IMAGE

Bridle, Marcus, 1970-: Photographs of New Zealand aircraft and related subjects

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Date

[ca 1920s-1960s]

By

Bridle, Marcus, 1970-

Reference

ATL-Group-00049

Description

A collection of photographic negatives and prints of mainly New Zealand civil and military aircraft, taken by unknown photographers, possibly between 1920s to 1960s. It is not known when the collection was assembled. The earliest images are of an airplane that flew from Invercargill to Auckland in 1921, which appear to have been taken at the conclusion of that flight.

The largest part of the collection is two sequences of negatives, one of New Zealand civil aircraft and one of New Zealand military aircraft (which also includes some images of Australian, British, American, and Canadian registered aircraft).

The original glassine enclosures for the negatives had either typed or handwritten identification of the images, in most cases. Although many of the negative enclosures that are not typed are labelled in the same hand in black ink, some are labelled in blue ballpoint pen, which may have been done after the collection was assembled. Frequently there was also a set of initials in the bottom left corner of the envelope; either 'WP', 'KM' or 'LD'. The latter was almost always followed by a 'N' and a three digit number. It is possible that 'KM' is Ken Meehan, who photographed aircraft in the 1950s and 1960s; 'WP' may be William Penelligan, who was active in Mangere in the mid-1950s, and worked in the publishing section at White's Aviation. The initals 'LD' are Les Downey, who worked at TEAL and also in the publishing section at White's Aviation. It is also possible that some photographs were taken by Leo White or other staff of White's Aviation.

Typically the images are identified by the registration identifier only; sometimes accompanied by a three or four digit number. Some of the enclosures identify when and where the photographs were taken, and those are mainly at air shows in the late 1940s and early 1950s, at Mangere, Waharoa, Whenuapai, Rukuhia, Hobsonville, Ardmore, and Rongotai airfields.

The collection also includes photographic prints of aircraft and related subjects, most of which appear to be images from the negatives, and a sequence of prints and negatives originally kept together in labelled envelopes.

Arrangement: The negatives were originally arranged in two sequences (New Zealand civil and miltary aircraft) in two metal two-drawer index card cabinets. Most of the prints were purchased by the vendor loose in a box, and he arranged them into sequences according to subject and/or markings on the backs of the prints. There was one sequence of prints and negatives together in labelled envelopes.

Quantity: 2724 b&w original negative(s). 413 b&w original photographic print(s).

Provenance: The collection had been in the vendor's possession for about five years. It was purchased by the vendor from a second-hand bookshop in Onehunga. It is possible that it came to the bookshop from the estate of William Penelligan, photographer of aircraft and a member of the Aviation Historical Society. It is also possible that the photographs were originally the collection of Whites Aviation, and were used in the production of the company's aviation-related magazines.

Use/Reproduction

Please ask the Library for permission to reproduce any item in this collection. Copyright: Please check copyright.

Access restrictions

Partly restricted material - Negatives may only be accessed with the assistance of a curator. There are no restrictions on access to other items.

Format

2724 b&w original negative(s), 413 b&w original photographic print(s), Photographs, Packaging

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There are 2,730 items in total.

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Copyright

Unknown

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