Glass Negatives from the Holtermann Collection & Holtermann Mansion, North Sydney

Bernhardt Otto Holtermann’s North Sydney mansion became a vantage point for some of the most celebrated glass-plate views of colonial Sydney. The Holtermann Collection, now held by the State Library of NSW, preserves large-format negatives that document harbour defences, racecourses, streetscapes and panoramic harbour vistas. This post brings together mansion views, architectural plans and related Sydney subjects drawn from that glass-negative tradition.

Architectural plan for the Union Club, Bligh and Bent Streets, Sydney — Holtermann Collection glass negative.

Further architectural plan of the Union Club, Bent Street, Sydney — Holtermann Collection.

Street view at Cooper Street and Abercrombie Place, Redfern — Holtermann Collection glass negative.

Hansom cabs and buggies overlooking race day at Randwick Racecourse — Holtermann Collection.

Harbour defence works and fortifications at Middle Head, Sydney Harbour — Holtermann Collection.

The Holtermann Mansion, North Sydney — Bernhardt Otto Holtermann’s residence linked to the glass-plate collection.

View toward Middle Head gun emplacements from the harbour — Holtermann Collection.

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Another harbour view of Middle Head gun emplacements — Holtermann Collection.

Merton Lodge — Holtermann Collection glass negative.

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann residence, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann residence, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Panorama of Sydney from the Holtermann mansion, North Sydney (panel).

Architectural plans for offices and stables on the Holtermann property, North Sydney.

Race day at Randwick Racecourse — Holtermann Collection glass negative.

Race day crowds and course at Randwick Racecourse — Holtermann Collection.

Further race-day scene at Randwick Racecourse — Holtermann Collection.

The Gap, ocean cliffs at South Head, Watsons Bay — Holtermann Collection.

Cocks Family Hotel, corner of New South Head Road and Ocean Street — Holtermann Collection.

Historic Sydney view from the Holtermann Collection (subject not labelled on the file).

State Library of NSW Holtermann Collection plate (subject not labelled in the post).

Sydney Photos – Date Unknown

Sydney Photos – Date Unknown

These undated historic photographs of Sydney record harbour foreshores, Domain landmarks and city streets from The Rocks to Woolloomooloo and Bennelong Point. Subjects include Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, the Argyle Cut, early civic memorials and harbour shipping. This post gathers that set of Sydney views whose exact photograph dates are not stated on the page.

Argyle Cut and Argyle Place, The Rocks — carved roadway connecting Sydney Cove to Millers Point (date unknown).

Artillery at Mrs Macquarie’s Point, with Garden Island in the background — Sydney Harbour (date unknown).

Fishmarkets, Woolloomooloo — erected 1871 (photograph date unknown).

Fountain and entrance gates to the Botanical Gardens — Sydney (date unknown).

Governor Bourke’s statue, Domain and Botanical Gardens — Sydney (date unknown).

Grantham / Campbell Lodge, Potts Point, from Lady Macquarie’s Chair — Sydney (date unknown).

Large ocean liner, paddle steamer and clipper in Sydney Harbour (date unknown).

Looking down Jamieson Street to George Street — Sydney (date unknown).

Looking north from the Public Library, Macquarie Street — Sydney (date unknown).

Looking west from Farm Cove to Mrs Macquarie’s Road — Sydney (date unknown).

Looking west along Bridge Street from Lady Young Terrace — Sydney (date unknown).

Looking west down Bent Street from the Public Library — Sydney (date unknown).

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair with a warship and Fort Denison — Sydney Harbour (date unknown).

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Sydney (date unknown).

Observatory, Flagstaff Hill — Sydney (date unknown).

Oddfellows Hall, Sydney — erected 1871 (photograph date unknown).

Oriental Bank at the corner of Spring, Pitt and O’Connell Streets — Sydney (date unknown).

Prince Albert Memorial, Queens Square — Sydney (date unknown).

Shipyards at Millers Point looking across to Balmain — Sydney Harbour (date unknown).

Spectacle and Snapper Islands from Balmain — Sydney Harbour (date unknown).

St Philip’s Church, Church Hill — Sydney (date unknown; file ‘St Phillips’).

Wentworth House, Charlotte Place (later Grosvenor Street) — Sydney (date unknown).

Wharves near Fort Macquarie, Bennelong Point — Sydney (date unknown).

Lady Macquarie’s Chair / Mrs Macquarie’s Point area — State Library plate (SLNSW FL1249433); body closes on this subject.

Eastern Coastline – New South Wales

Sydney’s eastern shoreline once presented a chain of mansions, toll roads, bayside villages and harbour defences stretching from Potts Point and Double Bay out to Watsons Bay and South Head. Nineteenth-century photographers recorded these streets, foreshores and civic buildings as the city’s eastern suburbs took shape. This post gathers historic views along that New South Wales eastern coastline.

Bomerah, Grantham and other Potts Point mansions from Lady Macquarie’s Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Clipper ship Kingsbridge at Campbell’s Wharf, Sydney Harbour — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Cranbrook and lodge at the corner of Victoria Road and Bellevue Hill — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute, Sydney — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Double Bay foreshore and settlement, New South Wales — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Edgecliff Preparatory School for Boys — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Gun emplacement overlooking Camp Cove and Watsons Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Hotel and houses at Watsons Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Houses at Watsons Bay, looking along the settlement — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Longboat and boatshed at Watsons Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Mansions Fairlight and Fernbank, Point Piper — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Foreshore mansions Heathfield, Ewenton and Shannon Grove — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Mansions on Ocean and Greenoakes Avenue, Edgecliff — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Spectators watching horse-drawn omnibuses at Randwick Racecourse — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

New South Head Road through Double Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Ocean Street North (later Ocean Avenue), Double Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Residence possibly Colebrook, corner of New South Head Road and Bellevue Hill Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Rowing boats and boatsheds near the La Perouse monument — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Slab hut on Village Point — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

St John’s Church of England, Glebe — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Toll road at Bayswater and New South Head Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Toll road on New South Head Road, looking west toward Darlinghurst — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Watsons Bay from Old South Head Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Clipper ship and Mort’s Building at Circular Quay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Looking along Alison Road toward Randwick Racecourse — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.