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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 18 in the set, titled Smelting Room, Simmer Deep.. The inscription on the back of the mount reads Clean-up room or amalgam room. Mill foreman Jane. Amalgam press between handle and bolt of [sic] which I tore finger nail. Oct. 27, 1910. Ball mills for cleaning amalgam and black sands behind Jane. ‘Barrel’ on left and small tube mill on right. 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.
A full set of scans is available on request. |
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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: sv144 |
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© Paul Frecker London 2003