The photographs in this album were taken by Hedda Hammer (Morrison) (1908-1991) during her sojourn in Peking 1933-1946, and complement the large collection of her photographs, personal memorabilia and objects donated to the Powerhouse Museum by her husband Alastair Morrison. It is a fine example of the type of album that Hedda produced for wealthy clients, mostly expatriates, after her contract at Hartung's Photo Shop expired in 1938.

Hedda's photographs of Peking were well known and she sold prints and albums to wealthy overseas visitors as souvenirs. The photographs in this album are vintage prints and each has a caption written in pencil by Hedda. The photographs include some that are represented in the Museum's collection of exhibition prints and others that are not. The subjects of the photographs include 'Shanhaiguan, view from the Great Wall', 'Jade Fountain, Marble Pagoda', 'Forbidden City, Corner Tower', 'Tanzhe si, Western Hills', 'Coal Hill from Beihai', 'Altar of Heaven', 'Temple of Heaven', 'Jehol, Summer Palace', 'Great Wall at Nankow', 'Summer Palace', 'Nan Hsi Men in Frost', 'View from City Wall, Cheng Ting Fu', 'Hsi Pien Men', 'Hsi Che Men', 'Yellow Temple', 'Beihai Pailou', 'Pei Hai', 'Forbidden City from Pei Hai', 'Nan Hai'.

The final page in the album is signed at lower left: 'Photographs, Hedda Hammer, Peiping', indicating that it predates her marriage with Alastair Morrison on 5 July 1946. The album and photographs are in good condition. The front of the silk covered box is faded.

According to Alastair Morrison the photographs of the Great Wall were most probably taken during a trip when Hedda realised on her return that she had left a roll of film near the wall. She retraced her steps, found the film, but as it was too late to return she had no option but to sleep on the wall. Alastair also observed that the photograph taken in Zhengding fu was the first photographic trip that Hedda made outside of Peking and that the Altar of Heaven photograph was taken in the moonlight. Alastair also observed that it was most likely the photographs were taken between 1939 and 1942. (Conversation with Alastair Morrison upon viewing the album in Canberra, 25 August 2005).

This album is a fine example of the type Hedda Hammer produced for travellers and wealthy clients, mostly expatriates, after her contract at Hartung's Photo Shop expired in 1938. She worked from a small darkroom in her home at Nanchang Street and, following the model of Hartung's, prepared thematic albums of her photographs. Potential buyers had the option of ordering single photographs or an entire album composed of photographs of their choice. According to Alastair Morrison, the albums and boxes were made up at a small shop in Hatamen, now known as Chongwengmen. The photographs in this album are vintage prints and each has a caption written in pencil by Hedda.

This album was purchased by the museum in 2005. According to the vendor it was purchased from a bookshop in America.

Photograph album and box, 'Scenes of Beiping', paper / cardboard / silk / wood, photographs by Hedda Hammer (Morrison), Peking, China, 1938 - 1946

Concertina style photograph album containing 21 black and white silver gelatin photographs of landscape and architectural scenes taken by Hedda Hammer (Morrison) in and around Peking during the period 1933 to 1946. The front cover bears a photograph of a lotus flower and leaves, the Chinese characters 'Scenes of Beiping' ('Beiping fengjing') and two red name seals. The Chinese characters that constitute the seals are unclear but appear to be Hedda's name in Chinese. She was referred to in Chinese as 'Miss Han' ('Han guniang'). The photographs have been mounted onto a long white card which has been folded, concertina-style to form a Chinese-style album, which opens out from left to right. Underneath each photograph is a caption handwritten in pencil by Hedda. Below the final photograph is also handwritten in pencil 'Photographs Hedda Hammer, Beiping'.

Custom-made Chinese style box to house the fold-out series of photographs, made of thick cardboard and covered in yellow silk. The cover of the box folds over the front and is fastened on the left hand side with two wooden tabs which slide into yellow silk loops. The lid of the box folds back to reveal three decorative internal flaps which are cut to form the interlocking shape of a 'Ruyi' sceptre head, an object that is associated with good wishes. The flaps are folded out to the left, and to the top and bottom to reveal the album inside. The decorative flaps are edged with gold paper.

Photographed: Morrison, Hedda; Peking, China; 1933 - 1946

Made: Peking, China

See part records
Chinese characters on the front cover: "Bei Ping Feng Jing" (Scenery of Beiping (old Beijing)).
Two iron-red seal imprints: "(illeg: Han Kuang Jiang) Yin" (Name seal of (illeg: Han Kuangjiang)); "Guang Wei (illeg.)" (unclear meaning).

2005/268/1

1933 - 1946

36 mm

272 mm