85/1284 Negatives, various subjects, silver gelatin / glass, published by Kerry & Co., part of the Tyrell collection, New South Wales and Queensland, Australia, 1890-1917.

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Kerry & Co. photographs from the Tyrell Collection, 1884 - 1917

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Object statement

Negatives, various subjects, silver gelatin / glass, published by Kerry & Co., part of the Tyrell collection, New South Wales and Queensland, Australia, 1890-1917.

Statement of significance

These photographic negatives were published by the Sydney firm Charles Kerry & Co. and are part of the Powerhouse Museum's Tyrell collection which contains over 2,900 glass plate negatives by Kerry & Co. Although a few appear to be from the 1880s most were produced between 1892 and 1917. Over this period, and well into the early 1900s, prints from these negatives appeared in many Australian publications and albums of views. In 1903 the company began producing postcards from these negatives, further establishing the images as some of the most significant and best known early views of New South Wales.

Some of the more significant themes covered by the collection include; views of New South Wales, Queensland, country towns, Sydney, Indigenous Australians, the South Pacific, rural life, native flora and fauna, and sentimental views. In addition there are a number of significant events from the 1900s covered by the collection including; Embarkation of troops for the Boer War, Hordens fire and the Inauguration of the Commonwealth in 1901, the arrival of the Great White Fleet and the Burns verses Johnson boxing match at Rushcutters Bay in 1908.

Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009

References
Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988
David, Millar, Charles Kerry's Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981
Tyrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrell, Sydney, 1929

Production notes

Charles Kerry was born in 1858 and by 1885 was running a studio in partnership with C. D. Jones. This partnership lasted until 1892, when Charles became sole owner and changed the studio's name to Kerry and Co. By 1890 the company was employing a number of photographers who would become famous in their own right. George Bell who covered rural New South Wales was employed in 1890 and Harold Bradley was doing outdoor work and covering events around Sydney by 1899.

Kerry continued to work in the field and in 1895 he took photographs of Royal National Park for New South Wales Government, photographed Queensland artesian bores and was employed by the New South Wales Government to travel the state and photograph Indigenous Australians. In 1897 Kerry led the first party to reach the summit of Mt Kosciuszko in winter conditions and photographed the Jenolan caves.

By 1900 Kerry had turned his studio into one of the largest and most respected photographic establishments in the colony. His new four story premises at 310 George St were designed by the architect H. C. Kent and the third floor studios alone could accommodate 70 people wanting their portraits taken.

In 1913 Kerry retired leaving the running of the studio to his nephew, unfortunately the business did not do well and Kerry and Co. closed its doors in 1917. Kerry himself died in 1928.

Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009

References
Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988
David, Millar, Charles Kerry's Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981
Tyrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrell, Sydney, 1929
Charles Kerry opened his own studio in 1884, this evolved into Kerry and Co (c. 1893-1901), Kerry and Co closed in 1917.

History notes

These 2900 photographic negatives by Kerry & Co. are part of the Powerhouse Museum's 'Tyrell Collection' once owned by Sydney bookseller, James Tyrell. Almost all of these negatives are 21.5 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8 inch) glass plates and many of those now held by the Powerhouse Museum collection would have been used to create postcards. In addition to the Kerry & Co. Studio images, the Tyrell Collection at the Powerhouse Museum includes glass plate negatives published by Henry King and a number of other negatives by unattributed photographers

James Tyrell 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 Tyrell.

In 1980 the collection was purchased by Australian Consolidated Press who published a limited series of 2000 contact prints from the collection. 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 keeping a set of copy prints for themselves. The collection at this time consisted of 7,903 glass plate negatives and 7,916 contact positive prints, and of these 493 glass plates were damaged but usable, 13 plates totally broken.

A further 2,500 Kerry & Co. negatives are held in the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney, although these do not appear to have been acquired from the Charles Kerry and Co. by Tyrell.

Geoff Barker, Curatorial, January, 2009

References
Newton, Gael, Shades of Light; Photography and Australia 1839 - 1988, Australian National Gallery, Canberra, 1988
David, Millar, Charles Kerry's Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981
Tyrell, James, Australian Aboriginal and South Sea Islands Implements, Weapons and Curios, James Tyrell, Sydney, 1929

This text content licensed under CC BY-NC.

Description

Negatives, various subjects, silver gelatin / glass, published by Kerry & Co., part of the Tyrell collection, New South Wales and Queensland, Australia, 1890-1917.

Made: Kerry and Co; ; 1884 - 1917

Made: Kerry, Charles H; ; 1884 - 1917

Used: Kerry, Charles H;

Used: Tyrrell, James Robert;

Used: Tyrrells Bookshop;

Used: Australian Consolidated Press;

Used: Kerry and Co;

Marks

See part records

Registration number

85/1284

Production date

1884 - 1917

This text content licensed under CC BY-SA.

Acquisition credit line

Gift of Australian Consolidated Press under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme, 1985

This object belongs to:

Tyrrell Photographic Collection

Subjects

+ Photography

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{{cite web |url=http://from.ph/27533 |title=Kerry & Co. photographs from the Tyrell Collection |author=Powerhouse Museum |accessdate=26 May 2013 |publisher=Powerhouse Museum, Australia}}

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