Item #125253 A vintage photograph of the Mount Gambier Football Club. 1880 Mount Gambier Football Club.
A vintage photograph of the Mount Gambier Football Club
[Mount Gambier Football Club, 1880]

A vintage photograph of the Mount Gambier Football Club

An original albumen paper photograph (97 × 150 mm, mounted on a gilt-bordered cabinet card, 108 × 165 mm); the decorative inkstamp of the photographer ('H.B. Ballard, Photographer, from Melbourne', with 'Mount Gambier' inserted in manuscript) appears on the verso.

The photograph is lightly spotted in places (a minor issue with its development), with a few tiny surface marks; the mount is slightly marked, with minimal wear to a bottom corner and a crack to the top right-hand corner; overall, in very good condition.

The earliest reference to local football in Mount Gambier appears to be the following article in the 'Border Watch' on Saturday 31 August 1867: 'The match at football which has been for some time under consideration between competitors selected from the two Cricket Clubs belonging to The Mount, will, it is understood, be brought to an issue to-day upon the usual ground, when some spirited and exciting play may be looked for. Football is a manly, invigorating game, and deserves to be extensively patronized. We have been asked to publish the following code of rules adopted by the Mount Gambier Football Club, and they are, we understand, the rules under which all matches in connexion with their Club are to be played'. The same newspaper ran the following advertisement on 1 September 1880: 'Portraits! For a few weeks only. H.B. Ballard, artist photographer from Melbourne, has the honour to announce to the residents of Mount Gambier and vicinity that he has erected his Mammoth Studio, fitted with the latest scientific appliances, next Mr Hood, Bookseller, Commercial Street, Mount Gambier. Articles of dress best suited for photography are black, brown (of all shades), drab, grey, or green'. Doubtless, this classic image was produced during that visit.

Item #125253

Price (AUD): $400.00