IMY DIXSON WINDOWS

has bought pictures because of their historical and topographical interest, and among them are pictures that would grace any art gallery in the world.' Dixson has done, and his deeds are enhanced by his modest speech. Opening the William Dixson gallery on 21 October 1929, the then Governor, Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair said: 'It is a fine thing that Mr. Amongst the pictures offered as donations were a portrait of Viscount Sydney by Gilbert Stuart and several portraits of Governor Phillip and Governor Macquarie. In 1919, Dixson offered a collection of pictures to the Library on the condition that a suitable gallery was built to accommodate them.

IMY DIXSON WINDOWS

One of the stained glass windows in the main reading room given by Dixson The map collection reveals the interest that Dixson took in exploration, especially 'early navigation, geography and the European exploration and settlement of the Pacific'. Many of the maps are rare manuscript copies by inland explorers including Sir Thomas Mitchell, Ludwig Leichhardt and Augustus Gregory.' There is a manuscript map by Evert Gijsbertsz on Africa, Asia and the East Indies, dated 1599. ĭixson's map collection, which became part of the 1952 bequest, 'includes examples from the 16th through to the 20th century including hand coloured maps by Dutch mapmakers, Ortelius, Blaeu, de Wit, and Janssonius. Īmong the rare and interesting manuscripts in the Dixson collection are soldiers' diaries from the First Fleet, and the invitation cards and menus from the opening in 1898 of Sydney's Queen Victoria Market Building (now known as the Queen Victoria Building) are also part of the collection. At first the collection was for his own use but '.when he learned that the income from David Scott Mitchell's bequest to the Public Library of New South Wales could not be spent on pictures, he 'decided to give special attention to them''. 'Dixson's collecting soon widened to include many formats – not only books and manuscripts but pictures, coins, medals, curios, relics, postage stamps, bookplates and maps.' He especially valued works in pristine condition and would rebind volumes showing signs of wear. Also included are significant collections relating to Australian literature, theatre, art, architecture, sport, natural history, Indigenous material and biography. Collection strengths include the exploration of the Pacific, Antarctica and Australia.

Together with the earlier bequest of David Scott Mitchell the printed book collections represent the published history of Australia and especially New South Wales of the time. However, the collection also includes many European works considered to be 'rare and valuable'. Portrait medallion of Sir William Dixson in the Mitchell Libraryĭixson, who began collecting books and manuscripts in the 1890s, originally focussed on Australiana. Ltd from 1903 to 1908 the City Bank of Sydney from 1909 to 1917 the Dixson Trust Ltd from 1909 to 1952 and Timbrol Ltd until 1952.Īustralian artist Lionel Lindsay made some etchings of Dixson based on 'quick sketches' by local artist Walter Syer after a visit to the Mitchell library in June 1893. ĭixson was a director of various businesses and public bodies, including Dixson & Sons Ltd from 1899 to 1903 the British-Australasian Tobacco Co. He is the author of a small work on the French explorers Dumont D'Urville and Lapérouse. He returned to Australia and worked for several years for the engineer and urban visionary, Norman Selfe. He was educated at All Saints' College in Bathurst, New South Wales and gained engineering qualifications in Scotland in 1889–96.

Dixson was the eldest surviving son of tobacco manufacturer and philanthropist Sir Hugh Dixson.

Imy dixson