Stereoscopic view of Castlemaine, Victorian goldfields, circa 1862.

JONES, John H. (1817?-1872)

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Stereoscopic albumen print photograph, each individual image 74 x 73 mm (arched-top format), on original card mount 83 x 175 mm;recto of mount imprinted 'Jones's Photographs of Australian Sceneries', and with contemporary manuscript caption in ink to bottom margin: 'Castlemaine'; verso with pencilled name of the original owner 'McMillan'; both prints are in good condition; the mount has some minor silverfishing at right edge and toning on the verso. An early bird's-eye photographic view of one of the most prosperous of the Victorian goldfields townships, looking across from the eastern hill, with the iron and brass foundry of Vivian & Co. in the the middle ground on the left. This early stereoscopic photograph of Castlemaine forms part of a larger series of views taken by travelling photographer John H. Jones, prior to September 1862 (see below). They document some of the recently completed major engineering projects associated with the construction of the Melbourne to Bendigo railway line, which was officially opened at Bendigo on20 October 1862by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Barkly. The images are reproduced in the Bendigo Art Gallery's 2013 exhibition catalogue of Jones' stereoscopic views, Her Majesty's Territories: Stereographic Views of Australian Sceneries (essay by Alva Maguire). Although the biographical information we have for John H. Jones (1817?-1872) is only sketchy, newspaper advertisements and articles from late 1862 and 1863 give a very clear idea of hismodus operandi as photographic entrepreneur. At this time he was selling his images in organised exhibitions and Art Unions in regional Victorian towns such as Bendigo, Castlemaine, Ballarat and Geelong, as well as in Melbourne itself. From The Argus, Melbourne, 23 September 1862: 'Proofs are daily offered that Victoria contains Scenery very much more beautiful thanis generally supposed, even by those who have resided longest in it. Mr Chevalier and Mr Guerardhave done much by their excellent landscapes, painted in the "Wild Wood" andby the Shore, to show that ourscenery is by no means tame and uninteresting; and a fine SeriesofStereoscopicPictures, taken lately by Mr J.H. Jones, of St. Kilda, while on a professional tour, will assist greatly in raising the colony to her proper place in this respect. AsPhotographs for the Stereoscope, the pictures are admirably executed, and the variety theypresent is very great, and all are very interesting. This series, if circulated In England,would remove many erroneous impressions from the minds of the people at home as toAustralian Scenery.' From The Star, Ballarat, 26 January 1863: 'Mr John H. Jones is now exhibiting at Bath'sHotel a very extensive series of photographs ofAustralian scenery, intended for minute inspectionby aid of the stereoscope. The views have beentaken by Mr Jones during a protracted tourthroughout the colony; and, while they are highlycreditable to his skill as a photographer and indicateno small amount of industry, they, make us awarethat Victoria is by no means so devoid of picturesquescenery as some people would have us believe. MrJones proposes to dispose of his photographs on theArt Union principle-- three hundred prizes, threehundred members, and two thousand five hundredand sixty views. In order to induce the fullestpatronage, Mr Jones has arranged that no membershall receive, a prize much below the, value of hissubscription, while he has the chance of obtainingone of nineteen prizes each worth more than sixtimes as much, and of one prize estimated at thevalue of twenty pounds. The photographs arearranged on a revolving apparatus, by which arrangement they can readily be viewed through theaid of the stereoscope, the whole forming a verydesirable appendage to the drawing-room. It isseldom that we have the opportunity of directingthe attention of readers to schemes so well worthyof support'. From the Mount Alexander Mail, 25 March 1863: 'Stereoscopic Views.-? Mr Jones continuesto exhibit h.

N° de réf. du vendeur 41965

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• Titre: Stereoscopic view of Castlemaine, Victorian goldfields, circa 1862.