[Editor: This carte de visite, featuring a photograph of a woman, is undated; however, it is believed to have been made in, or shortly after, 1878. It was made by the Royal Arcade Photo Studios, Melbourne (Vic.).]
[Front of carte de visite]
Royal Arcade
Photo Studios,
(Late Bardwell’s)
Melbourne,
Op. General Post Office.
Mr. C. Hewitt, Manager.
[Description: A photograph of a woman.]
[Reverse of carte de visite]
[Description: The reverse side of the carte de visite is blank.]
Source:
Original document
Editor’s notes:
Dimensions (approximate): 66 mm. (width), 105 mm. (height).
This carte de visite was printed on a sturdy cardboard mount, with rounded corners.
The young woman in the photograph appears to have a brooch, in the shape of a violin, pinned to her collar.
A search of the historical newspapers on the National Library’s Trove site reveals some traces of the life of Charles Hewitt, photographer. He had commenced working in the field of photography in 1859. A notice in a 1859 newspaper announces the dissolution of a partnership of photographers who had been working together in Great Ryrie Street, Geelong (his business partner was William F. Roberts). A news report on a pickpocketing incident in 1861 mentions his photography shop in Bourke Street, Melbourne. An advertisement in 1866 reveals that he had been working at 5 Collins Street (Melbourne), and had then moved to 95 Swanston Street (Melbourne). A minor news item from 1866 reports that he was producing the “new cabinet photograph portraits” (cabinet cards were larger versions of the cartes de visite). A few weeks later, another advertisement informs readers of his Swanston Street shop’s big selling points, “centrally situated; fireplace, water on” (which, as a matter of historical interest, implies that those amenities were not readily available in a lot of other premises). By March 1878 he was working at Bardwell’s Royal Studio, in Collins Street (Melbourne); and then, in July 1878, he was back in his premises at 95 Swanston Street. As the accompanying carte de visite says that he had been working at Bardwell’s shop, this would suggest that the CDV was made in approximately mid-1878, or shortly thereafter.
See: “Dissolution of Partnership” (in the “Public Notices” section), The Geelong Advertiser (Geelong, Vic.), 30 September 1859, p. 1, column 8
“Police”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 29 August 1861, p. 6 (see section “Picking pockets”)
“Charles Hewitt, photographic artist” (advertisement), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 11 July 1866, p. 8
“[General news section]”, The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.), 4 August 1866, p. 2, column 5 (“We have received from Mr. Charles Hewitt, Swanston street, a specimen of the new cabinet photograph portraits. The picture measures 5½in. by 4in., and is a great improvement upon the old style.”)
“Office to let” (advertisement), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 29 August 1866, p. 1 (“centrally situated; fireplace, water on”)
“C. Hewitt, Photographer” (advertisement), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 23 March 1878, p. 8 (“C. Hewitt, Photographer, late of Swanston-street, is now at Bardwell’s Royal Studio, 21 Collins-st. E.”)
“C. Hewitt, Photographer” (in the “Missing Friends, Messages, &c.” section), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 4 April 1878, p. 1, column 1 (“C. Hewitt, photographer, late of Swanston street, is now at Bardwell’s Royal Studio, 21 Collins- street east”)
“C. Hewitt, Artist Photographer” (advertisement), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 23 July 1878, p. 7, column 6 (“C. Hewitt, Artist Photographer, 95 Swanston-street, Melbourne. Business resumed after alterations Monday next. Established 1859”)
op. = (abbreviation) opposite
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