Douglas Stewart Fine Books Pty Ltd

[Photographer unknown] # 1946 Albumen print photograph, carte de visite format (94 x 53 mm), laid down on a stock card of the photographer Em. Blanchet (his imprint verso) at a contemporary date, the sitter's name 'Moetia Salmon' inscribed in ink verso of the albumen print itself, still clearly legible, although as a reverse image; a photographer's circular wet stamp is also very faintly visible through the paper, but is not identifiable. The vignette portrait is in fine condition, with excellent tonal range. A rare and important portrait of Ariʻiʻinoʻore Moetia "Moe" Salmon (1848-1935), the daughter of Alexander Salmon (1820-1866), a merchant from an English-Jewish family who had become secretary to Queen Pomare IV of Tahiti and who had married in 1842 Ariitaimai (Princess Oehau) of the Tahitian royal family. Moetia's younger sister was Johanna Marau Salmon, who was to become Queen Marau of Tahiti (consort of Pomare V), and whose daughter Moetia would adopt later in life. Her older sister was the celebrated Titaua Tetuanui Salmon, who married John Brander, the wealthiest and most influential trader in eastern Polynesia during this period. In the mid 1860s, when she was just seventeen, Moetia visited Europe with Titaua and John Brander. Within a few years of her return she married Dorence Atwater, the U.S. Consul to Tahiti, in 1871. Aside from his diplomatic career, Atwater also became a highly successful businessman in the pearling industry, and was recognised as a philanthropist with a particular interest in eradicating leprosy. Atwater was accorded honorary royal status in Tahiti: after his death in 1910, Moetia arranged for his body to be brought back to Tahiti from San Francisco, where Moetia and he had spent most of the previous few decades on account of Atwater's ill health. A portrait of Moetia Salmon taken by the French naval officer and photographer Paul Emile Miot during his visit to Tahiti in 1869-70 appears to be exactly contemporary with this image, and it is certainly possible that Miot was also the photographer of this portrait, which may have been sold commercially by a studio (cf Mme. Moetia Salmon, niece de la Reine Pomaré IV, sœur de la Mme. Brander, p. 73 in Picasso, Sydney. The invention of Paradise, 1845-1870. Photographs by Paul Emile Miot. Munich : Galerie Daniel Blau, 2008). This photograph was originally from an album belonging to a French naval doctor who served in the colonies, which would explain the fact that the print is laid down on the card of Emanuel Blanchet, a photographer active in the 1860s at Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe.

Silver albumen print photograph (210 x 150 mm) in original glazed frame (390 x 440 mm). Printed caption on mount above image: "Colac Regatta, December 1886. Senior Eight (Won by Corio Bay Rowing Club)"; the crew are identified in printed captions below image, including "C. Brownlow (Stroke)" (Brownlow is seated, second from left, his hands on the shoulders of the coxwain). Charles Brownlow (1861-1924) played with the Geelong Football Club in the VFA from 1880-1891, so this photograph was taken at the height of his playing career. At the time, Brownlow was also club secretary (he held this position from 1885-1923). The Brownlow Medal, first awarded in 1924, was named in his honour. It is awarded annually to the Best and Fairest player in the Australian Football League.

Carbon print photograph (305 x 460 mm) in original glazed frame (470 x 595 mm), c 1930. Titled in pen on mount below image; back of frame inscribed in pencil in period hand: "Photo by William King". A spectacular composition of the silhouetted Melbourne skyline at twilight, looking west.