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professional photographer and jeweller, was born into a Danish family apparently called Qvist. His descendants spelt their name Quist, but after his first few years in Australia Christian Ludwig seems always to have used Qwist. He came to Victoria in 1852 and within two years had opened a Daguerrean Gallery at Sandhurst (Bendigo) in partnership with Garben. He was also associated with Henry Elsas (born in Prussia in 1827), a Bendigo engraver, jeweller and silversmith. In 1856-57 Qwist had his own studio-shop in McCrae Street and was working both as a goldsmith and daguerreotype photographer. A gold trowel commissioned by the Bendigo Catholic congregation and used by Bishop Goold to lay the foundation stone of their church was described in the Bendigo Advertiser of 23 May 1856. On 4 April 1857 a presentation gold medal for the Bendigo Oddfellows was mentioned as being on display at Qwist’s shop together with 'some miniature portraits and scenic views upon a novel and admirable system’: that is, taken with a stereoscopic daguerreotype camera.

Predictably, Qwist used his camera primarily for portraits but stereoscopic landscapes are also mentioned, some apparently imported (or brought to Australia with him), such as 'an enchanting view of Berne in Switzerland’. He continued working simultaneously as a photographer and goldsmith throughout his Bendigo years although his advertisements suggest that photography dominated. In 1858 he had a photographic studio in View Street in partnership with W.E. James and also produced another gold trowel that year. For a short time early in 1859 he and the photographer Alexander Fox were partners, then Qwist worked alone in Pall Mall (three doors from the Shamrock Hotel), advertising that he had added photographs on paper and on leather (pannotypes) to his repertoire. On 17 February 1860 the Bendigo Advertiser mentioned improvements he had made to his photographic studio, but this was presumably to attract a new occupant. Qwist moved to Sydney soon afterwards.

In 1861 Qwist is thought to have been manufacturing gold objects on commission for the Sydney jewellers Hogarth, Erichsen & Co. (Hogarth, another Dane, may have invited him to Sydney). Meanwhile was also running a photography and goldsmith business in partnership with a Mr Clarke. A silver-mounted emu-egg trophy acknowledged as being by Messrs Clarke and Ghost (sic) was made in February 1861 for the Intercolonial Cricket Match. Hawkins suggests that stereoscopic photographs, some formerly owned by the Castlemaine jeweller Ernest Leviny (now at the National Trust’s property, Buda, Castlemaine), depicting the gold items sent by Hogarth & Erichsen to the 1862 London International Exhibition were taken by Qwist’s firm.

A photography and jewellery firm at 15 Hunter Street, Sydney, was listed in Qwist’s name alone in 1864. In 1865 Clarke rejoined him and they opened premises at 171 Crown Street. Qwist may then have taken the opportunity to revisit Victoria to see Leviny; stereoscopes of Leviny exhibition pieces were taken by an unknown photographer at Buda (Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum) at about the time Qwist & Clarke apparently decided to abandon the photographic side of the business. Early in 1866 Quist was advertising that the photography gallery was to let 'with waiting room attached. Water laid on, and well adapted to a great artist’. Afterwards he moved to 11 Hunter Street, where he remained until 1869.

A prominent and successful Sydney jeweller, Qwist made several fine gold presentation pieces. In 1867 he designed and made the gold and malachite testimonial presented to William Lyster at the end of the Lyster company’s Sydney opera season. Described as 'a pyramid of fine gold standing on a base of quartz and fittingly set, enriched with a wreath and ornaments characteristic of the musical profession’, this was depicted in the Illustrated Sydney News on 16 February 1867. In December the same newspaper described his 'gold trowel, set with brilliants and other precious stones’ with which the Duke of Edinburgh subsequently laid the foundation stone of the Sydney Town Hall. It was on display in Qwist’s shop the following June. He exhibited a cup and cover (the Joske Cup) at the 1862 London International Exhibition. The objects he showed in the 1867 Paris Universal Exposition all featured emblems of New South Wales.

Qwist & Clarke moved their premises to 468 Bourke Street, Sydney, in 1876 but the following year they were back in Hunter Street (at number 17, possibly just the old premises renumbered and renovated). But Qwist did not long enjoy the new shop. He died of pleurisy in his home at East St Leonards (Sharpe Bay, North Sydney) on 21 October 1877 and was buried in the Church of England section of Rookwood Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Anne, née Price, whom he had married in 1859, and four children; one son predeceased him. Two of his silver claret jugs, goblets and a cup, all incorporating emu eggs, are held by the National Gallery of Victoria, and other silver and gold work of a high standard is known.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011