Record of Photographers

[PeeCeeBee]

Is there a website or some such with a history of photographers in Australia, and in particular New South Wales.... I have a photograph with the following on the reverse...
The Great Philadelphia Photo Gallery - E. Riisfeldt - 227 King St, Newtown...

I am wanting to try to identify the person in the photo and hence would like to narrow down the year it may have been taken.

I have looked on Trove and found an advert for 1885... but not a lot else... mind you this was just a very quick search.
Any suggestions as to how to find this info would be appreciated.
Regards
PCB

[sparrett]

Hi,
This will be of interest to you.
Emil Riisfeldt was first in China .

https://gwulo.com/node/35363

Scroll right down the long page!
He headed for Australia in late 1873.

Sue

[maddys52]

If you search the Sydney Sands Directory for the studio at that address, that will give you some idea of the years they operated from there.
https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/search-our-collections/sands-directory/sands-search

Modified to add:
For example in 1891 (on page 6)
cdn.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/history/archives/sands/1890-1899/1891-part8.pdf

and in 1893 (on page 5)
cdn.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/history/archives/sands/1890-1899/1893-part4.pdf

[sparrett]

1893 was also the year of his death as my link above states.

RUSFELDT (sic) Emil P
10914/1893
Parents John & Frederika M
At NEWTOWN

Sue

[sparrett]

A couple of mentions which place him at the King Street address

Death at that address 1893
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28264414?

Working from that address 1887
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/108225643

Sue

[majm]

Database of the Assessment Books (Council Rates) ...
Kingston Ward should get you to Kings Street ... index

http://www.newtownproject.com.au/   This is an interesting site, but go to http://www.newtownproject.com.au/assessment-a-rate-books/
and select Kingston Ward
and then select 1887,  and at page 1 of 23, 4th line down,  as occupier .... read across to description and assessed value ... notice other valuations, and also that Greenwood was the Ratepayer for several adjacent properties ...
and similar in 1888 and 1891 and 1892

JM

[sparrett]

PCB,
Do you have even a suspicion about the person you think might be the subject of the photo?

If so, if you were to give the name and some details of that person, we may be able to locate him/her, maybe even in the same area as the King Street Studio.
Possibly worth a try.
Sue

[jeanlit]

There is a book called "The Mechanical Eye in Australia" 1841-1900 which gives a lot of information about the photographers during this time.

If you can borrow the book on Inter-Library loan, you may find out more.

Jean

[rosball]

Here are some photographs by Emil Riisfeldt (and co).   There are some notes which mention where and when each photograph was taken.   It may give you some clues.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/picture/result?q=%22emil+riisfeldt%22~3

Ros