Details
Creator Rau, William Herman, 1855-1920.
Title Views of Chatham Island, South Pacific during United States Transit of Venus expedition. [graphic] / Wm. H. Rau, photographer, Philada.
Publisher Philadelphia : [William H. Rau]
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1875
Date [ca. 1875]
Physical Description 2 photographic prints : albumen on stereograph mount ; 9 x 17.5 cm. (3.5 x 7 in.)
Description Series of expedition views from photographer William H. Rau's Transit of Venus expedition to Chatham Island in December 1874 depict crude wooden structures in a rural landscape.
Is part of Chatham Island, South Pacific. U.S. Transit of Venus Exp.
Notes Title supplied by cataloger.
Photographer's imprint on mounts.
Orange mounts with rounded corners.
Manuscript note on verso of item P.9517.1: "Rear view of one observatory"
Manuscript note on verso of item P.9517.2: "Cabin built by the wrecked crew of the American whaler "Alabama" 1868".
Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012.
Biographical / historical note Philadelphia photographer William H. Rau was included in one of eight observation parties sponsored by the United States government to gather information about the December 8, 1874 Transit of Venus. His party travelled to the Chatham Islands, an archipelago off the coast of New Zealand, to view the astronomical phenomenon, but inclement weather there prevented Rau from collecting decent images of the event.
Subject Expeditions & surveys -- New Zealand -- Chatham Islands.
Astronomical observatories -- New Zealand -- Chatham Islands.
Cabins -- New Zealand -- Chatham Islands.
Geographic subject Chatham Islands (N.Z.)
Venus (Planet) -- Transit -- 1874.
Genre Albumen prints -- 1870-1880.
Stereographs -- 1870-1880.
Expedition photographs -- 1870-1880.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| stereo - Rau - Views [P.9517.1-2]
Accession number P.9517.1
P.9517.2