Posted 8 years ago
Boxdust1965
(10 items)
Would love to learn more about this 29 1/4 x 39 3/4 Les Darcy promotion piece. May 24th is the 100th anniversary of the death of famed Australian boxing champion Les Darcy, and I coincidentally just came upon this. Tinted photo is on thick board. What I think is "Cameron Studios" is in bottom right. Board is attached to frame and bracing. Darcy was an apprentice blacksmith prior to his rise to boxing stardom...hence the horse.
This photo apparently doesn't exist online and I can't find evidence of it being reproduced elsewhere. Les Darcy was in a few silent films before his untimely death at 21 in Memphis TN. I think this is a promotional piece for the 1915 semi-documentary "The Heart of A Champion" which was made by an American director J.E. Matthews who was working in Australia 1915-1916.
The back has faint hand written instructions indicating at which Stage door this was to be placed. I can't make out the bottom of the National Films paste on..."From: King's Kurri"? There are two stamps that read "Return to National Films of N.S.W. 200 Pitt St. Sydney".
I'd love to learn more about this. I think it's a very rare piece. I'm neither a boxing or silent film expert, any input would be appreciated!
Great Item indeed !!!
Les D'Arcy was a blacksmith before moving into the boxing journey ....
The image you have is partial of a larger image you can see here :
https://www.joseflebovicgallery.com/pages/books/CL174-89/les-darcy-collection
Cameron Studios ???
Les Darcy was from Maitland and there was a photo studio with the Cameron name there too ...
http://www.photographersofmaitland.org/Cameron.php
Mind you I suspect the photo you have could have been taken in the US .... it is one of three in the rural setting that you can see at Joseph Lebovic's gallery. The surrounding buildings look American to my eye.
Great find in amazing shape especially for one of that size.
Looks like the photo #11 of 12 on vetraio50's 1st link was taken on the same day and is very close to your's with the same horse and clothes just facing the other way.
good find Vetraio
Kings Theatre was built by P. Murdoch, in 1917 in Kurri. Kurri is not far from Maitland. This may well have something to do with the death of Les Darcy which was BIG here in Oz.
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3924937/maitland-remembers-les-darcy-photos/?cs=12
Vetraio50, thanks so much for such great information!