Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery databases

This Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery notice about their photographic collections appeared in November 2006. It is now September 2010, and the promised website with viewable databases of their vast photographic holdings is still not up and running. The TMAG holds a sizable collection of rare works by Thomas J. Nevin



TMAG notice of website redevelopment 2006 for the images collections.
Click on image for large version.


Current notice (Sept 2010):
ONLINE ACCESS TO THE STATE COLLECTION
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is in the process of developing world-class access to our collection information. The TMAG has one of the most diverse collections in Australia, and with this diversity, challenges for digitisation are presented. The TMAG is committed to providing access to this information, and whilst our on-line service is unavailable, requests for assistance can be directed to TMAGmail@tmag.tas.gov.au.
The TMAG's Collections hold ninety and probably many more uncatalogued photographs by Thomas Nevin, sixty of which are stereographs, called 'stereoscopes' in the former catalogue entries. In addition, quite a number of his Tasmanian convicts' portraits are held there, but with the wrong attribution to A.H. Boyd, a result of the confusion generated by researcher Chris Long, which appeared in the TMAG's publication, Tasmanian Photographers 1840-1940: A Directory (1995:36). Boyd was a prison Commandant at Port Arthur (1871-73) but he was not a photographer, neither amateur nor official. Nevin was the commercial photographer on government contract who photographed those prisoners known as "Port Arthur convicts", i.e. those who were transported before 1853, when they re-offended in the 1870s and were arrested, sentenced and arraigned at the Supreme Court and incarcerated at the adjoining Hobart Gaol for a month BEFORE they were returned to Port Arthur to serve their sentence, if that was their fate. By late 1873-74, the majority of those sent back to Port Arthur, 109 in all, had been transferred back to the Hobart Town Gaol in Campbell St., where they were photographed on being received if sentenced prior to mid 1871 when Nevin began the systematic documentation of their images for the Colonial government.

The TMAG's annual report for 2002-2003 gives some idea of the extent of their photographic holdings, including their chartered obligation to give the public access, in this webshot which also shows the misattribution to Boyd of one of Nevin's convict cartes, that of James Glen sentenced to 10 years in the Hobart Supreme Court on July 4, 1871. Another two Nevin prisoner mugshots to survive from this July 1871 sitting are those of John Appleby (NLA Collection) and Joseph Graham (QVMAG Collection).



TMAG Annual Report 2002-2003
Click on image for readable version


NEVIN's "CONVICT" PHOTOGRAPHS



The A.H. Boyd misattribution appears below this prisoner photograph by Nevin, taken at the Hobart Supreme Court, 4 July 1871.



James Glen was arrested for stealing plate from Webb's Hotel, notice published in the police gazette of 10 February 1871.


James Glen held a Conditional pardon from Western Australia when he was sentenced to ten years for feloniously receiving and photographed by Nevin at the Hobart Supreme Court on 4th July 1871.

Source of police records: Tasmania Reports of Crime Information for Police, Gov't printer

NEVIN's STEREOGRAPHs and CDVs

Seven or so of the stereo salt paper prints were online during 2006. These were catalogued in the images database. However, in the text-only database, another 53 photographs by Thomas Nevin were listed but not digitised.

Three major problems with the TMAG lists have emerged:

(a) Confusion over name: the initial "J" for James appears as a middle initial in Thomas Nevin's name in some entries and not in others, depending on which of the several versions of his studio stamps have been sighted: e.g. T.Nevin; T.J. Nevin, Thos. Nevin, Thomas J. Nevin, and Thomas Nevin, causing confusion with his son's name, Thomas James Nevin, born in 1874. Nevin used the initials "T.J. Nevin" on his Royal Arms studio stamp from at least January 1873.

(b) Wrongful attribution to A. H. Boyd instead of Thomas Nevin of the collection of Tasmanian prisoner photographs held by the TMAG, several of which are identical to those attributed to Thomas Nevin in the major collections of the National Library of Australia, the QVMAG, and the Archives Office of Tasmania.

(c) Items which have been displaced from their series lose their attribution; for example, item no. Q1994.56.4 belongs to a series by Thomas Nevin, and it was online. It is a stereograph of a group at the Rocking Stone, Mt. Wellington, and belongs in the series Q1994.56.1 etc etc which bears "T. Nevin" impressed on front. Because it lacks attribution, it does not appear among the 53 entries in the list attached.


THE LIST with notes copied verbatim from the TMAG online catalogues 2006.

NB: This is the list of stereographs by Thomas Nevin from the TMAG databases, 2006, copied verbatim with the cataloguist’s numbering and descriptions. This list is out of date. Search this site for accurate descriptions and information of each stereograph posted on this site since November 10th, 2014

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Q9134 ITEM NAME: Photograph print : MEDIUM: Albumen silver carte de visite, MAKER: T Nevin late A Bock [Artist]; TITLE: 'Melville West Hobart under snow ' DATE: 1868, July DETAILS: Wellington Park exhibition DESCRIPTION : View is looking to Mt Wellington from the southern side of Melville and also shows the Kings Arms near the center of image; St Mary's burial ground near center left of image. A store is shown on the corner of Murray and Melville ?

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Q1994.56.7 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope salt paper print , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Salmon Ponds at Plenty near New Norfolk INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impressed on front: T Nevin/ photo

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Q1994.56.5 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope - oval image, MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; TITLE: 'Ladies and gentleman, seated and standing round stone wall? Same group as in Q994.56.1, Q1994.56.24' DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : recreation, walking INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impressed on front: T.Nevin/ photo.

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Q1994.56.34 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; TITLE: 'Lady Franklin's Museum, KangarooValley' DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Group of people at Lady Franklin's Museum, Kangaroo Valley INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: On back in pencil: Mrs A Pedder / and in different hand Lady Franklin's Museum/ KangarooValley and in different hand again best picture

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Q1994.56.33 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Elizabeth Street showing Nevin & Smith photographic Establishment, 140 Elizabeth Steet near [Patrick ? Street] INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: None

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Q1994.56.30 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope, DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Hobart from Lime Kiln Hill looking down Harrington Street INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: On back in pencil: a Pedder and stamped Thos Nevin/ Newtown

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Q1994.56.28 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope, MAKER: Thos Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : New Town ? looking to the Domain INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Stamped on back: Thos Nevin/ Newtown

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Q1994.56.24 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Group of people in bush setting, same group as in Q994.56.1, Q1994.56.5 INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impressed on front: T Nevin/ photo

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Q1994.56.22 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; TITLE: 'Two men sitting at fence looking out over a field' DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : post and rail fence, pipe INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impressed on front: T Nevin/ photo

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Q1994.56.21 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope salt paper print , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Scene near New Norfolk ? INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impressed on front: T Nevin/ photo

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Q1994.56.20.1 ITEM NAME: Label: MEDIUM: Paper and printing ink, MAKER: Nevin & Smith [Artist]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : Label from the back of Q1994.56.20 for photographers Nevin & Smith, 140 elizabeth Street, Hobarton INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: On back a pink label: Tasmanian views/ from/ Nevin & Smith,/ Photographers,/ 140, Elizabeth St., Hobarton./ Stereoscopic and Album Portraits/ Views Photographed./ Viiews of Residences, Tombstones copied, Terms —Cheap!

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Q1994.56.20 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope salt paper print , MAKER: Nevin & Smith [Artist]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : Group of people dancing in field. INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: On back a pink label: Tasmanian views/ from/ Nevin & Smith,/ Photographers,/ 140, Elizabeth St., Hobarton./ Stereoscopic and Album Portraits/ Views Photographed./ Viiews of Residences, Tombstones copied, Terms —Cheap!

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Q1994.56.2.1 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope - Arched image, MAKER: T J Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Label from back of stereo view Q1984.56.20 -Scenic view showing waterfall INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Printed on back in oval stamp: T J Nevin/ Photographic Artist/ 140 Elizabeth Street.,/ HobartTown/ Copies may be had at any time

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Q1994.56.2 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope - Arched image, MAKER: T J Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Scenic view showing waterfall INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Printed on back in oval stamp: T J Nevin/ Photographic Artist/ 140 Elizabeth Street.,/ HobartTown/ Copies may be had at any time

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Q1994.56.17 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : D Chisholm, standing at gate Bathurst ? Brisbane ? Street, Hobart Town, D Chisholm , school master, New Town School, 1872 [refer Q1987.388] INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: None

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Q1994.56.13 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia salt paper stereoscope , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Fern Tree ? INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impress on front: T Nevin/ photo

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Q1994.56.12 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope salt paper print , MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1860s late DESCRIPTION : Hobart from near 140 Elizabeth Street on corner Patrick ? Street. Nevin & Smith photographic Studio in buildings on extreme right [ refer also to Q1994.56.33] INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impress on front: T Nevin/ photo

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Q1994.56.1 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: sepia stereoscope - arched image, MAKER: T Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Group of gentlemen and a lady on board a ship. Capstan wheel in centre of image. Same group as in Q994.56.5, Q1994.56.24 INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Impressed on front : T Nevin/ Photo

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Q1990.25.401 ITEM NAME: Photograph print: MEDIUM: carte de visite, MAKER: Clifford & Nevin [Artist]; DESCRIPTION : Studio portrait of unknown woman standing next to chair INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: In ink on back: Clifford & Nevin/ HobartTown

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Q1990.25.400 ITEM NAME: Photograph print: MEDIUM: carte de visite, MAKER: Clifford & Nevin [Artist]; DESCRIPTION : Studio portrait of unknown woman INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: In ink on back: Clifford & Nevin/ HobartTown

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Q1987.388 ITEM NAME: Photograph: MEDIUM: carte de visite, MAKER: Thos Nevin [Artist]; TITLE: 'Brisbane Street, Hobart. Shows D Chisholm, schoolmaster at New Town Public School leaning on fence. ' DATE: 1870 s INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: In ink on back: "Bathurst ?/ or Brisbane St ?/ Hobart /1870s My father D Chisholm/ at the gate/ Bathurst St/ HobartTown"

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Q16826.9 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin [Photographer]; TITLE: 'Tasmanian Views.' DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : No information relative to title of his images. This one, of a house or maybe a school. INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: (On bacK) Tas. Views from Nevin & Smith (Late) Photographers (s crossed out) 140 Elizabeth Street. Steroscopic and Album Portraits Views Photographed. Views of Residences, Tombstones copied, Terms:-Cheap!

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Q16826.7 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'Beacon Light Mount Wellington ' DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : A group of people on Mt.Wellington The party appears to consist of 3/4 women and perhaps 10 malesof assorted ages.

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Q16826.6 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : A Gentleman slouched against a tree. Possibly, Mr Chisolm, the school teacher from New Town

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Q16826.5 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'New Town' DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Cottage in New Town

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Q16826.4 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'A Party at the Rocking Stone, MountWellington' DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : A group of people at the Rocking Stone on Mt.Wellington. Consists of 4 men and three women.The two women sitting on the ground in front of the rock appear to be sisters.

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Q16826.38 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : A Bush Scene. Thick scrub, probably near Hobart.

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Q16826.37 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : A Bush Scene. Thick scrub, probably near Hobart. A river could be in the top of the photo,

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Q16826.36 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: TJ Nevin ? [Photographer]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Mount Wellington Foothills?

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Q16826.35 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: TJ Nevin ? [Photographer]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Mount Wellington

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Q16826.34 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin ? [Photographer]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Ferns. Possibly near Hobart, maybe Mt.Wellington or KangarooValley.

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Q16826.33 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: TJ Nevin [Photographer]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Ferns. Possibly near Hobart, maybe Mt.Wellington.

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Q16826.32 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Shows 3 men astride large rocks on Mt.Wellington.

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Q16826.31 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia coloured stereoscope, MAKER: Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Ferns With Snow. Ferns with snow, possibly at KangarooValley. (LenahValley)

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Q16826.30 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia coloured stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'FernsKangarooValley.' DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : (LenahValley)

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Q16826.3 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'Domain Hobart' DESCRIPTION : Hobart Domain with two men in the foreground and Government House in the background, the Derwent can be seen on the right.

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Q16826.29 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'A conservatory' DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : Inside a conservatory. Location unknown.

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Q16826.28 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin [Photographer]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : New Town Public School

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Q16826.27 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin [Photographer]; DATE: 1870s DESCRIPTION : New Town Public School

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Q16826.22 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: TJ Nevin [Photographer]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : A River Front Scene. Location is impossible to identify. Maybe the Huon or the Derwent near new Norfolk.

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Q16826.21 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : Appears to be a rural location two timber cottages in the foreground. Others on the right further up the hill which looms over the site. Two people are entertaining a deer. A horned steer or cow is menacingly standing behind them. A dog kennel is further behind them near the fence.

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Q16826.20 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin [Photographer]; DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : MountWellington - not Mt Wellington - looks like a man made channel

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Q16826.19 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T J Nevin [Artist]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : A waterfront shot. Location is uncertain. Possibly, the Huon. INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: T.J. Nevin Photographic Artist 140 Elizabeth StreetHobart Town. Copies may be had at any time. A. Peddar.

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Q16826.16 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Thomas Nevin ? [Artist]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : New Norfolk , bridge over the Derwent. Bush Hotel can be seen on the left. A gentleman is observing the scene in the right forehand.

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Q16826.15 ITEM NAME: photogrpah: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Thomas Nevin ? [Photographer]; DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : A shot of 2 men inside the entrance of SaltRockCave at Victoria, Huon INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: T.J. Nevin Photogrpahic Artist 140 Elizabeth Street Hobart Town. Copies may be had at any time. On back of Q 16826.14

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Q16826.14 ITEM NAME: photogrpah: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Thomas Nevin [Photographer]; TITLE: 'Salt Rock Cave Victoria Huon' DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : A shot of five men inside the entrance of Salt Rock Cave INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: T.J. Nevin Photogrpahic Artist 140 Elizabeth Street Hobart Town. Copies may be had at any time.

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Q16826.12 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Thomas Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'Landscape, not Tasmanian' DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : Perhaps not even Australian, but Antipodean. (NZ)

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Q16826.11 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: Thomas Nevin [Photographer]; TITLE: 'A Mining Operation' DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : Appears to be a mining operation. The presence of crushed rock/ore. A trolley on tracks. Horse and pulley. Location uncertain, but there is a mountain or something like one shrouded in mist in the background. Perhaps Mt.Wellington. There are three men in the scene. One is partially hidden beside the shed on the right. INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: Thomas Nevin New Town

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Q16826.10 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'A Garden Gathering' DATE: 1870c DESCRIPTION : A gathering in the garden. Note the presence of statues the lion in front of the young girl; and a couple of other rather ''grotesquely'' interesting looking characters. The 3 girls look sullen and the boy troublesome. Two gentlemen appear to be supervising proceedings. No hint of location, there are some buildings in the background. Two watering cans present.

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Q16826.1.2 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: albumen silver print sepia toned stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'SchoolHouseKangarooValley' DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : This photo depicts three adults and four children at KangarooValley (LenahValley) INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: A Pedder

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Q16826.1.1 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: salted paper print stereoscope, MAKER: T Nevin ? [Artist]; TITLE: 'SchoolHouseKangarooValley' DATE: 1860s DESCRIPTION : This photo depicts three adults and four children at KangarooValley (LenahValley) INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: A Pedder

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Q16826 ITEM NAME: photograph: MAKER: Nevin [Artist]; TITLE: 'Collection of stereoscopic views by various photographers. Numbering to be expanded'

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Q14529 ITEM NAME: photograph: MEDIUM: carte de visite, TITLE: 'Mrs. Morrison.' DATE: 1870C INSCRIPTIONS & MARKS: in ink on back: Mrs Morrison and stamped : T Nevin late A Bock city photographic establishment in oval design encircled in belt



T. Nevin, Elizabeth St. Hobart Town
TMAG Ref: Q1994.56.33

Australia's FIRST MUGSHOTS

PLEASE NOTE: Below each image held at the National Library of Australia is their catalogue batch edit which gives the false impression that all these "convict portraits" were taken solely because these men were transported convicts per se (i.e before cessation in 1853), and that they might have been photographed as a one-off amateur portfolio by a prison official at the Port Arthur prison in 1874, which they were not. Any reference to the Port Arthur prison official A. H. Boyd on the NLA catalogue records is an error, a PARASITIC ATTRIBUTION with no basis in fact. The men in these images were photographed in the 1870s-1880s because they were repeatedly sentenced as habitual offenders whose mugshots were taken on arrest, trial, arraignment, incarceration and/or discharge by government contractor, police and prisons photographer T. J. Nevin at the Supreme Court and adjoining Hobart Gaol with his brother Constable John Nevin, and at the Municipal Police Office, Hobart Town Hall when appearing at The Mayor's Court. The Nevin brothers produced over a thousand originals and duplicates of Tasmanian prisoners, the bulk now lost or destroyed. The three hundred extant mugshots were the random estrays salvaged - and reproduced in many instances- for sale at Beattie's local convictaria museum in Hobart and at interstate exhibitions associated with the fake convict ship Success in the early 1900s. The mugshots were selected on the basis of the prisoner's notoriety from the Supreme Court trial registers (Rough Calendar), the Habitual Criminals Registers (Gaol Photo Books), warrant forms, and police gazettes records of the 1870s-1880s. The earliest taken on government contract by T. J. Nevin date from 1872. The police records sourced here are from the weekly police gazettes which were called (until 1884) Tasmania Reports of Crime Information for Police 1871-1885. J. Barnard, Gov't Printer.