Woman wearing a wedding dress, photographed by W. Bear [carte de visite, late 19th century]

[Editor: This carte de visite, featuring a photograph of a woman wearing a wedding dress, is undated; however, it is believed to have been made in the late 19th century. It was made by W. Bear, Fitzroy (Vic.).]

[Front of carte de visite]

Photographed by       W. Bear
145 Smith St. Fitzroy

[Description: A photograph of a woman wearing a wedding dress.]

[Reverse of carte de visite]

W. Bear,
Artist Photographer

145
Smith Street,
Fitzroy,
Melbourne,
Estd. 1868.

This or any other Portrait Enlarged
to any Size and Finished in any Style

Source:
Original document

Editor’s notes:
Dimensions (approximate): 64 mm. (width), 105 mm. (height).

This carte de visite was printed on a slightly-thick cardboard mount, with rounded corners.

W. Bear’s photographic business was established in 1868 (this information is provided on the reverse side of this carte de visite). Bear had a photographic studio at 221 Lygon Street, Carlton (Melbourne, Vic.), but in 1876 he moved to new premises at 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy (Melbourne, Vic.). A search of the National Library’s Trove collection of historical newspapers shows that William Bear was involved in the field of professional photography in Fitzroy from 1876 to 1880 (4 May 1880 was the last date found which mentions him being in Fitzroy, although it is theoretically possibly that he was still there up to early February 1882, by which time W. Latimer had taken over the premises).

See: 1) “Princess’s Opera-House” (advertisement), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 22 August 1872, p. 8, column 7 [“W. Bear, photographer, 221 Lygon-street, Carlton”]
2) “W. Bear’s Carlton Portrait Rooms, 221 Lygon Street” (advertisement), The North Melbourne Advertiser (North Melbourne, Vic.), 27 August 1873, p. 4, column 2
3) “Wanted” (advertisement), The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 5 September 1876, p. 1, column 6 [“Wanted, useful girl, about 14, light situation, sleep home. W. Bear’s Fitzroy Portrait rooms, Smith-street”]
4) “Notice of Removal” (advertisement), The Bacchus Marsh Express (Bacchus Marsh, Vic.), 4 November 1876, p. 2, column 3 [“William Bear, Photographer, late of Carlton, begs respectfully to inform the inhabitants of Bacchus Marsh and surrounding district that he has removed to the Fitzroy Portrait Rooms, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy, opposite the Arcade”]
5) “Notice of Removal” (advertisement), The Bacchus Marsh Express (Bacchus Marsh, Vic.), 7 April 1877, p. 4, column 6 [“William Bear … removed to the Fitzroy Portrait Rooms”]
6) “Professional Announcements” (advertisement), The Lorgnette (Melbourne, Vic.), 23 January 1880, p. 2 (Edition 1) [“W. Bear’s Portrait Rooms, 145 Smith street, opposite the Arcade”]
7) “Business Notices” (advertisement), The Lorgnette (Melbourne, Vic.), 4 May 1880, p. 2 (Edition 3) [“W. Bear’s Portrait Rooms, 145 Smith street”]
8) “W. Latimer” (advertisement), The Mercury and Weekly Courier (Fitzroy, Vic.), 11 February 1882, p. 1 [“W. Latimer. (Late of Stewart and Co.’s, Bourke-street.) Fitzroy Portrait Rooms. (Late W. Bear.) 145 Smith Street, (Nearly opposite Mark Foy’s.)”]

Estd. = an abbreviation of “Established”, with the “d” set in superscript, i.e. Est^d.