A case for Jason Benjamin

The photographic collections held by the University of Melbourne are a rich resource for those interested in the history of in Victoria. Notable collections include those of the Grainger Museum, the Ian Potter Museum of Art and the University of Melbourne Archives (UMA), all of which contain works by some of Victoria’s best-known photographers.1 Of particular significance, however, is UMA’s small but important collection of and ,2 the first photographic processes widely practised in Victoria. Often referred to as cased photographs, for the small protective boxes in which they were presented, these processes were in popular use in Victoria from 1845 until the mid- elements of the work of art that the influences of the international 1860s, when deserve attention in their own right. photographic trade on early cartes-de-visite began to dominate the The UMA selection, although photography in Victoria. photographic trade. relatively small (three daguerreotypes UMA’s largest single collection of One aspect of daguerreotypes and and 22 ambrotypes), includes cased images comes from the papers ambrotypes of particular interest is representative examples of the various of the Armytage family, wealthy the materials and techniques used in case designs and sealing techniques pastoralists who had established the sealing and casing of the images. used during the 1850s and 1860s, themselves in Victoria from the Often demonstrating a high level of thus providing a good overview of the after moving from van Diemen’s finish and design, the casing and development of this art form. For the Land. They are best known today as sealing components form an examples with a known Victorian the former owners of the historic important part of the overall object: a provenance, these casing elements can house ‘Como’ in South Yarra. cased .3 Although it is also reveal important information on Consisting of two daguerreotypes and usually the image contained within the origins of the photographic 16 ambrotypes (a number of which the case that is the primary focus, the supplies being used locally. This in were separated from their cases prior case and the sealing components are turn provides us with an insight into to deposit at UMA), this collection is

34 University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009 Photographer unknown, Armytage family group, Below: Interior view, illustrating the casing including Charles and Caroline Armytage and components including mat, protector and their eldest child, Charles Norman Armytage, at embossed velvet pad. The leather hinge can also be ‘Fulham’ near Balmoral, c.1858–1859, seen as well as the more ornate nature of this quarter-plate , housed in a wooden- example in comparison with the Strathfieldsaye based, leather-covered case, manufactured Estate daguerreotype. The colour effects on c.1857–1858, 8.1 x 9.3 x 1.5 cm. Armytage Family daguerreotypes were achieved by applying Collection, University of Melbourne Archives. dry pigment combined with gum arabic with a fine brush and then using heat and moisture Opposite: The embossed combination floral and generated by breathing on the image geometric external case design is more intricate to adhere it to the surface. and dominates more of the case surface than the Strathfieldsaye Estate daguerreotype case of the early 1850s illustrated on p. 37. The use of gold borders, which became popular during the 1850s, further adds to the busy effect.

significant for the many images, predominantly portraits, known to have been taken in Victoria. A smaller collection of five cased images is held in the Strathfieldsaye Estate papers which chronicle the Disher family of Stratford in Gippsland. Among this collection is the oldest example of a daguerreotype held by UMA. Of particular note is a rare half-plate landscape from the James Stewart Johnston papers, which depicts the National Trust and Victorian Heritage Register listed ‘Glenara’ homestead at Bulla.4 The daguerreotype was the first photographic process practised in Victoria and was introduced to the then Port Phillip District of New South Wales in August 1845 by George Baron Goodman (d.1851), ’s first professional photographer. Perfected in 1839 by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre (1787–1851), who built upon the work of earlier pioneers, the daguerreotype was the first practical photographic process to be widely used by professional photographers. Popular until the late 1850s, the daguerreotype image was formed on a highly polished -coated plate. The mirror finish made the image difficult to see at particular angles. As this process did not utilise a , the image created was

University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009 35 unique and could not be duplicated the displaying of images on walls.6 In cases were manufactured in five without re-photographing it. Britain and North America, however, standard sizes,9 and were the Although it is unclear who first the most common practice was the predominant style used introduced the ambrotype process to adoption of small cases that had internationally. Except for minor Victoria, the first advertisement for originally been designed for the structural changes, these standard the process by a professional housing of miniature portraits painted wooden cases were consistent in basic photographer appeared in 1854.5 The on ivory.7 In conjunction with these construction throughout their period basic ambrotype process was first cases, protective sealing methods of use. The skeleton structure of the made public in 1851 by its inventor, utilising mats, glass, tapes and earlier cases consisted of ten pieces of Frederick Scott Archer (1813–1857), preservers—a thin metal wraparound shaped wood, five pieces each for the and quickly gained popularity. The frame—were developed. base and lid. This structure was made ambrotype is an under-exposed The art of case making and the up of a rectangular base of solid wood negative on glass that is made positive manufacturing of sealing accessories with four rails glued to the edges to by covering the reverse of the glass for these formats reached its height in form the side rim. In America from with an opaque coating, usually a North America, where between the the early 1850s a design consisting of black lacquer. Once the reverse is 1840s and 1860s millions of cases seven pieces of wood for each half of coated the end result is a soft and were manufactured annually for the the case was introduced, to prevent pearly positive image without the photographic trade. As well as the warping that was common with reflective surface of the daguerreotype. supplying the domestic market, the the earlier design. The additional two As with the daguerreotype this cases and sealing components were pieces of wood were used as cross- process also produces a unique image. also exported. Advertisements for grain reinforcing of the two The image surfaces of both the local photographic suppliers firmly baseboards. The most common type daguerreotype and ambrotype are establish that Victoria was a part of of wood used was a soft North highly sensitive to mechanical and this trade.8 Although in many American native pine.10 environmental damage, which meant instances the origins of the cases and It is rare to be able to see the that protective sealing and housing sealing components are unclear, a underlying structure of these cases methods were required for number of examples held by UMA but a detached pad from the lid of an preservation. Depending on the confirm that America was the source Armytage family quarter-plate region, certain protective conventions for some of the cases being used in daguerreotype affords us an developed that, in concept, changed Victoria. opportunity to do so. This particular little throughout the period during The most common form of case example demonstrates the seven-piece which these types of images were represented in the UMA collection is construction introduced in America produced. In continental Europe the that of a shallow base and lid during the early 1850s, with the most common practice was to adapt constructed from wood. Usually of a cross-grain reinforcing plainly visible. conventional picture methods combined depth of several The daguerreotype housed in this using mats under glass that favoured centimetres, these wooden-based case (illustrated on pages 34–35) is

36 University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009 Photographer unknown, Portrait of an unknown woman, c.1850–1855, daguerreotype, housed in a wooden-based, leather-covered case, manufactured c.1850–1855, 7.5 x 6.1 x 1.6 cm. Bequest of Dr Harold Clive Disher, 1976, Strathfieldsaye Estate Collection, University of Melbourne Archives.

Left: The case features a relatively simple combination floral and geometric embossed design. Note the visible joins in the leather along the case’s edge which, in contrast with the Armytage family daguerreotype case, are quite obvious.

Below: Interior view revealing plain mat, lack of preserver and simple embossing of velvet pad.

also of particular interest as it is a rare surviving example of an external view. This group portrait, which includes Charles and Caroline Armytage and their eldest child, Charles Norman, standing in front of their homestead at ‘Fulham’, the family’s property near Balmoral in Victoria’s Western District, would have been taken in about 1858–1859 and is one of the later daguerreotypes produced. The greatest change to the cases during their period of use concerned the design elements employed on the external surfaces. Earlier cases were generally plain with only a simple geometric design on the lid, but by the 1850s more intricate designs were favoured and usually appeared on contrasts with later embossing cut with raised design features. The both sides of the case. Geometric and designs which are far more intricate embossed layer, slightly larger than floral designs were the most popular and dominate more of the case the case surface, was placed upon the and all the examples held by UMA surface. Gold borders—which further already glued wooden surfaces of the fall into these two categories.11 The added to the busy appearance of many top and base of the case, then Strathfieldsaye Estate daguerreotype designs—also became popular during repeatedly brushed with a blunt illustrated above is a good example of the 1850s. rubber stick until the glue set. This the early use of the intricate floral and The exterior finish of cases process was mechanised in 1854 by geometric designs that became commonly consisted of leather the use of a press which was able to increasingly favoured. Dating from (usually a paper-thin sheepskin), glue embossed surfaces on to six cases the early 1850s, this sixth-ninth plate paper or cloth. The majority of the at a time.12 brown leather case is embossed with a UMA’s cases with a Victorian The next step in the finishing central motif of flowers and fruit provenance are finished with leather, process involved attaching a single surrounded by a combination of suggesting that this was the preferred strip of thin, high quality leather to geometric and foliate borders. style locally. From the early 1850s the the front rail, two side rails and Although combining both common finish was usually embossed prior to partially to the back rail. The quality design elements, the overall effect is being glued to the case. This was of the craftsmanship in paring and one of relative , which achieved using a brass cylinder die, feathering the leather margins

University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009 37 Below: Thomas S. Glaister, Portrait of an Right: Photographer unknown, Portrait of an unknown woman, c.1854, uncased ambrotype, 8.4 unknown man, c.1850–1859, daguerreotype, x 7.2 cm. Armytage Family Collection, University housed in a wooden-based, leather-covered case, of Melbourne Archives. The Armytage Family manufactured c.1850–1859, 11.8 x 9.3 x 2.0 cm. Collection was gifted to the University in 1968 by Armytage Family Collection, University of Mrs Constance Fitzpatrick (née Armytage) and Melbourne Archives. the estate of Miss Leila Armytage. This case features a rare green velvet pad and The brass mat and protector and the cover glass heavily embossed mat. have been separated from the case, which has been lost. The portrait demonstrates the use of black lacquer to produce a positive image. This photograph is significant as one of few of the period to be identified with a photographer’s name.

resulted in almost imperceptible joins greater level of stylistic and technical in the different pieces of leather once change. The earliest known sealing they were glued down.13 The high technique used in Victoria was the quality craftsmanship in forming Wharton frame which was in these joins is evident in many of the currency until at least 1847.15 Named UMA’s examples, although not in all. after its designer Thomas Wharton, a The rather obvious joins in the Birmingham brass founder, this frame Strathfieldsaye Estate daguerreotype consisted of a solid brass plate that case illustrated on page 37 suggest was indented with a well to fit the that a more rudimentary approach daguerreotype plate and four edge was taken in these earlier examples. flaps that were bent around the The hinge joining the two halves daguerreotype, mat and glass to seal of the case was generally the unit together before being fitted manufactured from a single piece of into the case. heavier leather and was commonly The Wharton case seems not to called the ‘inside-outside back’. It was have been used later than 1847 and attached to both the inside and the until the introduction of preservers in outside portion of the rear rails, the Armytage Family collection also the early 1850s only a thin tape was concealing the exposed wood not has rare examples of purple and green used to seal the image. This method covered by the rail strip.14 Later (illustrated above right). A velvet- had been standard convention in American cases also used cloth to covered strip of cardboard, usually the America since the early 1840s, and form this hinge and at least one same colour as the pad, was used to involved sealing the daguerreotype, example of this can be found in the line the inside rails of the base to along with the mat and cover glass, Armytage Family collection. form a tight border to hold the image with tape manufactured from a heavy The pad used inside the lid was in place. The Strathfieldsaye Estate tissue or writing paper spread with designed to further protect the image daguerreotype pad on page 37 is a gum Arabic.16 These tapes continued and generally consist of a cardboard good example of the simpler designs to be used after the introduction of mat, cotton wool wadding and, most favoured in earlier years, with its preservers and can often be seen commonly, a silk or velvet fabric single flower motive surrounded by a around the edges in less well-finished which was folded over the cardboard plain geometric border. examples. A quarter-plate ambrotype and glued in place. In earlier cases the As noted above, the general depicting Caroline Armytage, covering fabric was plain but from the structure of cases did not change without a preserver or case, affords us late 1840s onwards the velvet was significantly and it was largely the an opportunity to view this taping usually embossed with ornate designs. style of the decorative elements that system in some detail, with its fine The most common colours were reds, altered. The sealing components used quality, lightly embossed sealing paper pinks, rust and burgundy, although for the image, however, experienced a (illustrated opposite).

38 University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009 Photographer unknown, Portrait of Caroline Armytage, c.1860, quarter-plate ambrotype, mounted but without a case, 18.0 x 14.6 cm. Armytage Family Collection, University of Melbourne Archives.

Embossed paper has been used as sealing tape. The border is of gilt card rather than the more typical brass mat. Also unusual is the use of white painted cover glass to perform the visual function of a mat.

Preservers were used in America agents, which allowed for much as early as 1847 but were not bolder bas-relief designs than those common until about 1850,17 and not possible with embossing. Designs in Victoria until after 1851. The depicting historical events, people, preserver was designed to hold the animals and places became popular, as image unit together in the same did an expanding range of the floral manner as the tape but with the and geometric designs used with the added advantage of providing an embossed wooden cases. aesthetic frame. Preservers were America was the primary manufactured from paper-thin, manufacturer of the Union case, with pliable sheet brass, cut to a the first for a specific rectangular shape with malleable flaps manufacturing process being granted that were wrapped around the image to Samuel Peck of New Haven, plate, mat and glass. The preservers Connecticut, in October 1854.18 were generally embossed, at first with There was one known English simple designs, but later, especially manufacturer, John Smith of during the 1860s, with quite ornate Birmingham, who filed a elements that could encroach upon common material used in Victoria, thermoplastic case patent in 1859,19 both mat and image. This evolution although there are two examples of but most examples found in Australia in design is evident in the UMA gilt card used with ambrotypes in the were probably imported from collections with later images Armytage collection. As with America. This is supported by the demonstrating a tendency towards the preservers, the later mats were usually Union case held by UMA (illustrated more ornate, visible in a number of more ornate and increasingly utilised on page 40) which is identical to the Strathfieldsaye Estate embossing as a design element, which published images of American-made ambrotypes. again is evident in the Strathfieldsaye examples.20 The Strathfieldsaye Mats have been a consistent part Estate ambrotypes. Estate example consists of a quarter- of the sealing process for cased Although the covered wooden plate metal hinged black case with a photographs since the early 1840s cases were the predominant format ‘C’ scroll border and central Maltese and are present in all intact examples used in Victoria, an example of an cross design on both lid and base. held by UMA. The early mats were ambrotype housed in a thermoplastic Although the portrait of the relatively plain with ellipse, double Union case in the Strathfieldsaye unidentified gentleman is undated, ellipse, oval and octagon being the Estate collection confirms that this his style of dress suggests the late shapes favoured for the viewing format was also in local use. Union 1850s to mid-1860s. This date range window. They were usually made of cases were manufactured from an is further supported by the presence sheet brass or gilt card. Sheet brass early type of moulded plastic made of embedded hinges, which were appears to have been the most from shellac, wood fibres and tinting introduced in 1856.21

University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009 39 Photographer unknown, Portrait of an unknown man, ambrotype, c.1856–1866, housed in a moulded thermoplastic Union case manufactured in North America, 12.6 x 10.5 x 2.3 cm. Bequest of Dr Harold Clive Disher, 1976, Strathfieldsaye Estate Collection, University of Melbourne Archives.

This example of a Union case was manufactured in America after 1856 and demonstrates the use of embedded hinges.

Although daguerreotype and can be found in the Armytage Family 14 Rinhart, American miniature case art, p. 20. Collection held by the University of 15 Although no examples of George Baron ambrotype photographs were Melbourne Archives. Measuring 4.7 x 4.3 x Goodman’s Victorian photographs have been produced in their thousands by 1.2 cm, this leather-covered case was designed identified, his surviving photographs produced professional photographers, their to fit a sixteenth-plate daguerreotype or during the mid-1840s in New South Wales ambrotype but has been used to house a are in Wharton frames. Victoria’s second fragile nature has resulted in relatively trimmed albumen print portrait of a young photographer, Douglas Kilburn, is known to few making their way into public woman. have used Wharton frames for images collections.22 The University of 4 Photographer unknown, View of ‘Glenara’ produced in Melbourne during 1847. homestead at Bulla, c.1857–1860, half-plate 16 Barger and White, The daguerreotype, p. 203. Melbourne Archives’ three ambrotype, housed in a wooden-based, 17 A. Kenny, Photographic cases: Victorian design daguerreotypes and 22 ambrotypes leather-covered case, manufactured c.1857– sources 1840–1870, Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2001, dating from the 1850s and 1860s are 1860, 13.3 x 18.4 x 2.5 cm. James Stewart p. 152. Johnston Collection, University of Melbourne 18 C. Krainik, Union cases: A collector’s guide to the therefore valuable resources in the Archives. art of America’s first plastics, Grantsburg: study of this period of photography. 5 Alan Davies and Peter Stanbury, The Centennial Photo Service, 1988, p. 5. mechanical eye in Australia: Photography 1841– 19 J. Hannavy, ‘John Smith and England’s Union Jason Benjamin is Coordinator of Conservation 1900, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, cases’, The Daguerreian Annual: Official Programs with the Cultural Collections Group, 1986, p. 24. Yearbook of the Daguerreian Society, Eureka, University of Melbourne. Prior to this he was 6 F. and M. Rinhart, American miniature case art, CA: The Daguerreian Society, 1997, p. 47. Coordinator of Reference Services at the New Jersey: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1969, p. 17. 20 See Kenny, Photographic cases, p. 102. University of Melbourne Archives. He has recently 7 M. Susan Barger and William B. White, 21 The embedded hinge system, as demonstrated completed a graduate certificate in photographic The daguerreotype: Nineteenth-century technology by this Union case, was patented by Samuel materials conservation at the University’s Centre and modern science, Washington: Smithsonian Peck in 1856. Peck’s design resolved the for Cultural Materials Conservation. Institution Press, 1991, p. 202. problem of cases breaking during the hinging 8 The Batchelder and O’Neill Daguerreotype process (which up to this point involved and Photographic Portrait Studio was one of drilling a hole through the case) by embedding the main suppliers of photographic equipment the metal supports of the hinge into the and materials in Victoria from as early as 1857. thermoplastic while still in a plastic state. Notes The company’s advertisement in the 1859 22 In addition to the fragility of these formats, Sands & Kenny’s commercial and general the fact that many were sent ‘home’ to family 1 Spanning more than 150 years, these Melbourne directory lists both England and and friends by a largely immigrant population collections include works by Thomas S. America as the sources of their goods. has also greatly contributed to their scarcity in 1 Glaister, Charles Nettleton, Mina Moore, Jack 9 The standard sizes were whole plate at 9 /8 x 7 Australian public collections. Helen Ennis 7 Cato and Wolfgang Sievers, to name a few. inches, half-plate at 6 x 4 /8 inches, quarter- muses that future histories of early Australian 3 3 2 During their period of production in Australia, plate at 4 /4 x 3 /4 inches, sixth-ninth plate at photography may in fact be written in Britain 7 3 ambrotypes were commonly referred to as 2 /8 x 2 /8 inches and sixteenth-plate at 2 x 1¾ rather than Australia (Helen Ennis, positives or positives on glass. inches. Photography and Australia, London: Reaktion The term ambrotype (derived from the ancient 10 Rinhart, American miniature case art, p. 18. Books, 2007, p. 14). Greek word for imperishable and first used to 11 Cases decorated with historical scenes and describe the process by its American patent portraits were popular in America, but the holder, James Cutting) has subsequently general lack of examples in Victorian become the widely accepted term for this collections suggests that they were primarily process. manufactured for the local market rather than 3 Although predominantly used for for export. daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, cases were 12 For a more detailed description of this process also used to house and early albumen see Rinhart, American miniature case art, p. 18. prints. An example of a cased albumen print 13 Rinhart, American miniature case art, p. 19.

40 University of Melbourne Collections, Issue 5, November 2009