This plan outlines the specific strengths and current collecting priorities for the Photographs Collection held by Auckland Council Libraries.

The Photographs Collection aims to document, preserve and share the diverse voices of Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland's communities. By collecting a range of photographic images and formats, we seek to create a comprehensive archive that reflects the cultural, social, and historical richness of the region.

About the collection

History and formation

The Library’s photographic collections have their origins in Sir George Grey’s Scrapbook (Accession 661), the collecting policies of Old Colonists’ Museum (opened 1916), and the enthusiasm of the City Librarian, John Barr (1913-1952).

Subject coverage

The subjects represented in the collection are wide-ranging. They include streets and localities, sports and sports teams, transport and social clubs. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections have acquired a reputation as a repository for studio collections and works by specific photographers, for example the work of: Rykenberg Photography, Bruce Shanks, Kim Photography, Sue Gee, Trevor Winkworth, Rees Osborne, Joy Collins, Susanna Burton Photography, Vernon H Clarke Photography, and Bruce Jarvis.

Geographic coverage

The collection focuses on New Zealand, the South Pacific and Antarctica; with particular focus on Auckland and its immediate locality. Historically the collections have also been open to the inclusion of worldwide material, reflecting the background, careers and experience of New Zealanders.

Formats and extent

The collection contains over 3.5 million items in a variety of formats. These include:

• early photographic formats such as daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes
• all forms of photographic prints such as albumen prints (mainly in the form of cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards), albums, postcards
• negatives (glass and film), lantern slides, 35mm colour slide, transparencies
• drawings and paintings
• digital images.

Strengths of the collection

Significant collections include:

• Herman Schmidt (27,000 glass plates)
• J D Richardson (around 8000 glass and film negatives)
• Henry Winkelmann (2000 glass plate negatives)
• Charles Peet Dawes (2200 negatives)
• F G Radcliffe (2300 postcard negatives)
• Clifton Firth (100,000 negatives and around 750 A3 display prints)
• The New Zealand Herald Collection (20,000 negatives in the ‘Glass Plate Collection’ plus around 200,000 35mm negatives).

Current collecting priorities

The collection is well used - by historians, family historians, writers, publishers, advertisers, architects, real estate agents, property developers, local government agencies, archaeologists, film and television companies and students - amongst others.

Items are acquired mainly through donation as well as acquisition by purchase. Collecting is therefore restricted by what is offered and what is available. However, the aim is to build on existing collection strengths, fill gaps in collections, and respond to the changing needs of researchers now and in the future.

Proactive priorities

Acquisitions in these areas seek to fill gaps and/or provide balance to the collection:

• Examples of photographs by less well-known photographers (of particular interest are Auckland photographers from the 19th and early 20th centuries).
  
• Work by women photographers.
  
• Publications relating to the history of photography in New Zealand.

Ongoing priorities

Acquisitions in these areas build on our existing collection strengths:

• Photographs of Auckland and Aucklanders, reflecting Auckland’s diverse communities.
  
• Photographs of New Zealand and New Zealanders.
  
• Photographs of Māori and te ao Māori.
  
• Photographs of the South Pacific.
  
• Photographs by New Zealand photographers.
  
• Photographs taken overseas with a specific connection to New Zealand and New Zealanders.
  
• Historical formats not already represented in the collection.

Additionally, we aim to locate copies of Sharland’s New Zealand Photographer and advocate for its digitisation and online access.

Selectively collected items

Studio collections are well-represented in the collection and new acquisitions of this nature will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Stop collecting

The aim is not to duplicate items in other institutions. RSA and military, and transport and maritime items are to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis as we already hold substantial collections. In general they should be referred to Auckland Museum, MOTAT and the NZ Maritime Museum, as necessary.

Overseas subject matter (e.g. European, Australian, American) should not be collected unless it has particular relevance to New Zealand history or specific New Zealanders.

Exclusions

No items are accepted on deposit or loan.

Subject exclusions

Digital photographs of Library events should be preserved separately.

Format exclusions

• Only original items can be accepted. Where digital copies are offered the potential donor should be asked if they would consider donating the original item instead.
• Digital material should only be accepted if of sufficient resolution.
• Moving images (film, video, dvd etc) should be referred to Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision.
• We do not collect artworks (unless these are part of a larger donation).
• Three-dimensional objects (e.g. cameras) should not be accepted unless useful for viewing images (e.g. stereoscopic viewers), or add to the collections (e.g. items used by photographers in the course of their work). Some supporting material relevant to a photographer’s work and career can be accepted at the discretion of the curator (e.g. Eric Young’s award ribbons and Herman Schmidt’s certificates and medals).
• Ephemera should be passed to the Associate Curator Ephemera unless specific to a photographer.

Want to discuss a research query or donation?

Specialist staff are available to assist you with research questions or potential donation of materials. 

Learn more about our research services or find out how to donate to the heritage collections.