[MELBOURNE] A pair of stereoviews of Beaumaris and Brighton, late 1890s.

Two stereoscopic gelatin silver print photographs, each image approximately 82 x 71 mm, on identical plain grey mounts 101 x 177 mm; one captioned in the negative: ‘The Scrub at Brighton’, the other with a manuscript caption recto of mount: ‘Beaumaris’; both versos with the wet stamp of ‘London Amateur Photographic Stores. Little Collins St. … W. Kett’, along with the initials of the original owner; the prints have some fading but are otherwise in good condition; minor staining to the versos of the mounts.

In the late 1890s, William Kett ran a photographic equipment store in the city that was aimed at the burgeoning amateur market. Interestingly, though, in addition to the technical side of the business, he and his assistant operator(s) also produced stereoscopic views of Melbourne beauty spots which were presumably sold through the Little Collins Street shop. This is conveniently illustrated by the following two advertisements Kett placed in The Age, 30 March 1898:

‘PHOTOGRAPHY.— Wanted, good Printer and Toner; gelatino-chloride chiefly used. W. Kett, Amateur Photo Stores, Little Collins-st.’

‘PHOTOGRAPHY.— Wanted, a first class outdoor Operator, good address. W. Kett, photographic importer, 263 Little Collins-st.’