Museum acquisition

Press, 24 October 1980, Page 4

Museum acquisition

One of the most valuable collections of portrait photo"raphy in Chistchurch, dating from'the first half of this century, has been given to the Canterbury Museum ■ The museum’s director, Mr J. C. Wilson, told a. meeting of the Museum Trust Board that the collection of 50,000 negatives and plates had been given by Mr O. G. Clifford. The collection was the work of his fther, Mr H. H. Clifford, who practised as an artist photographer in Christchurch from the turn of the century.

Mr. Wilson said the mu-_ seum had been negotiating for the transfer of the collection since the beginning of the year.; It would not be on-public display, but people would have access to it throfigh.the museum staff.

The collection was an important addition, to the museum’s pictorial archives; it already had an extensive collection of glass negaitves. Mr ’ Clifford, who won a medal for his work at the) British Empire exhibition at i Wembley in 1923, spared no; expense in setting up his I

studios. One had moveable (Doric pillars and’large tapestries depicting idyllic ; Greek scenes as a... back- > ground to his protrait photo- ■ graphs. ‘ '• . t He was a leading artist photographer in Christ-

church, at one time employing 12 people to “tough-up” the photographic plates. Mr Clifford was commissioned by “The Press” to photograph many of Canterbury’s debutantes, businessmen. and community leaders.