George Hoby, Part 4: Unattributed carte de visite portraits

Part 3 evaluated a series of carte de visite portraits from the Puke Ariki Museum collection attributed to Hoby.


CDV portraits in Puke Ariki collection, unattributed, c. 1865-66
Capt. A.R. Close [52], Dr R.A.P. Grant (43rd Regt)[53], Capt. Page [54]
There are probably also a number of other, currently unattributed, portraits by Hoby in the Puke Ariki collection. For example, the carte de visites of Captains Close and Page, full length portraits with their caps resting on pedestals [52,54], were clearly taken in the same sitting as the half-length Hoby portrait shown earlier. The addition of a balustrade into the setting is the only item of studio furniture not observed previously. The full length portrait of Dr Grant [53] displays several familiar items in the studio, including the pedestal, patterned carpet and chair.


CDV portraits, Lt. Henry Bally, 70th Regiment, Puke Ariki collection,
unattributed, c. 1865-66 [55,56,57]
Likewise, the series of three portraits of Lt. Bally of the 70th Regiment, who appears to have visited on three separate occasions, use the same set of studio furniture [55,56,57].


CDV portraits, Puke Ariki collection, unattributed, c. 1865-66
Lt. W.deW. Waller (57th)[58], Ens. A. Duncan (57th)[59], John Black (Taranaki Bush Rangers)[60]
Further portraits from the same source show Lieutenant W.deW. Waller and Ensign A. Duncan (57th Regiment) and John Black (No. 2 Company, Taranaki Bush Rangers) with pedestal and patterned curtain [58,59,60] ...


Lt. G.J. Gosling (65th)[61], Lt. B. Gascoigne[62], Lt. R. Pitcairn (T.M.S.)[63]
... and Lieutenants G.J. Gosling (65th Regiment), Bamber Gascoigne and Robert Pitcairn (Taranaki Military Settlers), all with the pedestal [61,62,63].


Carte de visites portraits of W.H. Frere (58th Regt & T.R.V.)[64]
and Baron L. von Rotter (T.M.S.)[65], unattributed, c. 1865-66
This carte de visite (above left), also identifiable as from Hoby's studio from the characteristic chair, pedestal and carpet, is somewhat different in that the background wall has thigh-high wainscoting and a painted studio backdrop, the only such portrait by this photographer thus far discovered. It shows William Henry Frere, who served with the 58th Regiment and the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, and the backdrop appears to depict, according the catalogue entry, Pukekura Park and Mount Taranaki [64]. Baron L. von Rotter (above right) was New Plymouth's first Postmaster and a member of the Taranaki Military Settlers [65].


CDV portraits of 43rd Regt. soldiers, Puke Ariki collection, unattributed, c. 1865-66
Lt. A. Longley [66], Capt. H.A. Bateman [67]
The vignetted head-and-shoulders portrait of Lieutenant Longley [66] shows him in the same clothes and very similar hair style to that depicted in the full length Hoby portrait displayed in Part 3. The shape of the vignetting "cut-out" in the Bateman portrait [67] is almost identical, suggesting that both were also from Hoby's studio.


CDV portraits of Follett Carrington [68], Rachel Mace & baby [69]
Puke Ariki collection, unattributed, c. 1865-66
These two cartes de visite are among the few discovered which show civilian subjects. The unattributed portrait of Follett Carrington (1862-1948) is datable to c.1864-1866; the pedestal and chair are clearly Hoby's [68]. That of Rachel Mace, wife of Captain Mace of the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, with a baby in her lap also displays Hoby's trademark pedestal and carpet [69]. It may be from mid-1865, as she gave birth to a son on the 21st February that year [70]. The statuary used in these two portraits has not been observed any other examples.

In Part 5, George Hoby has to cope with the departure of most of the military personnel from Taranaki.

References

[52] Photographic portrait of Captain Arthur R. Close, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1790, Puke Ariki Museum.

[53] Photographic portrait of Doctor Robert Alexander Peter Grant, Assistant Surgeon, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-630, Puke Ariki Museum.

[54] Photographic portrait of Captain Page, Taranaki Military Settlers, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-553, Puke Ariki Museum.

[55] Photographic portrait of Captain Henry Bally, 70th Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-623, Puke Ariki Museum.

[56] Photographic portrait of Captain Henry Bally, 70th Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1711, Puke Ariki Museum.

[57] Photographic portrait of Captain Henry Bally, 70th Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1804, Puke Ariki Museum.

[58] Photographic portrait of Lieutenant Walter de Warrenne Waller, 57th Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-572, Puke Ariki Museum.

[59] Photographic portrait of Ensign A. Duncan, 57th Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1679, Puke Ariki Museum.

[60] Photographic portrait of John Black, Taranaki Bush Rangers (No. 2 Company), Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-574, Puke Ariki Museum.

[61] Photographic portrait of Lieutenant George Johnson Gosling, 65th Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-597, Puke Ariki Museum.

[62] Photographic portrait of Lieutenant Bamber Gascoigne, Taranaki Military Settlers, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1788, Puke Ariki Museum.

[63] Photographic portrait of Lieutenant Robert Pitcairn, Taranaki Military Settlers, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1789, Puke Ariki Museum.

[64] Photographic portrait of William Henry Frere, 58th Regiment & Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1791, Puke Ariki Museum.

[65] Photographic portrait of Baron Louis von Rotter, Postmaster & Taranaki Military Settler, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1866, Puke Ariki Museum.

[66] Photographic portrait of Lieutenant Arthur Longley, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1782, Puke Ariki Museum.

[67] Photographic portrait of Captain Hugh A. Bateman, 43rd Regiment, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2008-1683, Puke Ariki Museum.

[68] Photographic Portrait of Follett Carrington, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2009-223, Puke Ariki Museum.

[69] Photographic portrait of Rachel Mace and baby, Carte de visite, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, c.1865, Acc. No. PHO2007-033, Puke Ariki Museum.

[70] Birth, Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1865, p.2.