Paul Frecker - Nineteenth Century Photography

19th Century Photography Paul Frecker London

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An historically important and unique record of an infamous gold mine, the Deep Simmer in South Africa. Each stereoview has a hand-written inscription on the back of the mount, explaining exactly what can be seen in each view, often in some detail. The hand-writing is the same throughout, and the depth of insider knowledge makes it clear that the inscriptions have been written by someone who knew the mine intimately, in fact someone who worked there. More than one of the inscriptions incorporates a date, 1910.

The photographer’s wetstamp is on the back of each mount, J. Wilbur Read, The Reef Photographer, P.O.Box 3774, Johannesburg. The stereoviews are numbered from 1 to 24 in ink in the top-right hand corner recto on the mount. Each view is numbered and titled in the negative. The photographer’s wetstamp and the titles in the negative suggest that the stereoviews were commercially produced. The hand-written annotations, however, make this set unique.

This particular stereoview is number 9 in the set, titled Stopeing, Simmer Deep. The inscription on the back of the mount reads Kemp. 14.14.E. (stope number)

A full list of the titles follows. The number in brackets refers to the inked number recto on the mount. The second number is the one in the negative.

(1) 1748. Office, Simmer Deep.
(2) 1749. Milner Shaft, Simmer Deep.
(3) 1742. Clement Shaft, Simmer Deep.
(4) 1746. Rudd Shaft, Simmer Deep.
(5) 1797. Tube Mills, Simmer Deep.
(6) 1803. Hoisting Engine, 3000 feet Underground, Milner Shaft, Simmer Deep.
(7) 1802. Hoisting Engine, Milner Shaft, Simmer Deep, 3000 feet Underground.
(8) 1774 Hanb [?] Stopeing, Simmer Deep.
(9) 1773. Stopeing, Simmer Deep.
(10) 1808. Ready to Charg [sic] up, Simmer Deep.
(11) 1811. Cross-cutting a Rise, Simmer Deep.
(12) 1758. Surveying in a Stope, Simmer Deep.
(13) [Number and title illegible]
(14) 1775. Surveying, Simmer Deep.
(15) 1795. Simmer Deep [sorting tables].
(16) 1754. Station: 3rd Level: Milner Shaft, Simmer Deep Goldmine, 3050 feet Underground.
(17) [Number and title illegible]
(18) 1793. Smelting Room, Simmer Deep.
(19) [Number and title illegible]
(20) 1789. Skimming a Pot of Gold, Simmer Deep.
(21) 1790. Pouring a Pot of Gold into the Mould, Simmer Deep.
(22) 1791. A Bar of Gold, Simmer Deep.
(23) [Number and title illegible]
(24) 1745. Recreation Hall, Simmer Deep.

A full set of scans is available on request.

condition: Various conditions, mainly fine to very fine. The tonal range of some prints is better than that of others. Some mounts have very slightly scuffed corners.
price: SOLD
code: sv140

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