Summary

A framed photograph of John Joseph (J.J) Rouse, former managing director of Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd, circa mid-1920s to mid-1930s.

This photograph is marked as belonging to Edgar Rouse, only son of JJ Rouse. When his father died in 1938, Edgar Rouse succeeded him as chairman and chief managing director of Kodak Australasia until his own retirement in 1959.

JJ Rouse was an accountant who went into partnership with pharmaceutical chemist, Thomas Baker, in 1884 to develop the photographic manufacturing company, Baker and Rouse Pty Ltd. In 1907 Baker and Rouse proposed a merger with Eastman Kodak and in 1908, Australian Kodak Limited was formed and evolved to become what is known in 2010 as Kodak Australasia. JJ Rouse played an important role in Kodak Australasia for many years, becoming a managing director along with Thomas Baker.

This photograph belongs to 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

Soft-lit portrait (head and shoulders) of a man in suit and tie, with grey moustache.

Physical Description

Black and white portrait photograph of male head and shoulders, mounted on beige card inside rectangular wooden frame with two loops and fishing wire adhered to the frame to hang. The screws, nails and backing board have been removed for conservation reasons and are stored with the frame.

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