Brisbane illustrated : a series of twelve views of some of the principal public buildings and scenery of the city / photographed and published by Geo P. Wright.

Brisbane : Geo. P. Wright, James Street, Fortitude Valley, 1875. Oblong elephant folio (340 x 440 mm), original half black morocco over dark green cloth ruled in gilt, upper board titled in gilt (boards rubbed, spine somewhat worn); marbled endpapers, title-leaf printed in red and black, [12] albumen print photographs in more or less uniform 210 x 280 mm format on individual card mounts with lithographed captions and borders, all with interleaving intact; mounts with light foxing, the prints slightly yellowed and some with slight loss of contrast (fairly typical for Wight’s prints) but otherwise in good condition.

A rare surviving example of the first series of views of Brisbane published by local photographer George Wright, which provides a relatively early photographic record of the young city. (In 1878 Wright would publish a second series, in identical format, under the title Brisbane and Environs Illustrated).

Surprisingly, neither of Wright’s series of views are noted by Holden (Photography in colonial Australia : the mechanical eye and the illustrated book. Sydney : Hordern House, 1988).
The caption titles of the views in Brisbane illustrated are:

Government House, from the top of the Parliamentary Buildings

Government House

Tropical foliage, the Island, Botanic gardens

The Parliamentary Buildings

Victoria Bridge from William Street

The Government Printing Office and temporary Telegraph offices

The River, Petrie’s Bight and wharves

The Lands and Works Office

Cocos Plumosa Palm, Curators Cottage, &c

The General Post Office

The Fountain and Terra Cottas, Queensland Acclimitatisation Society’s grounds, Bowen Park

The Registrar-General’s Office.