FORMED 1934
In 1934 the late Athel D' Ombrain and Wallace Fitness, two Maitland men, sought permission from the then secretary of the Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural association Show Society to include local photographs in the Fine Arts Pavilion at the 1934 annual Maitland Show. Permission was given and so began the long history of the Maitland Salon of Photography.
In 1946 Maitland Salon became an Australian National Photographic competition and then in 1958 became an International Salon with approval from the Photographic Society of America. Finally in 1982 the Federation International De L' Art Photographique granted its patronage.
Robin D'Ombrain remembers that in the 1940's and 1950's of the Maitland Salon, there was just one judge, Keast Bourke. They used to do the judging in Johnston's shoe shop. The shop was used because all of the walls were lined with piles of shoe boxes. To display the prints, they walked around the shop and pulled a shoe box out a little bit and rested a print on it at a nice height for viewing. The judge then walked around and considered all of the entries. The exhibition was not quite so big in those days.
1st October 1945 Page 469 - Vol. 52 No. 10 Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND SHOW
Photographs to be mounted on 20 x 16 inch or 16 x 12 inch, white or light mounts. Name and address of competitor to appear on back of mount. Entries may be titled and signed. Colored or tinted prints not permitted. While prints on horizontal mounts will not be refused, we would prefer prints to be mounted on vertical mounts, to facilitate hanging and to improve showing, which will be on Salon lines.
Entries previously exhibited will not be eligible.
CLASSES:
(1) Animal, Bird or Insect Study;
(2) Child Study;
(3) Landscape or Tree Study;
(4) Still life, including pattern subjects;
(5) River view or Seascape;
(6) Character study;
(7) Open — any pictorial subject (Plaque to be awarded for best photograph in this class and two certificates of merit for special mention. All other entries accepted in this class will receive Association acceptance stickers).
Prize money for all classes (except No. 7); 10/-, First; 5/-, Second.
No prize money in Class 7 - plaque and certificates will be awarded.
Entry Fees; 10% of First Prize money for Classes 1-6. No entry fee for Class 7.
ATHEL D'OMBRAIN
STEWARD
1st January 1947 Page 51 - Vol. 54 No. 1 Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND SHOW
We understand that the Photographic Section under able stewardship of Athel D' Ombrain will again be a feature of the Maitland Show, which is to be held from 26th February to 1st March, 1947. Details are understood to be the same as last year — page 469, A.P.-R. for October, 1945, reproduced above. Particular emphasis is laid on the “Salon” Section (No. 7), which should especially appeal to A.P.-R. readers. Entries presumably close about ten days previous, but full particulars are obtainable from the Secretary, Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association, Show Ground, West Maitland, N.S.W.
March 1948 Page 159 - The Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
The Selection Committee and the Council of the Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association are extremely gratified by the numbers and excellence of the exhibits and feel that they thereby have splendid encouragement for the further progress of the exhibition.
Considerable work has been done this year towards improving the staging of the exhibition, particularly in the provision of glass to protect the prints and the improved response from nationally known exhibitors fully justifies what has been done.
The standard of the exhibits will best be realized by the fact that the Judge (Mr. Keast Burke ARPS) expressed the opinion that the majority of the prints were well up to international salon standard.
MAITLAND SALON
1948 AWARD LIST
SILVER PLAQUE
A.G. Gray: "Harvest".
BRONZE PLAQUE
L.A. Lyons: "Shimmering Sea".
O.A. Sims: "Into the West".
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT
Molly Lyons: "Little Adventurer".
Monte Luke FRPS: "Winter Evening Outback".
John R. Adamson: "Trellis Pattern".
Max Dupain: "Hero Leading Pamir".
John P. Carney ARPS: "Grapes".
S.H. Lofts: "Roadside Straggler".
HIGHLY COMMENDED
S.H. Lofts: Cloud Borne; "Mexican Sunflowers".
A.G. Gray: A Silver Pool; "Sunlit Steps".
O.A. Sims: "Winter Magic."
A.T. Ullman: "Morning Mist".
A.T. Ullman: "City Lights".
Molly Lyons: "Stooks and Storm".
Leo A Lyons: "Sacrifice".
Leo A Lyons: "Servants of Steel".
Denis M. Saunders: "Corn".
Max Dupain: "Boys Bathing at RAAF Camp, New Guinea".
John P. Carney ARPS: "Power and Glory".
John P. Carney ARPS: "Self-Portrait".
February 1949 Page 121 - Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Conducted on Salon lines.
Final date for acceptances, 14th February, 1949.
Judging, 16th February, 1949.
Exhibition, 2nd-5th March, 1949 (inclusive).
Entry Fee: 1/- per print or 5/- maximum.
Maximum number of entries, 6.
All prints to be on vertical mounts 20 x 16in. or 16 x 12in.
Entry Forms available from “A.P.-R.” Editorial Office.
Address entries to: Secretary, Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association,
280 High Street, West Maitland, NSW.
March 1949 Page 171 - Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
MAITLAND SALON
1949 AWARD LIST
SILVER PLAQUE
J.HOEY: "Poetic Disturbance"
BRONZE PLAQUE
J.HOEY: "Culinary"
G.KIMBER: "Conflict"
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
W.C. BARKER: "In the Land of Nod"
A.G. GRAY: "Mountain Church"
C.L. LESLIE: "Charlie"
W.H. McCLUNG: "The Breaker"
K.M. PAYNTER: "Mac"
O.A. SIMS: "Facing Stone"
HIGHLY COMMENDED
J.P. CARNEY, ARPS: "Pride"
J.P. CARNEY, ARPS: "Swirl"
CHAS. COLLIN: "Musical Clown"
A.G. GRAY: "Royalty"
A.G. GRAY: "Sunday Problem"
W.H. McCLUNG: "Leaf Design"
GRAHAM MCDONALD: "The Gesture of the Veil"
O.A. SIMS: "Forest Hermitage"
O.A. SIMS: "Pumpkins"
KEITH WARLAND: "Nobby's"
February 1950 Page 188 - The Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
Extract from the February 15th “Newcastle Morning Herald” Page 4:
Mr. O.A. Sims, of New Lambton, won the silver medal at the photography exhibition at Maitland Show, to open on March 1.
The Judge (Mr. Keast Burke, of Sydney) last night adjudicated nearly 200 entries. Mr. Keast Burke said a large percentage of the most active workers in Australia was represented in the exhibits.
Newcastle district exhibitors were prominent in awards.
MAITLAND SALON
1950 AWARD LIST
SILVER PLAQUE
O.A. SIMS: "Morning Venture"
BRONZE MEDALS
K.J. Mierendorff, of Coogee (“Past and Present”);
C.V. Jackson, of Sydney (“Prelude”);
Frank A. Tully, of Cardiff (“Solitude”).
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT
F.J. Evans, of South Australia (“Living and Dead”);
Garth Grant-Thompson, of Brisbane (“Water Baby”);
T. Jackson, of Newcastle (“Green Valley”);
John L. Wray ARPS, of Beecroft (“Phantom by Night”);
Max Dupain, of Sydney (“Spinnaker for Peer Gynt”);
W.H. McClung, of Merewether (“The Font”);
Dr. F.J. Drew, of South Australia (“The Sentinel of the Road”).
Messrs. G.G. Williams, G. Garside and A.F. D’Ombrain acted as selectors for acceptances.
December 1950 Page 782 - Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Entry forms are now available from: The Secretary, Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association, 280 High Street, MAITLAND NSW.
Schedule of dates is as follows:
| Closing date for entries | 31st January 1951 |
| Final date for acceptance of prints | 6th February 1951 |
| Judging | 13th February 1951 |
| Catalogs showing awards and acceptances posted to all exhibitors |
20th February 1951 |
| Date of Exhibition | 28th February 1st, 2nd and 3rd March 1951 |
| All prints to be returned | 5th March 1951 |
The Exhibition will be conducted along salon lines and all prints will be exhibited under glass.
Judge: KEAST BURKE ARPS, APSA
Awards: One Silver Plaque, Two Bronze Plaques, Six Certificates of Merit.
Entry Fee: 1/- per print, or 5/- to cover maximum of six prints.
March 1951 Volume 58 Number 3 - Page 188 - The Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
The following is the result of the special awards at the
MAITLAND SALON
1951 AWARD LIST
SILVER MEDAL
“Rock Fisherman” (David Moore).
BRONZE MEDALS
“Gladioli” (R. Ferris)
“Defeat” (R. Manuel).
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT
"Lone Patrol" (W.H. Leahy),
“Candle Smoke” (Max Dupain),
“The Condemned” (K.J. Mierendorff),
“Anzac Memorial by Night” (John L. Wray),
“Where the Winds Prevail” (C.S. Christian),
“Industry” (W.H. McClung).
It was once again an honor and a pleasure for your Editor to handle the special award judging at Maitland. The impression gained was one of greatly improved variety of subject matter but of much weakened presentation through over-light and contrasty prints. In to-day’s salons a rich print quality, with a very full and interesting middle tonal range, appears to be essential.
Athel D’Ombrain is now sporting a tiny gold marlin in his buttonhole, one of only two yet awarded by the NSW Association, Such was the magic of the little emblem that it was almost productive of a snapper breakfast for the jury of selection and for the award judge at Maitland Salon.
January 1952 Page 56 - Australasian Photo-Review
March 1952 Page 185 - Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND SALON
1952 AWARD LIST
SILVER MEDAL:
“Mt. Morgrani, Gloucester” (Max Dupain).
BRONZE MEDAL:
“On the Tolbar Road” (Raymond Ferris),
“Aspiration” (W.H. McClung),
“Looking Backward” (C.L. Leslie).
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT:
“The Revolution” (W.H. Leahy),
“Companions” (O.A. Sims),
“Interior” (Brian Davis),
“Sydney Domain by Night” (John L. Wray),
“Mimi” (T.J. Roberts),
“Mathilda” (Ivan Yakovenko),
“Profile” (R. Manuel).
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
“Tumut Landscape” (Brian Davis),
“Boatman's Daughter”, (Kerry Dundas),
“Office Workers”, (Kerry Dundas),
“Sand Dunes and People” (Kerry Dundas),
“Speedboat” (Raymond Ferris),
“The Boston Crab” (T.J. Roberts),
“Storm Clouds” (George E. Him),
“Forest Fantasy” (D. Hughes),
“Naas” (C.L. Leslie),
“By the Gate” (L.A. Lloyd),
“Pottery Pipes” (R. Manuel),
“Contemplation” (W.H. McClung),
“Past Links” (M.G. Wilson),
“Sand Sculpture” (John L. Wray),
“Mutual Rehearsal” (Ivan Yakovenko).
April 1952 Page 245 - Australasian Photo-Review
Silver Medal Award
Maitland International Salon 1952
Max Dupain
MT. MORGRANI
December 1952 Page 770 - Australasian Photo-Review
March 1953 Page 189 - Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND SALON
1953 AWARD LIST
SILVER MEDAL:
John Alden — Shylock by C.L. Leslie.
BRONZE MEDALS:
Secret Treasures by C.S. Christian:
5.30 a.m. by G. Windle.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT:
Merchant of Venice by A.C. Redpath;
Portrait of a Gentleman by J.R. Adamson;
Sunday Siesta by John L. Wray;
Whither and Whence by C.S. Christian;
Hilltop Veteran by Brian Davis;
The Sculptor by J.R. Hopkins;
Hillside Gum by C.L. Leslie.
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Black Beauty by I. Yakovenko;
Sugar Glider by Howard Hughes ARPS;
Kitchen Sink by K.L. Aston;
With a Watchful Eye by Brian Davis;
Aberration by R. Ritter;
Windswept by M.J. Wright;
Guardians by G. Windle;
Hill Life by J.R. Adamson;
Half Caste by J.J. Noyce;
Sand by N. Ozolins;
Sunlit Seclusion by M.J. Wright;
Christmas Eve by J.M. Joshua;
First Draw by R. Ritter;
Sunday Sunshine by Kerry Dundas;
Lion Cubs by John L. Wray;
Scornful by I. Yakovenko;
Ringing the Curfew by K.L. Aston;
Little Adventurers by J.M. Joshua.
January 1954 Page 60 - Australasian Photo-Review
March 1954 Page 184 - Australasian Photo-Review
May 1954 Page 321 - The Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
Maitland Exhibition certainly “went Australian” when it came to having a new design for its stickers and certificates, both jobs having been designed by well known artist Byron Mansell. The illustration above shows a reproduction of the sticker.
November 1954 Page 689 - The Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
December 1954 Page 766 - The Australasian Photo-Review
MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL SALON of PHOTOGRAPHY
