Historical information
View looking across a treed landscape lawn towards the new 'Heidelberg House' at the Austin Hospital, which was opened in 1939.
This glass plate negative was used to manufacture postcards (1:1 printing) for commercial sale by the Rose Sterograph Company and its subsidiaries.
George Rose founded the Rose Stereograph Company in 1880 and was joined by Herbert (Bert) Cutts in the early 20th Century. The pair formed a lifetime working partnership and strong personal friendship. Assisted by George’s two sons, Herbert George and Walter, and later by Neil Cutts, the Rose Stereograph Company continued its operations for more than 140 years.
The company was initially built on stereographs, but as cinema took over and stereographs fell out of fashion, the Rose Stereograph Company developed Australia’s first commercially viable photographic postcard business. Specialising in postcards of iconic historical moments and significant landmarks, The Rose Stereograph Company became a staple of the Australian travel industry.
Significance
This remarkable collection of glass plate negatives, transparencies, and postcards – arguably Australia’s most significant photography collection outside of public hands – has been passed down through the generations, surviving war, relocation, and the harsh Victorian climate. The historic Rose Stereograph collection is the culmination of George Rose’s dream of capturing and preserving precious moments in time and remains the legacy of the Rose and Cutts families.
It is with great sadness that the Cutts family says goodbye to a collection that spans five generations and 140 years. The Cutts family understands that for these historically important pieces to rest with one family is to deny others the pleasure of their custodianship.
Physical description
Glass Plate Negative Size: 9 x 14 cm
Inscriptions & markings
"Heidelberg House" Hospital, Velentine Series No. 1117, Copyright
Subjects
References
- THE AUSTIN HOSPITAL, MELBOURNE. NEW HEIDELBERG HOUSE OPENED. (1939, May 31). Construction (Sydney, NSW : 1938 - 1954), p. 6. THE AUSTIN HOSPITAL, MELBOURNE. NEW HEIDELBERG HOUSE OPENED. Architects: Yuncken, Freeman, Freeman SC Griffiths. Builders:. J. R. and E. Seccull. This building is said to be the first hospital in Australia to be fully air conditioned and thus marks a new phase of hospital construction in this country. The building, which is a new intermediate patients' 1 block, is a further step in the fight against cancer and other chronic diseases. It is detached from the other buildings of the hospital and consists of four storeys accommodating 69 patients in single, two'bed and larger wards, the largest taking five patients. A feature of the building is the generous sun verandahs. (A feature of Building Magazine for May).
- Federated Builders' Association of Australia & Master Builders' Federation of Australia. (1907). Building : the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant
