Falls," "Big Ben Gum Tree on the Estate Mr. W. L. Glennett, Saw Mill Proprietor Port Esperance," "Lake Hartz and Mt. Hartz," "Fluted Cape, Adventure Bay, S. Bruni 87A Beattie, Hobart," and "Beatties Lacoon and Mt. Hartz. (Inventory #: 40993)
Three historically significant bespoke albums of 100 combined photographs of Tasmania, taken c.1880-1900 by the ill-fated, prize-winning, criminal Anson Brothers' firm and its successor, John Watt Beattie. Wonderfully executed, in publisher's bindings, with manuscript captions and lyrical photos of Hobart, Huon, and New Norfolk, including tours of mountains, rivers, forests, government buildings, and monuments.
The Anson Brothers, who kept a commercial photography studio from 1879-1891 in Hobart, made albums to order, with varying selections of photographs. As did John Watt Beattie, who bought the Anson Brothers out of their studio in 1891 after two years of working with them. Accordingly, the photographs are mounted in these three albums, which carry no other text or identifying material in their interiors, except for manuscript captions and titles printed on photos. Other versions of Tasmanian Scenes seen in institutional collections have only 23 or 24 photographs, as is the case with the National Library of Australia's versions. The Beattie volumes seem even more uncommon. Text from an 1891 advertisement for the Anson Brothers studio reads: "Tasmanian Scenery. Mountain, Lake, River and Waterfall." The Largest Collection of Photographs of the above to be seen in the Colonies, From Sixpence Each, or 5s, 10s, 15s, and 25s per doz. Assorted Packets sent on receipt of P.O. Order to the Amount. Albums from 2s. 6d. to 10 10s." Another advertisement adds: "Books of Views in Infinitive Variety. Any taste can be gratified. Any means satisfied. Shortly to be ready. Books of views from 6d each." The photographs chosen for these albums put one on a grand tour of Tasmania in its infancy, showcasing the beauty of its geography in views of enormous fern trees, Mount Wellington, and grand rivers and ports. Touristic sights such as Tasmans Arch and Franklin Square are captured, so too is the city of Hobart, from all directions, its dirt roads evocative of the period. Fundamental infrastructure and important government buildings are also presented from Hobart. Separate volumes give the same treatment to New Norfolk and the Huon Valley respectively. The Anson Brothers led lives of great promise and drama. They were able to maintain a studio through disease, bankruptcy, and intermittent prison sentences. John Watt Beattie, who was the official photographer for the government of Tasmania, later took over their studio and turned it into a success: "John took over the whole building. The shops were turned into exhibition rooms, one for landscapes, and the other for portraits and groups. The basement was used for making and mixing chemicals and sensitising printing papers. There was a large framing department, workrooms and darkrooms, the Beattie Lending Library, the Beattie Museum of Van Diemens Land relics, a huge studio where groups of seventy or eighty people could be taken, and access to a roof top for sun printing." Titles of photographs in Tasmanian Scenes: "Government House, "Botanical Gardens" (4), "Hobart looking East," "Hobart looking South," "Hobart from the Bay," "Hobart from M'Gregors," "Hobart from Domain," "Hobart from new town," "Part of Hobart," "Hobart looking South," "Sunny side new town," "St. Johns Church new town," "Fern Tree Bower," "Huon Road," "Macquarie Street" (in pencil), "Town Hall" (in pencil), "Coach on Huon Road," "Huon Road," "Mt. Wellington from Huon Road," "Ploughed fields," "Sleeping Beauty victoria Huon," "Huon Bridge," "Road to Salmon Ponds" (2), "Salmon Ponds" (2), "River Derwent near new norfolk," "Hells Gates new norfolk," "Derwent Lighthouse," "Carleton Bridge," "Natural Pavement" (2), "Port Arthur" (2), "Tasmans Arch," "Launceston from Cataract Hill," "Franklin Mon[ument] & Square" (in pencil), "Hobart from Rosny" (in pencil), "Corra Linn," "Mt. Bischoff" (2), "Punch Bowl," "Public Buildings Launceston." Titles of photographs in New Norfolk and Lakes Tasmania: "Asylum from Pepperment Hill, New Norfolk," "New Norfolk from Cemetery Hill," "Pulpit Room, from Veranda Bush Hotel, New Norfolk," "New Norfolk from Pepperment Hill," "The Derwent and Hop Gardens at New Norfolk," "The Derwent at New Norfolk," "Russell Falls - Lower Fall," "English Trout Captured at the Great Lake Tasmania Weight from 11 to 17 Lbs, 1898," "Trout, Taken at the Great Lake, Tasmania," "The Derwent and Dunrobin Bridge," "Falls on the Clyde, Near Bothwell," "Mt. Gould - Du Cane Range - from Narcissus River - Lake T. Clair," "Manfred Gorge - Lake St. Clair 440 A," "Mt. Gould - Lake Marion 272 A," "Mt. Olympus from N. End of Lake St. Clair 244 A," "Mt. King William from Linda 254 A," "The Needles - Lake St. Clair 261 A," "Mt. Byron - Lake St. Clair 262 A," "Lake Mariom 265 A," "Falls on Derwent at Lake St. Clair 215 A," "Lake St. Clair from SW 223 A," "The Frenchmen Range from Mt. King William 240 A," "Mt. King William from Road to Arrowsmith 175 A," "Mt. Byron, Manfred, and Marion, Lake St. Clair 226 A," and "River Derwent at New Norfolk." Titles of photographs in Huon Tasmania: "Huon Road, Near the Fern Tree 1019 A Beattie, Hobart," "On the Huon Road," "Mt. Wellington from Huon Road," "On the Huon Road (2)," "Fern Tree Bower and Track," "Fern Gully from Above Silver Falls, Fern Tree Bower," "Fern Scenery Huon," "Track to Silver Falls, Fern Tree Gully 865 A," "The Sandfly Falls," "Big Ben Gum Tree on the Estate Mr. W. L. Glennett, Saw Mill Proprietor Port Esperance," "Lake Hartz and Mt. Hartz," "Fluted Cape, Adventure Bay, S. Bruni 87A Beattie, Hobart," and "Beatties Lacoon and Mt. Hartz. (Inventory #: 40993)