Grasshoff & Melchior Daguerrotypists

Early Victorian Hand-Coloured Daguerreotypes
(Photographer Unknown – State Library of Victoria Collection)

One of the earliest types of photographs were daguerreotypes. A light sensitive plate was produced by coating a copper plate with silver and iodine. After exposure a positive image was produced by exposing the plate to a vapour of mercury. The developed image was then placed in a light-proof case which could be opened when one wished to view the resulting photograph. This process was invented by a Frenchman named Louis Daguerre and was quite popular in the 1840s and early 1850s.

A few photographers had been producing daguerreotype images in Melbourne prior to the arrival of Charles Grasshoff and William Melchior in 1850. They were passengers on the 354 ton Barque “Prebislav” (Capt. P. W. Niemann) from Hamburg, Germany (24 August 1849) via Rio de Janiero (2 December 1849) which arrived at Melbourne on 2 February 1850. Though no passenger list is known to have survived for this voyage, Robert Wuchatsch has been able to reconstruct a listing of most of the passengers from naturalisation and other records. Charles Grasshoff and his wife were cabin passengers and William Melchior was among the nearly two hundred steerage passengers.

Before the end of March 1850 Grasshoff had opened a ‘glass-room’ photographic studio at 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne as ‘Grasshoff & Co.’ He advertised in the “Melbourne Daily News” that “by long experience” they were “enabled to execute all orders in the neatest and shortest way, and in the full satisfaction of the ladies and gentlemen who may honour them, at their residence, Swanston Street, west-side, between Great and Little Bourke Streets.” A news item in the same newspaper said that some samples of his work had been inspected and were found to be quite equal to any they had seen in the province.

In June 1850 Grasshoff advertised in the “Melbourne Daily News” seeking “A PARTNER, who can command £500 to join in a business for the manufacture of light tiles for roofing houses.” In July 1850 Grasshoff advertised in the “Port Phillip Gazette and Settler’s Journal” with a copy of his earlier advertisement but adding “Tombstones and Buildings taken in first-rate style.” A news item in this paper added “those who wish to send a present to their friends in England could not do better than pay them a visit, and we can assure them they will meet with the utmost civility, and find Mr. Grasshoff an adept at his business.”

In December 1850 Grasshoff advertised in the “Argus” newspaper “Christmas-boxes or New Year’s Gifts. We beg leave to direct the attention of the public of Melbourne and its vicinity to our establishment, and shall be happy to execute any orders for Daguerreotypes, they being exceedingly suited for Christmas-boxes, or New Year’s gifts. – Specimens may be seen at Mr. Pittman’s, Collins-street, and Swanston-street. GRASSHOFF & Co.”

As part of the celebrations for the Separation of the Port Phillip District from New South Wales in 1851, Garryowen reported that Mr. Grasshoff of the Daguerreotype Depôt was exhibiting some small though superiorly executed transparencies in the windows of the ‘Rainbow Hotel’ in Melbourne.

In October 1851, Peter Davis, auctioneer, advertised in the “Argus” that he had received instructions to sell by private contract “All that valuable property recently occupied by Mr. Grasshoff, Swanston Street, containing shop and three rooms, and detached kitchen, &c., together with four tenements in the rear. This property is situated near Mr. Wright’s timber yard, and opposite Messrs. Cook and Barr’s blacksmith establishment.”

By early 1852 Grasshoff had taken William Melchior, who had probably been working for him from an early date, as his partner. On 11 February 1852 they advertised in the “Argus” – “DAGUERREOTYPE ROOMS – MESSRS. GRASSHOFF & MELCHIOR (Late Grasshoff & Co.) – Beg to intimate to the Public of Victoria, that to satisfy the expressed wish of many inhabitants of Melbourne, they will re-open their Daguerreotype Rooms, situated 57, Little-Flinders-street, two doors below the Prince of Wales Hotel, and opposite the Prince’s Bridge on the 10th instant, for the period of three months. Messrs. G. and M. having erected a new and commodious glass-house, are now enabled to take likenesses in any weather, at a moment’s notice. Hours of attendance, daily, from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. (Sundays excepted)”

1853 Melbourne Commercial Directory
(Pierce)

When the 300 ton Barque “Dockenhuden” (Capt. Meyer) arrived in Adelaide, South Australia from Hamburg, Germany (20 November 1851) on 26 February 1852 it had amongst its cargo for trans-shipment to Melbourne ‘1 case optical instruments, C. Grasshoff.’

Grasshoff and Melchior were still in business over a year later, advertising in the “Argus” newspaper on 14 May 1853 – “COLOURED DAGUERREOTYPE MINIATURES – GRASSHOFF and MELCHIOR, 57, Flinders-lane, east, opposite St. Paul’s Church, having engaged the services of an artist recently from London and Paris, are now enabled to offer these beautiful productions, combining the faithful accuracy of the Daguerreotype with the pleasing colors and expression of the finest miniature; on the same moderate terms as heretofore. They can be taken, by improvements in the art now for the first time introduced into Australia, in any state of the weather, and complete satisfaction guaranteed. They also beg to notify, that any of their former patrons can have their daguerreotypes colored, at 57, Flinders-lane, east, in the highest style of the art, at a very trifling charge.”

A brief notice in the “Argus” of 30 November 1853 stated – “GRASSHOFF and MELCHIOR beg to inform the Public they have removed from Flinders-lane to 24, Great Collins Street, east. The finest Colored Daguerreotypes with every recent improvement.”

Charles Grasshoff and his wife sailed from Melbourne in early March 1854 for London, England on the 1,800 ton Ship, “Birmingham” (Capt. J. M. Kirby) and from there probably returned to Germany.

William Melchior appears to have commenced business about 1854 as a merchant, importer and shipping agent concentrating on ships arriving from Germany. He had premises at Flinders-lane, west, corner of Bond Street, Melbourne. This business later passed to other proprietors who continued to trade under his name.

From the 1860s onwards Melchior was involved brick making with premises on the River Yarra in Abbotsford/East Collingwood. In floods in December 1863 he had two brick cottages, over 100,000 bricks and a large stock of wood washed away. In December 1872, in partnership with Frederick Poeppel, an architect and engineer formerly of Castlemaine and Ballarat, he unsuccessfully applied for a patent for an improved brick oven. Melchior continued as a brickmaker with premises in Grosvenor Street, Abbotsford until his death in 1898.

Prior to his departure from Melbourne Charles Grasshoff appears to have sold a block of land to John Adolphe Boehm (who had also arrived at Melbourne in 1850 on the “Prebislav”) on 27 February 1854 in exchange for a Bill of Exchange for £600 payable four years after that date. Boehm, who had a soap and candle business in Victoria Street, East Collingwood failed to make payment on this Bill. Then in 1863, when Boehm’s business was taken over by a Mr. P. Nettleton, Grasshoff commenced legal action in the Supreme Court through his Melbourne attorney, John Macgregor. This eventually led to the block of land being sold by auction.

Grasshoff’s full name was Charles Augustus Lewis Grasshoff and according to his naturalisation application, was born c1813 in Berlin, Brandenberg, Germany. He was naturalised on 30 December 1850.

Melchior’s full name was given at the time of his marriage in 1850 as Hans Henry William Melchior though he signed his name as Hans Heinrich Wilhelm Melchior. He was married on 14 May 1850 at St. James Cathedral, Melbourne to Johanna Maria Rau by the Rev. Augustus Strong. The witnesses were Charles Grasshoff and Alex Brahe, both of Melbourne.

According to Melchior’s naturalisation application, he was born c1822 in Luenburgh, Kingdom of Hanover, Germany and his occupation was given as Daguerreotypist. He was naturalised on 28 February 1852. William and Johanna Melchior had four children:

1. Carl Wilhelm (Charles William) Melchior, born 7 May 1852 in Victoria, died 12 March 1854 in Victoria and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Vic.

2. Hans Melchior, born 4 April 1854 in Victoria, died 7 November 1859 in Victoria and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Vic.

3. Elizabeth Christiana Melchior, born 4 April 1854 in Victoria, died 8 November 1923 in Victoria and was buried in the Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, Vic. She married in 1873 in Victoria to Ebenezer Grahame Fulton who was born c1833, died 17 October 1914 and was buried in the Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, Vic. No known issue.

4. Heinrich (Henry) Melchior, born 5 July 1858 in Victoria, died 28 May 1861 in Victoria and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Vic.

William Melchior (name given as William Hans Henry Melchior) died 23 February 1898 in Victoria and his wife Johanna (name given as Johanna Maria Elizabeth Melchior) died 9 August 1899 in Victoria. Both were buried in the Fulton family grave in the Lutheran Section of the Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, Victoria with their daughter.

Grasshoff and Melchior appear to have been competent photographers using the Daguerreotype method but from the early 1850s this method was becoming obsolete. As very few, if any, daguerreotypes carried the name of the photographer no examples of their work have been identified. Grasshoff appears to have gained proficiency in the method in Germany and was able to open his business in Melbourne shortly after his arrival. However neither Grasshoff or Melchior are known to have adapted to the new photographic technologies.

Contributed by Alexander Romanov-Hughes – PPPG Member No. 52