* Unknown: Inhabitants of Mauritius {1874} Loc? [PH]

Unknown photographer/s Sixteen photographs (cartes de visite) of Chinese, Indian, and Mozambique inhabitants of Mauritius Presented by William Cassidy 1874 Location unknown This set of photos, recorded under gifts in the NGV’s Annual Report for 1874, does not seem to be extant. The SLV does hold various photographs taken in Mauritius during the period, including an

Summary Chronology

[photo: Picture Gallery, Melbourne Public Library, 1865]   Preliminary note on dates and labels The descriptive labels typically attached to many of the artworks included in this catalogue – “Victorian,” Colonial and so on – tend to imply a sort of old-fashioned or preliminary character, compared with followed. This may be so, but it’s also worth

Smith, James (1820-1910; English/Australian)

[photo: Robert Dowling: James Smith 1884 (SLV H41737; gift of Smith’s widow, 1910)] An influential critic and commentator on the fine arts in Melbourne throughout the pre-Felton era, Smith consistently proclaimed the view (shared by Redmond Barry and others) that art should be an improving force in society, clearly exhibiting moral values. Virtually an exact

π.ο. (b.1951; Greek/Australian)

Melbourne writer π.ο. is a noted concrete poet and self-proclaimed anarchist, who has published several long poems in recent years. The latest of them, Heide (Giramondo, 2019), composes a set of dazzling and sometimes wild variations on its main theme, the cultural life centred on John and Sunday Reed’s famous property, now a museum, in

Litton, Robert Tuthill (1859-96; Australian)

Works listed in this catalogue as donated by Litton Hunt (D.) Langley Dell {1889} NGV [PA] Kneller Portrait of a Lady {1886} NGV [PA] Mentioning his 1886 donation of the Kneller portrait (regarded at the time as by an unknown artist), Alison Inglis and others (2018) describe Litton as a “prominent colonist,” and note that he was a Fellow

Tulk, Augustus Henry (1810-73; English)

Pre-Felton works commissioned by/bought on Tulk’s advice: Beechey Portrait of a Lady {1865} NGV [PA] (then thought to be by an unknown painter) Duckett Design for the Seal of the Melbourne Public Library {1868} Loc? [DR] Tulk (1810-73), who arrived in Australia from England in 1854, aged 32, was the first librarian of the Public

Dalgety, F.G. (1817-94; Australian)

Pre-Felton acquisitions made with funds donated by Dalgety in 1862 are noted in the following entries: Ancient art (a preliminary account) Asian art (a preliminary account) Copeland pottery [DA] Decorative Arts – Introduction (various items) Delft pottery [DA] Derby Porcelain [DA] Meissen Porcelain [DA] Unknown ceramic artists [DA]  Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety migrated from Canada in

Unknown Venetian glassmakers [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Some 100 pieces of Murano glass, dating from the 16th to 19th centuries. Purchased 1871. Most of them still in the NGV (4-D1R etc.: refer catalogue)   [photo: Basket, mid-late 16th century. Purchased 1871 (NGV 33-D1R)] Almost all the Italian glass acquired for Melbourne in the pre-Felton period was Venetian, the majority

Venice and Murano Glass and Mosaic Company [DA]

Pre-Felton examples included [NB company name abbreviated below to V&MG&MC]: Group of some 25 examples of “reproductions of old Venetian glass made by Dr Salviati,” dated to c.1870/72. Purchased 1874. Many still in NGV (284-D1R to 311-D1R, but discontinuous numbering) Large group of aprox.130 pieces of glassware, dated to c.1878-80. Purchased from Salviati & Co.at the

Unknown metal and enamel artists [DA]

Unknown (metalwork, origin unknown) Door knocker depicting Neptune with sea horses. Purchased 1862. NGV 1101-D1R Vase & cover. Purchased 1862. NGV 1151.1-2-D1R [ill.] (“Damascened & chased with silver & parcel gilt, Moresco work”): see photo at right [photo: Damascened vase, purchased 1862 (NGV 1151-D1R)] Unknown (metalwork, English) Knife & fork with figured ivory handles, c.1885. Purchased 1885.

Wolfsohn, Dresden [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: 2 Covered vases on plinths (c.1885). Purchased 1888. NGV 300.a-c-D1M & 301.a-c-D1M (also possibly by Wolfsohn?) Ewer & Dish. Purchased 1888. NGV 302A-D1M & 302B-D1M The Porzellanmalerei Helena Wolfsohn operated in Dresden from 1843, under the direction of Helena Wolfsohn [née Meyer] (1798-1869), whose father founded the firm as L.Meyer & Söhne.

Unknown ceramic artists [DA]

Listed here are various further documented acquisitions besides those covered in linked entries – see Decorative Arts – Introduction for full lists (PF indicates the NGV’s unpublished list of pre-Felton acquisitions). Unknown origin 2 Plates. Purchased 1862. Loc? [PF 203-4: acc.nos.1106 and 1107-D1R] Vase. Gift of Neville Bagot 1862. NGV 1201-D1M (not illustrated; “with bronze snake handles”

William De Morgan & Co. [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions (all purchased 1885): Aster, tile (1872-81). NGV 563-D1M Curzon rose trellis, tile (1872-81). NGV 562-D1M Peacock panels (c.1872-80): 6 tiles in 2 panels. NGV 542.a-f-D1M): see photo at right Persian flowering foliage, tile (1872-81). NGV 559-D1M Small carnations and encircled foliage, tile (1872-81). NGV 560-D1M Plate (c.1880): with fish decoration. NGV 557-D1M Bowl (c.1882). NGV 556-D1M BBB, tile (1882-85). NGV 566-D1M Mongolian, tile panel (1882-85):

Wedgwood [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Josiah Wedgwood, medallion (1782); blue jasper. Purchased 1868. NGV 236-D1M Various pieces purchased 1876, including George III, cameo (18th century); black jasper. NGV 245-D1M; Coffee pot & bowl (c.1800-1830); blue jasper. NGV 224 & 225.a-b-D1M Various pieces acquired in 1877, notably Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides, plaque (after John Flaxman, c.1785-1800):

Thomas Webb & Sons [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Various pieces of glassware purchased 1881, including Claret jug, with etched design of Venus rising from the sea. NGV 701-D1M: see photo; further examples also in NGV (refer catalogue) Set of wine and champagne glasses. Presented by Webb & Sons 1881. NGV (refer catalogue); some no longer extant? [photo: Claret jug purchased 1881

Tiffany & Co. [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions noted: Three pieces of glassware. Purchased 1897. Loc? Tiffany & Co., founded in New York in 1837, is now a global brand, noted especially for its jewellery. Under the direction of Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933), the firm became famous for its Art Nouveau glassware. Terence Lane, in his survey of the development of

Royal Worcester Porcelain Company [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Tri-tube. Purchased 1881. Loc?  Vase (“Flight of the Swans”). Purchased 1889. Loc? Vase (fish motif). Purchased 1887. NGV 278-D1M Figurine. Purchased 1889. Loc?  Jug, Cup and Saucer (early 19th century?). Gift Mr S.Solomons 1891. NGV 282-D1M, 283-D1M &  284-D1M (see photo) [photo: Jug donated in 1891 (NGV 284-D1M)] Porcelain was first manufactured at

Mintons [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included the following: Plate (1874) (decorator: William Mussill). Purchased 1878. NGV 48-D1M [ill.] Various pieces purchased directly from Minton at the Melbourne International Exhibition 1881. Some are extant in the NGV. e.g. Dessert Plate (NGV 32-D1M): see photo at right Ewer and stand 1884. Purchased 1885. NGV 55.1-b-D1M [described in AR 1886, p.26

Laudin, J.& N. [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Laudin, Jacques (attrib.). Plaque showing a soldier kneeling, c.1650. Purchased 1869. NGV 501-D1R [ill.] Laudin, Nicholas (attrib.). Plaque showing St John the Baptist, c.1650. Purchased 1869. NGV 502-D1R [ill.]: see photo at right This pair of oval plaques in copper and enamel was made at Limoges around 1650. Each plaque is enclosed

Merkelbach & Wick [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Ewer. Purchased 1881. NGV 407-D1M Pair of vases. Purchased, 1881. NGV 406A-B/D1M [photo: Vase (NGV 406A/D1M)] The firm operated in Grenzhausen, Westerwald, Germany, from 1872 to 1921. The examples listed above were purchased at the 1881 Melbourne Exhibition. Another ewer by the same firm, dated to c.1880, entered the NGV collection in

Meissen Porcelain [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Teabowl and saucer (c.1735). Gift of F.G.Dalgety 1862. NGV 213.a-b-D1M Cup and saucer (c.1880) & Cup and saucer (c.1870-80). Gift Dr J.C.Adler 1881. NGV 214 and 215.a-b-D1M Various pieces purchased in 1881. See NGV catalogue under both Meissen and Royal Saxon [photo: Cup and saucer donated 1881 (NGV 215.a-b-D1M)] The Royal Saxon

Franchi & Son [DA]

Pre-Felton acquisitions included: Tankard (1850s). Purchased 1862. NGV 1027-D1R (plaster/electrotype reproduction after Bernard Strauss) Ewer (c.1860). Purchased 1862. NGV 1153-D1R (electroplate copper reproduction): see photo at right Temperantia, salver (1860s). Purchased 1881. NGV 1020-D1R (electrotype copper reproduction after François Briot) G.Franchi & Son, based in London, specialized in neoclassical replicas from c.1851 to 1874, when