McALLISTER'S STUDIO.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 91, 23 March 1916, Page 7

McALLISTER'S STUDIO.

INSPECTION OF MEW PREMISES. I The buiding in Broadway in course of erection for Mr J. McAllister, photographer, is practically completed, and will be occupied ?t vie- IkJ ginning of the week. It is Mr McAllister's intention to commence business in the new building on Tuesday next., The premises will comprise I about- nine moms and offices, and be ! the most up-to-date structure in 1 Stratford,, and is excellently appoiruj ed throughout. j On entering the main door, there ! is a large vestibule" 20 x 8 feet. The walls of the vestibule will be utilised to display specimens of I photographs. Mr McAllister had the. stairs built with a very easy tread, which at once conveys the opinion that the building is well designed. Half way up the stairs is a wide landing, which will also be used for show purposes'. The ground floor of the buildings is occupied by a front shop, to be let as a shop or office. Directly at the rear of the shop is situated an office and well-appointed reception room. A very serviceable piece of furniture is the Congress twelve-draw display ■ cabinet which is the most effective and up-to-date method of displaying specimens. Being only a new patent, there are very few of the cabinets in Xew Zealand. At the rear of the j office is situated the framing room (20 x 18ft) which is well designed for the purpose for-which it is intended. | At the head of the stairs is a roomy landing to be used as an additional! | showroom. A well-appointed and convenient dressing-room fitted ■ with every convenience, including hot and cold water, opens off the landing. A radiator is also installed. The floor of the dressing room is covered with inlaid linoleum. The studio proper is a very spacious room, thirty feet by nineteen. It is lighted on the single-slant principle, which is acknowledged to be the best for effect and ease of control. As far as construction and equipment are concerned, the studio is one of the ' best of its kind in the Dominion. The room is finished with a light panelling with stained batons. ; Opening off one end of the studio is a specially constructed and convenient room for changing plates. The room on the top floor facing Broadway is being used as a workroom for mounting purposes, etc. The apartment is nineteen by ten feet. In the workroom is fitted an electric dry mounting press. The press resembles an ordinary office letter press, inside of which is an electric heating apparatus. When in use the press is heated from 60 to 90 degress centigrade. Tire photograph, with the adhensive tissue and the mount, is inserted in the machine, *~

land the requisite pressure applies!. ' Alter the electric current is turned on the photograph is only left in the press two or ' three seconds. The tissue dissolves under the heat and pressure assuring a perfect and flat contact. The advantage of the process is that it will mount on any substance, even on tissue paper, without cocking. The dark room, which is J!) x 11 feet, is fitted with the usual appliances, including a bromide printing machine. The printer is operated by a, foot treadle, thus leaving both hands free to adjust the negatives and paper. Two large folding leaves at the sides afford ample room lor negatives, paper, afld finished work. Five electric lamps, of 60 candle power each, illuminate the printing surface. Pressure on the treadle brings the negative and paper into contact, and automatically switches off the red and turns on the white Ughts. The machine is the only one in Taranaki, and has been m use about eighteen months with excellent results. Very few of the machines are in use in New Zealand. Lhe latest electric Wrattra dark-room lamp is also installed. The room is so arranged that the enlarging camera mav be used from either end. Ibe darkroom is very well appointed having improvements that are noprevalent in many of the larger studios in other parts of the Doimn-

The Hoor of the whole of the top flat including the staircase and vestibule is covered with cork matting. A room at the top of the stairs i. reserved exclusively for the use ol Wft staff A feature of the budding is the Ideal hot water radiator heating , )Vst cm the boiler being -situated; on the ground floor. Electric light* are installed through the budding. Sufficient has br™ written to snow that the. studio is well-abr\*»st ol the times the equipment etc., oeing quite equal to that in any other in the Dominion. Mr McAllister, who is a very old resident of Stratford, has been m business here for over 20 years. He commenced his profession with Mr V\. R. Frost, Dunedin. and has worked in the leading studios in the Dominion. He was head retoucher for Messrs Wriggleworth and Binns, Christchurch, at a time when there were seven retouchers.