W.H. Macey of Blenheim, New Zealand

William Henry Macey had a long, settled career as a photographer in Blenheim, New Zealand. He started off in the late 1860s as manager of William Collie's studio in Market Place, but in 1870 they formed the partnertship of Collie & Macey, which continued operating until 1874. Macey then bought out his partner and continued in the Market Place (later Market Street) until at least 1915. In 1902, branch studios were opened in Picton and Havelock. Macey served as a Justice of the Peace in 1902 and 1915, and was also Mayor of Blenheim. He died in 1931.


The unidentified young child pictured in this cameo cdv portrait is laughing, unusual for a photograph of this era, as any movement would have made it difficult to avoid blurring.


The card design, Marion Imp of Paris, is of a type that Roger Vaughan (on his web site Date an Old UK Photograph) calls "Early Large Letter," with large ornate initial letters, a diagonal "signature," ivy in the background, and several fonts, and probably dates from the early 1880s. The thickish card, yellow card colour and rounded corners are also typical for this time frame.