Carol Hardijzer

The Caney Legacy - Early Durban based family of photographers

With reference to the early Durban based photographers Caney, one author recently confirmed the challenge in “disentangling” the relationship between the various Caney individuals.

The number of Caney photographs identified in the Hardijzer Photographic Research Collection also confirms that closer scrutiny was required as to who these photographers were. The photographs in this research collection, all dating from prior to 1905, include studio-based images as well as images captured during the Anglo-Boer war.

Passionate about tennis - A South African photo album of historical significance (1909 - 1913)

Always in search of original South African photographic images from before 1915, the author recently acquired several photo albums from this era at a Pretoria based antique fair.

One of these photo album stands out in that the theme is purely tennis-based, spanning over a 4-year period (between 1909 and 1913).

It’s a match! Early Tweddill photograph and portrait painting matched

By chance, whilst researching an unrelated topic, Annel Meyer stumbled upon a photograph taken by the Pretoria based photographer Samuel Tweddill around 1880. This photograph was included in an article published on theheritageportal during July 2018 (click here to view).

Let’s Play - South African children photographed with their Victorian & Edwardian toys

Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes for both humans and animals (just picture the joy created whilst watching a kitten at play with an arbitrary toy).

Toys provide entertainment and fun whilst fulfilling an educational role at the same time. Although unlikely to have been the original intent, they also enhance cognitive behavior, stimulate creativity and aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life.

Tram Spotting - Pretoria Tram Services as depicted on early Picture Postcards (1900s to 1920s)

The last tram journey in Pretoria took place during 1939 - eighty years ago. Therefore, today it may only be citizens born prior to around 1933, who resided in Pretoria at the time, who may recall the tram activity or may even have travelled on a Pretoria tram as a child.

Ten South African based German Missionaries Photographed

Recently the author acquired a Victorian Photo album which contained a number of Carte-de-Visite format photographs of Berlin Mission Society missionaries, all attached to the German Lutheran church in Berlin (dating from between 1865 and late 1870s).

The Kodak Girl - South African Film Wallets (1910s to 1960s)

Many registered trademark ephemera of yesteryear have collectors competing at auctions, markets and antique fairs to find that one elusive, or previously unidentified item for their collections.

On such trademark is Kodak. Registered as a trademark during 1888, Kodak, which was also present in South Africa some years later, undoubtedly was one of the more successful brand names within both the history of marketing and photography.

South Africa’s Oldest Bank - An epic photographic journey

First National Bank (FNB) just celebrated their 180th birthday on 15 December 2018. What makes this particularly significant is that the FNB storyline runs in parallel with South African history.

Following the true corporate trend, FNB, as it exists today, came about following a complex tapestry of buyouts and amalgamations to become the well-established bank it is today. This journey certainly did not occur without any upheavals – but the bank managed to stand the test of time.

Forbidden Images (1960s to 1980s) - Illegal photographs captured by young men conscripted into the South African Military

The South African Border War had an immense social, cultural and political impact on South African society at the time. It resulted in unnecessary loss of life and much trauma, not only for the conscripted men, but also families back home.

Summer holidays, Sunshine, Swimwear, Suntan lotion and Sand buckets - South African Beach Photographers (1930s to 1960s)

This article, which focuses solely on South African beach photography prior to 1970s, is an extension on a similar article recently published on South African pavement photography (click here to read).

Anglo-Boer War - Stereo Photographs produced by Underwood & Underwood

The primary purpose of this article is to introduce the first known catalogue (Version 1 – as at November 2018 - click here to download) of Anglo-Boer war stereographic images produced by the American based Underwood and Underwood Publishing Group.

South African Pavement Photographs (1930s to 1960s) - A Nostalgic reflection

In a recent article published by the author (click here to view), reference was made to a modern photographic phenomenon, namely “found photographs”. In short: “Found photographs” are discarded vintage photographs typically found at charity stores, car boot sales, flea markets or antique fairs. As a single image, any “found” or the converse thereof, “lost” photograph, has sadly lost its original context when viewed by a total str

Café Bibles: Contemporary Photographic Africana - Photo-stories / Fotoverhale (1950s to 1980s)

Recently the author was in Port Elizabeth searching for photographic material at book dealers, used goods and antique shops in town. At one of these stores he posed his standard question to a dealer: “Do you have any old photo-stories”? With the dealer not understanding the question, the author then explained what they were. To which the dealer responded: “Oh, you are referring to Café Bibles!”.

Early Ethno-Photography and the Picture Postcard - A South African perspective

This article reflects on the influence of South African ethno-photographs on the picture postcard industry together with a reflection on their individual histories.

Most picture postcards at the turn of the 19th century had a strong photographic theme where publishers of the picture postcard relied on the original photograph for commercial purposes.

Photographers active in Pretoria - First 60 years (1855-1915)

1. Introduction

During the early commercially embryonic era of photography, photographers from all over the world attempted to generate an income from this new art form. Many aspirational photographers arrived and settled in South Africa from countries such as Ireland, England, Australia, Switzerland, Holland, Latvia and Germany, to mention but a few.

Burgers Park - A Victorian Heritage (As portrayed in picture postcards from more than a century ago)

During Pretoria’s first 20 years of existence it had no public parks. The only spaces accessible to the public at the time were the Church and Market squares.

As early as 1874, the space where Burgers Park is located today, was allocated to become Pretoria’s first botanical garden.

Today a declared heritage site, the park was only officially named Burgers Park during 1894.

The first 10 years (1874 to 1884)

Perfect nuisance and as mad as a hatter - Rudolf Gottfried Steger, Pretoria based photographer from 1898-1919

Rudolf Gottfried Steger was born in Germany on 11 March 1871. He left his country of birth aged 10 to attend school in Switzerland and then went on to complete four years of religious studies in Rome. Whilst in Switzerland, he also trained as a medical assistant at the Red Cross in Geneva – a skill that would later come in handy.

Steger arrived in South Africa during 1894 and became a naturalised burger (citizen) whilst based in Paarl during 1896. He established his first studio in Pretoria during 1898 aged 27.

Snapshot Photography - Automobiles photographed in South Africa between 1920s to 1960s

A modern photographic phenomenon that has emerged is “found photographs” – these include everyday snapshot photographs taken by others years ago, but have subsequently been discarded. These discarded photographs can today be bought up cheaply by photographic curators at car boot sales, charity organisations, fairs or auctions (online auctions included). These photographs are typically found in old photo albums, boxes with photo-odds or photo sleeves holding old prints.

Hunter and hunted photographed - Early South African hunting photographs (1860s to 1910)

For a greater part of the 19th century, abundant and large herds of game were common in the interior of South Africa, resulting in it becoming a “sportsman’s” paradise

Carl Friedrich Adolf Wundram - Piet Retief’s only recorded photographer between the 1890s and 1910

The history around photography and photographers active in South Africa during the mid-1880s to early 1910s remains a vastly untapped field of research.

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Carol Hardijzer

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