Frederick UNVERHAU.

In June 1859 a correspondent of the Register reported: "Tanunda is being visited at present by a very skilful photographer (Mr Unverhau, from North Adelaide), who has been engaged for about three weeks already in typing the people, houses, etc. of this neighbourhood, and will have to stay as long again, I am told, in order to meet the demand made upon him. At times, especially on clear and therefore favourable days, the atelier is in a state of siege. The fact is that true artists, in whatever line they may be, will always meet with success at Tanunda, while bunglers are generally left to themselves. This speaks well of the refined taste of the populace."

By June 1861 Frederick Unverhau had finished building a ‘glass-house’ (studio) in the main street of Kapunda and was ready to take "photographic likenesses in every kind of weather." However, a few weeks later he advertised that he would be moving to Adelaide, and that he expected to be there by mid-August. Either he changed his plans or his wife Sophia stayed behind because the Births Register for Kapunda records the birth of a son, Bruno, to Frederick Unverhau, daguerreotype artist, on 3 October 1861. When a daughter was born at Kapunda in March 1863 his occupation was given as photographic artist. The daughter, Antonia, died eight months later.

Left: Advertisement for auction of Frederick Unverhau's musical instruments and "photographic apparatus" which appeared in the German language newspaper Tanunda Deutsche Zeitung, 3 February 1865. Translation courtesy of Rev. P. Scherer of Tanunda appears below.

Translation - "Musical Instruments. John Small has been instructed by Mr F. Unverhau to sell at auction (without reservations) in the Sir John Franklin Hotel, Kapunda, on Saturday the 11th of February at 2 pm, the following first-class musical instruments: harmonium with 10 stops, violins, flutes, guitars, musical boxes, military tamborines, triangles, concertinas, German flutinas, accordions, flagolettes, fifes, and picolos, etc.  Furthermore, a complete photographic apparatus with chemicals."

The sale of Frederick Unverhau's photographic equipment in February 1865 may have marked the end of his photographic career, more so because later that year another photographer, E.B. Cardell, advertised that he would be practising the art of photography from 6 November at Mr Unverhau's, opposite Cameron's factory in Main Street, Kapunda. From 1865 to 1870 Unverhau is listed in directories as having a "fancy bazaar" in the main street of Kapunda.