Summary

Black and white glass negative of the exterior of the Kodak factory in Abbotsford, Victoria, viewed from across the Yarra River, circa 1930s.

This is one of 2 glass negatives contained within a box labelled 'GP-90' by Kodak's corporate museum, Coburg. Both feature exterior views of the Abbotsford plant from the river.

The facilities and buildings in this view highlight the nature of the photographic manufacturing done at this factory. The tank in the foreground close to the river was probably used in the silver nitrate manufacturing process, which dissolved silver in concentrated nitric acid for use in photographic film products. The Power House, with its two chimneys, provided all of the power and refrigeration for the factory. The shorter chimney was the original Power House chimney, which was removed by 1955. The second chimney was probably built in the 1930s. The Paper Coating Building was where photographic paper was coated and photographic emulsions manufactured. The tank on the top of the tower on this building contained distilled water which was used in the manufacturing process. The Glass Plate Building was where glass plates were made. The Number 6, Film Coating Building, was where film products were made - this included the 'finishing' process.

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.

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.

Description of Content

Oblique view of factory buildings with grassy slope & trees in foreground and factory buildings visible through the trees in the centre of frame.

Physical Description

Black and white silver gelatin glass negative, full plate.

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