A Portrait Group of Musicians
Notes & Analysis:
Another mystery photo from the collection: date, location and identity unknown - although apparently in Australia.
There are 28 musicians. Of the twelve men and four boys, two men wear full beards, five have moustaches and there are four clean shaven youths. There are ten women and two young girls. The oldest person is the white bearded man with the cello, the youngest is the girl sitting in front of the woman at the keyboard. The possible estimated age range is from 6 to 60+.
The wide age range suggests an amateur orchestra, possibly a township group. I can't think of an occupational group that would have children this young. Possibly a religious group but it seems large for a church group orchestra. A dance orchestra also seems unlikely.
The instruments include ten violins, a cello and a double bass. Those without instruments may be vocalists. No percussion, brass or woodwind instruments are evident. The keyboard instrument appears to have stops suggesting a harmonium, which, being much lighter than a piano, would be more easily carried into the street for the photo, and also a popular small church instrument.
The man on the far right standing half out of frame is wearing a uniform - possibly a railway employee.
The dimensions of the albumen print suggest a wide view camera with a distinct loss of focus at the edges.
If the trees are Radiata pines, an Australian location is probable, in light of their popularity for street planting in the late 19th and early 20th Century.
Two of the boys in front wear some sort of medal on a ribbon on their lapel, as do some of the women on the right. The exposed soles of the boys boots are in good repair and all are well dressed in their Sunday best.
The men's hats are mainly wide brim felt, a few bowlers and boaters with only one English cloth cap in evidence. This would be typical of the informal approach to head gear in the colonies where "Straw Hat Day", the day when men switched from wearing their winter hats to their summer hats, was little observed as a sign of the beginning of summer. The only male without a hat is a boy in the front group. The Akubra hat originated in Tasmania in 1874, the business moved to Sydney around 1900
The women's dresses show a wide range of styles, fabrics and hemlines. Some lace collars and trim contrast with the high-neck, black late Victorian bodice and cameo jewellery of the older woman standing to the left of the only girl in white.
The older woman in black is the only woman not wearing a hat, the other women's hats show a wide range of late 19th/early 20th Century styles.
The pavement is hard packed with a white painted line marking, like a tennis court, and there is a well formed kerb and a white picket fence in the background. There is a white piece of paper lying on the ground in the front.
The date range is late Victorian to Edwardian and the probable location Australia.
Your edifying comments will be, as usual, much appreciated.
Format : albumen photoprint
Licensing: Attribution, share alike, creative commons
Repository: Blue Mountains Library library.bmcc.nsw.gov.au
Part of: Local Studies Collection
Provenance: Donation
Date Range: 1900?
A Portrait Group of Musicians
Notes & Analysis:
Another mystery photo from the collection: date, location and identity unknown - although apparently in Australia.
There are 28 musicians. Of the twelve men and four boys, two men wear full beards, five have moustaches and there are four clean shaven youths. There are ten women and two young girls. The oldest person is the white bearded man with the cello, the youngest is the girl sitting in front of the woman at the keyboard. The possible estimated age range is from 6 to 60+.
The wide age range suggests an amateur orchestra, possibly a township group. I can't think of an occupational group that would have children this young. Possibly a religious group but it seems large for a church group orchestra. A dance orchestra also seems unlikely.
The instruments include ten violins, a cello and a double bass. Those without instruments may be vocalists. No percussion, brass or woodwind instruments are evident. The keyboard instrument appears to have stops suggesting a harmonium, which, being much lighter than a piano, would be more easily carried into the street for the photo, and also a popular small church instrument.
The man on the far right standing half out of frame is wearing a uniform - possibly a railway employee.
The dimensions of the albumen print suggest a wide view camera with a distinct loss of focus at the edges.
If the trees are Radiata pines, an Australian location is probable, in light of their popularity for street planting in the late 19th and early 20th Century.
Two of the boys in front wear some sort of medal on a ribbon on their lapel, as do some of the women on the right. The exposed soles of the boys boots are in good repair and all are well dressed in their Sunday best.
The men's hats are mainly wide brim felt, a few bowlers and boaters with only one English cloth cap in evidence. This would be typical of the informal approach to head gear in the colonies where "Straw Hat Day", the day when men switched from wearing their winter hats to their summer hats, was little observed as a sign of the beginning of summer. The only male without a hat is a boy in the front group. The Akubra hat originated in Tasmania in 1874, the business moved to Sydney around 1900
The women's dresses show a wide range of styles, fabrics and hemlines. Some lace collars and trim contrast with the high-neck, black late Victorian bodice and cameo jewellery of the older woman standing to the left of the only girl in white.
The older woman in black is the only woman not wearing a hat, the other women's hats show a wide range of late 19th/early 20th Century styles.
The pavement is hard packed with a white painted line marking, like a tennis court, and there is a well formed kerb and a white picket fence in the background. There is a white piece of paper lying on the ground in the front.
The date range is late Victorian to Edwardian and the probable location Australia.
Your edifying comments will be, as usual, much appreciated.
Format : albumen photoprint
Licensing: Attribution, share alike, creative commons
Repository: Blue Mountains Library library.bmcc.nsw.gov.au
Part of: Local Studies Collection
Provenance: Donation
Date Range: 1900?