This item represents a period in time when there was the start by manufacturing industry for targeting the medium to lower socio and economic strata of the purchasing public. It was the beginning of cheaper mass produced items for the non professional (photographer in this instance) recreational minded public. The availability of low cost items was required by an ever increasing population hungering for the "do it yourself" amateur.This camera was owned by Margaret (Peg) Shefford nee Turner, who retired to Mount Beauty in the mid 1980s. The camera was purchased in 1920 and used up to the 1940's when her her daughter, Midge Clooney used it. When the Shefford family emigrated from England to Australia (1953), it was used to take photos of the ship voyage.This item is a Campfire Box Brownie. Model "F". It is a black vinyl covered tin box shell. It has a short leather hand strap (110mm) (stamped "BROWNIE") on the top side of the box, fastened by a metal stud at each end. There are two clasps holding the front and rear sides. Viewer (photo frame number) and lens (apertures) are on opposite sides.Stamped within a circular section on the back section is "No 2 BROWNIE" underneath,"MODEL F" in smaller letters "MADE IN CANADA BY CANADIAN KODAK Co., Limited, TORONTO, ONT". a smaller circle within has "USE KODAK FILM No_ 120"portable camera, photography, hobby, low cost camera

The Box Brownie camera was developed by Frank Brownell in the late 19th century. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak of U.S.A. and was a camera with a simple lens. It provided snapshots at a low cost and was the most widely-used camera by families in the first half of the 20th century. This item was the No. 2 model which was sold from 1901 to 1935. This item was given to Olive O’Donnell when she was ten years old. The donor was Miss Florence Lake of ‘Lyndoch’ in Warrnambool. She was noted for giving presents, usually at Christmas time, to the children of her employees and other children in the Warrnambool area. Olive O’Donnell’s father worked for Miss Lake for 45 years. The property of ‘Lyndoch’ near the mouth of the Hopkins River in Warrnambool was established by a Melbourne businessman, George Rolfe, late in the 19th century and Miss Lake was one of the two stepdaughters of George Rolfe who inherited the property. Miss Florence Lake built a house at Lyndoch which today forms part of the aged care facility established when the property was sold. This camera is of interest for two reasons: 1. It is an example of the Box Brownie camera which was a very popular camera owned by many Australians in the first half of the 20th century. 2. It is an example of the type of present given to children by the Warrnambool philanthropist, Florence Lake. She resided at ‘Lyndoch’ and was well-known in the Warrnambool community in the 20th century. This is a rectangular-shaped black metal box. A metal clip acts as an opening and closing device for inserting a film. A yellow and black film is enclosed at one end of the box. A handle is on the top of the box and is attached by metal clips. There are several viewing panels on the box and a metal mechanism for winding the film. The box is scuffed and stained. ‘Brownie’ ‘No 2 Brownie Model F Patented in U.S.A. Patents Pending.’ photography, household items, lyndoch, warrnambool, florence lake, warrnambool, olive o’donnell, warrnambool

The popular box camera of Eastman Kodak of U.S.A. was a camera with a simple lens. It provided snapshots at a low cost and was the most popular mass marketed camera for Australians at the time. It remains in Hymettus, the home of its original owner, Patrick (Paddy) Taffe.This camera is of interest for two reasons: 1. It is an example of the Box Brownie camera which was a very popular camera owned by many Australians in the early 20th century. 2. It belonged to Patrick Taffe of Hymettus in the early 20th century and with other cameras in the house across the generations, illustrates the changes in popular photography across the century into the 21st century.Black leather covered rectangular box of heavy board. Main lens and 2 viewfinder lenses on the front. Black leather handle, one view finder and metal opening latch on the top. One view finder and a winder key on the right hand side. Red film counter viewing window on the back, with markings. Leather at rear lifting and metal attachments rusting.Stamped into leather 'Use Film 116A with a small metal plaque reading, "Made in USA by the Eastman Kodak Company Rochester NY. USA 14403."photography, ballarat, taffe, hymettus,

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of - Recording The Show, with the cost of good cameras, in the PX, being so low in price, the Diggers were able to record for future reference their time spent on active service in Vietnam conflict. Here the Diggers are recording a visiting concert partyphotograph, entertainment, gibbons collection catalogue, diggers, concert party, denis gibbons