item details
NameStudio camera
ProductionThomas Fitzroy Girvan; manufacturer; 1880s; Dunedin
Classificationcameras, photographic equipment
Materialswood, brass, metal
Techniquescabinetmaking
DimensionsOverall: 353mm (width), 370mm (height), 310mm (depth)
Registration NumberGH004569
Credit linePurchased 1991
Overview
This studio portrait camera and its stand (GH004601) are unusual for being made in New Zealand. They are the work of a Dunedin cabinet-maker, T R Girvan, who called the camera ‘Kapai’ (from ‘ka pai’ in Māori – meaning ‘that’s good’).
It was used by the noted photographers, the Burton Brothers, and has a sliding arrangement on the back designed to allow several shots to be taken on one negative. This was a common method used by photographers to keep costs down.