Queen's Album e-catalogue - Catalog - Page 17
Public offices
c. 1880
Collodion negative
NSW State Archives
A4078/A4053
(left)
Collection of photographs presented
for the acceptance of Her Most
Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria
by the Government on behalf of
the people of New South Wales
1880
Volume - cover
State Library of NSW
X981/3
a large tome measuring approximately 1’7” x 2’
x 4”, weighing 3 st.2 It contained 56 photographs,
all with the same titles, dates and scenes listed as
being in the Queen’s album – excepting the eight
naval scenes from 1881. This album’s design and
embellishments matched those detailed in the GPO
specimen book. So, too, did its title page. It even had
the purple velvet cover – albeit faded and worn thin.
And the once-glistening silver work that centred on
the ‘VR’ monogram was still evident despite severe
tarnishing. We concluded that this was likely to be
PLATES OF GLASS:
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC
NEGATIVES
As our conservators retrieved the 10” x 12”3 glass
plate photographic negatives from their protective
crates and carefully laid them on light boxes,
moments from 140 years ago suddenly appeared.
We could look into the sweeping land and streetscapes and make out time-telling details: a horse
the first album created for Queen Victoria in 1880.
and buggy, a clutter of masts and sails, corseted
With the State Library of NSW discovery, we
were tell-tale signs of age, wear and tear. As
now knew the majority of the scenes featured
in the Queen’s album. The next step was to find
out whether there were any surviving glass
plate negatives among the 14 million items in the
State Archives Collection. Guided by the GPO
photographic registers and armed with copies of
prints from the State Library of NSW’s album, we
were able to match positive with negative. To our
parasol-carrying women. Interrupting the scenes
collodion wet plates, the negatives have all suffered
damage. One has become detached from the glass
plate. Reactions to humidity and moisture have
resulted in planar distortion and cracking. All are
scratched with small losses and some have silver
mirroring. A few have significant breaks, including
the loss of the glass substrate.
delight, we found 48 original glass plate negatives
in the Collection dating from the 1870s to 1881.
2
One foot, seven inches x two feet x four inches, weighing
three stone, or 480mm x 600mm x 100mm, weighing 20kg.
3
T
en inches x twelve inches or 254mm x 305mm.
13
