Summary

Black and white lantern slide, featuring a photograph of a man standing in front of a Kodak Australasia Limited delivery van (or truck), advertising the company's retail store in the Block Arcade, Melbourne. This image would have been taken 1911 - 1920 but it is unknown whether the lantern slide was made at this time.

The delivery van featured in this image started life as a 1905 Napier limousine which was purchased overseas by Thomas Baker, most likely when he was managing director of Baker & Rouse but possibly when this company merged with Eastman Kodak to become Australian Kodak Limited, of which he was a managing director, in 1908. After several years of service as a chauffeur driven limousine for Mr Baker, it was replaced by a Rolls Royce. The Napier was then converted into what has been described as the first motorised Kodak delivery van in Australia, in 1911.

The delivery ban was based at 'The Block', also known as the Block Arcade at 284 Collins Street Melbourne, where Kodak operated its Victorian branch office and main retail store from between 1908-1934, and where Baker & Rouse had previously operated out of from 1904-1908.

This image 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

A man in grey coat, vest and flat cap stands in front of a large truck with 'Kodak Australasia Limited / Take A Kodak With You/ "Block" Melbourne' written on the side. The ground is wet and reflective. In the background is a large garage or stables.

Physical Description

Standard square(3¼ x 3¼ inch square) lantern slide of a black and white photographic image. It comprises of one pane of clear glass which bears the emulsion and the image and a second pane of clear glass to protect the image. There is a black paper window mount between the two panes of glass, framing the image.The two panes are sealed with black paper edge-binding strips.

More Information