Turning the Obelisk, 1879

Maker: Henry H. Gorringe (1841-1885) Born: USA Active: USA Medium: artotype Size: 8 1/2 in x 11 in Location: Object No. 2023.1142t Shelf: M-12 Publication: self-published Other Collections: Provenance: Notes: Vanderbilt put up approximately $100,000 to finance this project. A variant of the collotype process invented by J.B. Obernetter of Germany and patented in America in 1878. Soon after the Artotype arrived in America, the rights to the process were purchased by T.S. Lambert, W.A. Cooper, and A. Mueller, who formed the Artotype Company of New York. Licenses were sold to photographers and printers throughout the US. The process was not widely used. (source: photogravure.com) Henry Honychurch Gorringe (August 11, 1841 – July 7, 1885) was a United States naval officer who attained national acclaim for successfully completing the removal of Cleopatra's Needle from Alexandria, Egypt to Central Park in New York City. In 1879, Gorringe put in an application for the contract to move the obelisk of Thutmosis III from Alexandria to Central Park. His was the only complete plan, and in August 1879, he was granted the contract, for which he was to be paid $75,000. Gorringe and his assistant, Seaton Schroeder, left for Europe to purchase materials and then went to Alexandria to move the obelisk. While in Egypt, Gorringe encountered diplomatic obstruction from European countries, technical problems, and obstruction from local authorities. He was able to overcome them all and successfully departed from Alexandria on June 12, 1880. They arrived in Staten Island on July 20, right on schedule.Gorringe had to commission a special railway to carry the 200 ton obelisk from the shipyards to Central Park. It was finally erected on January 22, 1881.[5] That same year, Gorringe was elected as a member to the American Philosophical Society. To view our archive organized by themes and subjects, visit: OUR COLLECTIONS For information about reproducing this image, visit: THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVE