Summary

Black and white photograph of Melbourne's Block Arcade on Collins Street, taken circa 1908.

The Kodak sign is visible in the left window and on the first floor of both sides of the entranceway. There are products on display in the street window, and glass display cases either side of the shop door just inside the Arcade. The sign on the front window lists 'Austral' as a stocked product.

Austral photographic plates and papers were manufactured by Baker & Rouse, a Melbourne-based photographic manufacturer and retailer. Baker & Rouse partnered with Eastman Kodak in 1908 to form Australian Kodak Limited, but still manufactured and sold Austral products under their original name. This photograph was likely taken shortly after Australian Kodak Limited's acquisition of the Block Arcade shop from Kodak Limited, London, circa 1908.

This photograph is part of the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down.

Kodak manufactured and distributed a wide range of photographic products to Australasia, such as film, paper, chemicals, cameras and miscellaneous equipment. Its client base included amateur and professional photographers, as well as specialist medical and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques.

Description of Content

Image of a building exterior. People walking along footpath in front of shop. Cars parked on street.

Physical Description

Black and white silver gelatin print on medium weight paper, portrait format

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