New Zealand - Social History - Publicity photograph for Berlei underfashions - Circa 1930 - By Gordon Burt, Gordon H. Burt Ltd. Berlei - A brand of women's lingerie and in particular bras and girdles - The company began in Sydney in 1910 - The Berlei brand originated in 1917. - Berlei undergarments are now sold in Australia & in the United Kingdom - The name came from that of the firm's founder, Frederick Richard Burley (Reference: Wikipedia) Gordon Burt - 1893 - 1968 - Born and raised in Christchurch, Gordon Burt was an inventive photographer and a pioneer for commercial photography in New Zealand. - He moved to Wellington in 1915 with the intention of enlisting to serve in the First World War but was turned away due to his poor eyesight. After deciding to remain in Wellington he found a job with a local photographer and eventually opened his own commercial photography business in 1924, Gordon Burt Ltd. - He was quickly successful due to a number of innovative techniques he employed including montage effects and superimposition. Burt would primarily work with numerous garment manufacturers. - During the 1940's he developed his own method of colour printing named 'Tru-Colour' for which he would file a patent with the United States PAtent Office. it became one of the most successful methods of colour photography available to New Zealand at the time. - Gordon Burt would retire in 1965, and passed away in 1968. In 1970 2,500 of his negatives were saved from a building on the verge of being demolished and are now stored at Te Papa. Image source: Publicity photograph for Berlei underfashions, circa 1930, Wellington, by Gordon Burt, Gordon H. Burt Ltd. Te Papa (C.002279) https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/116993