Summary

Black and white copy negative of an early McKay Bros. harvester made in Sandhurst by G.F. Pickles & Son Ltd. Photographed by Foster Studios, Pall Mall, Sandhurst (now Bendigo), about 1887 or 1888. [Note: Despite the original caption this machine is not a 'Sunshine' harvester, the design of which was not devised by H.V. McKay until 1893.]
The photograph depicts one of the earlier predessor harvester designs developmend by H.V. McKay and his brother John McKay, which were built for the McKay Bros by various third party manufacturers between 1885 and 1891.

A report which appeared in the Bendigo Advertiser, 7 Dec 1887, read as follows:
'M'KAY'S HARVESTING MACHINES.-The Pickles' Carriage Manufacturing Co., Williamson-street, have just finished twenty-five patent harvesting machines to the order of M'Kay Brothers, and many novel improvements have been made in these machines by the builders and the patentees, which are expected to fully meet the requirements of the farming community. The machines strip, thresh, winnow, clean and deliver the grain into bags, which are sewn up on the machine and then dropped in the field ready for market, so that the saving of labor is immense as compared with the old methods. An inspection of those machines naturally gives rise to the thought "what wonders in mechanism shall we see next." America gave birth to the reaper and binder, and shall Victoria be the mother of even greater marvels in agricultural machinery. We hear that the whole of the machines were eagerly bought up before they were finished, and great credit is due to the builders for having constructed them in so short a time (about four months), while they have on hand large orders for carriages and buggies besides a heavy carriage contract for the Victorian Railways, which must be completed during the next year. We may mention that an entire change of management of the company's business has just been effected and many novelties in carriage building are being brought out to conduce to the convenience and comfort of their customers.'

This image forms part of the H.V. McKay Archive, which includes personal correspondence, agreements, contracts, prospectus, photographs and articles.

Description of Content

Men posing with an early Sunshine Harvester on a street in Bendigo. Two men stand to the left and two men with a boy stand to the right. Houses, fencing and trees are in the background.

Physical Description

Black & white photographic negative on cellulose acetate film.

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