HISTORY OF THE COLLECTION

The "Edmunds Collection" in the University of Hawaii's Pacific Collection derives from a sale from Arundel Books on 19 April 1994. The purchase notes indicate the photographs were from the estate of Raymond Burr, actor, owner of a small island in Fiji and Pacific enthusiast. According the University of Hawaii's catalogue entry, there were 247 images at the time of purchase.

This collection is composed of photographs taken by Henry Percy Edmunds, manager of the Williamson Balfour property from 1904 to 1929, and William Alanson Bryan Jr. (1875-1942), former Professor of Zoology and Geology, College of Hawaii. Internal evidence, such as notations on the verso of some of the photographs, makes it clear that the collection was gathered by Bryan.

It is not difficult to distinguish the photographs taken by Bryan from those by Edmunds. Firstly, the quality of the Edmunds images is generally superior to Bryan's efforts in composition and photographic technique. Secondly, and most importantly, the Edmunds prints are simple contact ones, made without benefit of an enlarger, whilst the Bryan prints were produced by a professional studio and feature borders. A third criterion is that generally Edmunds' hand in ink describes his own work on the verso, whilst Bryan has pencilled remarks on the verso of his.

Adapted from notes written by Grant McCall, November 14, 1997.