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Photograph (Salted Paper Print) of the Cape of Good Hope Observatory, by Charles Piazzi Smyth, February 1843

Inventory Number 11894

Item type
Object
Provenance
Presented by Dr A. E. Gunther in 1986. Part of the collections of his father R. T. Gunther, founding Curator of the Museum, previously on loan to the Museum. R. T. Gunther purchased various Hartwell House manuscripts and books from the Hartwell House sales in 1939. The photograph was given to John Lee of Hartwell House by the photographer in 1843.
Other inscriptions
Manuscript heading on the album page at f.113r: 'Calotypes presented by Charles Piazzi Smyth | & prepared by himself --[long dash] Feby 1843' [2 altered at the time to 3; in Smyth's own hand]. Manuscript caption on the album page: 'Drawing room of C. P. Smyth, Obsy C. of G. H. | shewing the writing desk presented to him by Dr. Lee | 1835.' [in Smyth's hand].
Physical material
Paper
Object type
photograph
Dimensions
Height: 93mm Width: 114mm
Inventory No
11894

Description

In MS Gunther 36, f.114r bottom, Hartwell House astronomical scrapbook, volume 2. Shows the interior of a room with central desk and an equatorially-mounted refracting telescope on a tripod; the tripod incorporates a quadrant, and the desk contains drawing boards and instruments, including a parallel ruler (indicating that 'Drawing room' in the caption is to be taken literally). Brown, darker border. Slight damage from adhesive at left. One of five good and two decayed photographs contributed by Smyth to John Lee's astronomical scrapbooks. They are the earliest known photographs to have been taken in South Africa.

For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives.

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