A collection of nine vintage photographs showing the construction of the Adelaide Railway Station between 1926 and 1928
Nine vintage gelatin silver prints (eight approximately 220 × 285 mm, one 138 × 206 mm), all but two captioned or dated on the verso.
Some prints with some residue on the verso from previous mounting; two with drawing pin-holes in some corners (one of them with slight surface loss near a bottom corner, the other with slight loss to a top corner); some with trifling chips or creases at the extremities; overall, in excellent condition.
The earliest image, dated June 1926, shows the site on North Terrace before the commencement of construction; two show the station platforms (in October 1926 and March 1927); two show the railway yards at the approach to the station (one before construction, one in December 1927); and four show the progressive construction of the western, southern and eastern frontages of the station (dated between April 1927 and March 1928). An interesting observation by Paul McGuire appeared in 'The New Triad' (Volume 2, Number 7, 1 July 1928): 'The Railway Department also has been showing its superiority to mere prettiness, too. A magnificent station is nearing completion, and the Assembly hall has already revealed itself as a splendidly conceived piece, far superior to anything of its kind in Australia. The walls are scarcely finished, and they are already blotted with posters, dodgers and various advertising signs. The architects themselves have protested, but in this case, too, we will be pleasureably [sic] surprised if the official mind sees beyond its balance sheets'. We have not identified the photographer or traced these particular images in institutional collections (or elsewhere), but they have the appearance of official photographs by a professional. [9 items].
Item #146428
Price (AUD):
$1,500.00