Photograph Album featuring New South Wales, Australia. c.1895

This album presents late 19th-century Sydney produced by Kerry & Co. (the studio of pioneering Australian commercial photographer Charles Kerry, active circa 1884–1917).

Transition in Mass Urban Transportation: The image of Redfern Railway Station captures Sydney's original main terminal before the modern Central Station was constructed in 1906. It documents the transition era where horse-drawn hackney cabs, early steam trams, and steam railways operated side-by-side.

The Commercial Boom of Colonial Sydney: The view down George Street (looking south from Bathurst Street) depicts the rapidly expanding commercial architecture of late-Victorian Sydney. Visible signboards like Biddell Brothers Confectioners (505 George St) and local auctioneers Hardie & Gorman / Richardson & Wrench reflect the intense land speculation and trade boom preceding Australian Federation in 1901.

Civic Pride & Architecture: The photographs highlight colonial public infrastructure designed by Government Architect James Barnet, including the imposing Chief Secretary's Building (Macquarie/Bridge Street) complete with its sentry box, as well as the newly established Royal Botanic Garden.

Pioneering Commercial Photography: Charles Kerry’s studio operated as the largest photo-publishing house in Australia from its three-story headquarters at 310 George Street. Kerry popularized the distribution of albumen prints and glass-plate landscapes that shaped the international visual image of colonial New South Wales.

Half leather, bound album with 66 large-format photographs.

Foxing to the mounts (visible on the margins of these pages) especially the prelims. and fading to the silver/albumen prints. There are some crisp dark-toned prints. This is B-grade condition and sold with all faults.

430mm x 320mm x 55mm

R7,500