Collections

The Allen family photograph album contains carte-de-visite and tintype portraits of various individuals, including members of the Allen family of Mayville, Michigan.

The Allen family photograph album (13cm x 10cm) contains 22 cartes-de-visite, 13 tintypes, one lithograph, and one printed card. The cartes-de-visite and tintypes are studio portraits of men, women, and children. Most items show a single person, though some, such as a woman and a young baby, were photographed in pairs. The lithograph depicts a young girl holding a dog. An educational card, one of a series of "Little People Lesson Pictures" issued by the American Sunday-School Union (volume IV, number 1, part 5), is laid into the volume. The card has a colored print of a Biblical scene entitled "Beginning of the Hebrew Nation," and the reverse side has questions and answers about Abraham's journey to Canaan. The cartes-de-visite were made by photographers in locations such as Imlay City, Michigan; Owosso, Michigan; and Peterborough, Ontario. The volume's covers are leather, with a Maltese gold-embossed cross stamped in relief on each side.

The R. W. Butterfield Princeton College Class of 1866 carte-de-visite album, compiled by Roger W. Butterfield, contains studio portraits of various men, women, and children.

The Princeton College Class of 1866 carte-de-visite album (23.5cm x 18cm), compiled by Roger W. Butterfield, contains 198 cartes-de-visite and 3 tintypes. The brown leather cover has gold floral designs imprinted on a raised portion of its cover; the central, sunken part of the cover has the title "Princeton College Class of '66" and the name "R. W. Butterfield" imprinted in gold. The title "Album" is printed in gold on the spine, and the volume has just one of its two original metal clasps. The book has two pages of biographical information about the members of Princeton College's Class of 1866. The photographs are credited to photographers from both the east and Midwestern states.

The vast majority of items are studio portraits of men and women of varying ages, photographed individually, in pairs, and groups. The album includes four outdoor group photographs of young men, presumably students, posed on a lawn, and in front of buildings. Of note is an outdoor photograph of a posed group with guitar, pipes, canes, and two men in shirt sleeves boxing. Many of the photographs are autographed including those of University of Michigan professors James V. Campbell and Thomas M. Cooley. Several portraits of children include one of a man and boy, the man smoking a pipe, and one of three girls, and a commercially produced image of "Rebecca," the emancipated slave from New Orleans. Other cartes-de-visite are pictures of a painted portrait, a statue, Minehaha Falls, and several grave monuments; one lithograph shows an unidentified religious building. One loose carte-de-visite is laid into the album.

The New Hampshire carte-de-visite album contains photographic portraits of unidentified individuals and lithographic portraits of prominent Union Army officers, and President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln.

The New Hampshire carte-de-visite album (15cm x 12cm) contains 20 studio portraits of unidentified individuals and 8 lithographs of famous individuals. The photographs show men, women, children, and infants -- one, Louize M. Rollins [sic], is identified. The lithographs are portraits of Union officers Elmer Ellsworth (2 items), William Rosecrans, Samuel Francis Du Pont, Ulysses S. Grant, and George Meade, and of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. The volume's brown leather cover has a geometric design in relief, with additional floral designs stamped in gold, and two metal clasps.

The New York and Michigan carte-de-visite album contains photographic portraits of unidentified men, women, and children taken mostly in New York State in the mid- to late 19th century.

The New York and Michigan carte-de-visite album (16cm x 12cm) contains portraits of unidentified men, women, and children taken in New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin in the mid- to late 19th century. The photographs are comprised of 16 cartes-de-visite, 10 tintypes, and 1 small albumen print. Some items have photographers' names printed on the back; one is attributed to "Mr. and Mrs. M. Brown." The pictures include headshots and full-body length portraits of subjects sitting or standing. The album's brown cover has a tooled geometric design, and it has two metal clasps, also with ornate designs. The title "Album" is stamped on the spine in gold.

This photograph album contains portraits of direct descendants of Elijah Hubbell and Hannah Fields of Danbury, Connecticut, as well as members of associated families, including the Van Allen family of Janesville, Wisconsin, and the Lynes family of Otsego County, New York.

This album (16cm x 12cm) contains 36 carte-de-visite and two tintype portraits of members of the Hubbell family, Van Allen family, Lynes family, and others. The Hubbell and Lynes families lived in northern and central New York, and the Van Allen family lived in Janesville, Wisconsin. Formal studio portraits show men, women, and children of various ages, and some individuals are pictured more than once. Most of the photographs are labeled, and labels exist for some items that are no longer present. The covers are bound in green cloth, with a decorative design in relief.

The Traveling photographers collection contains approximately 245 examples of photographs produced by various traveling photographers that operated in the United States primarily during the latter half of the 19th-century.

Works by approximately 145 different traveling photographers are present in this collection and include cartes de visite, cabinet cards, stereographs, tintypes, and a small number of larger format images. For many of these photographers there is only a single example of their work included in the collection. Locations of operation include a wide range of regions across the United States, with eastern states such as Pennsylvania being particularly well-represented. Most of these photographs are typical individual and group portraits of men, women, and children.

The collection has been divided into two volumes. Volume 1 contains cartes de visite and tintypes while Volume 2 contains cabinet cards, stereographs, and a few other images with larger mounts of varying sizes. Volume 1 also includes two clippings and one photocopied page from an article about traveling photographers written by Eaton S. Lothrop, Jr., for Popular Photography magazine as part of his "Time Exposure" column series.

• “Wm. Johnson” - taken by N. L. Stone (Vol 1)
• “F. W. Huling” - taken by C. S. Roshon’s Mammoth Union Photograph Car (Vol 1)
• “Jimmie McCool Taken in 1889” - taken by S. R. Miller’s Photograph Car (Vol 1)
• “J. B. [or J. R.?] Enders” - taken by A. J. Miller, Keystone Traveling Gallery (Vol 1)
• “Uncle John Grimes” - taken by H. F. Knoderer & Bro (Vol 1)
• “J. P. Seip & Bro” - taken by Josiah Knecht (Vol 1)
• “Angalina Seip” [Angelina Seip] - taken by Josiah Knecht (Vol 1)
• “Julie Hamlin” - taken by Huested Bros. (Vol 1)
• “Timo Moyer?” - taken by Geo. V. Knecht (Vol 1)
• “Sam Rhenis Martin” and “Probably Sam Rhenis Martin’s Wife” - taken by Callahan’s Traveling Gallery (Vol 1)
• “Mrs. R H Blodget 236 35th St. Denver Col. Formily Mary Neil” - taken by King & Co.’s Traveling Gallery (Vol 1)
• “[?] Adaline Temple” - taken by F. J. Aiken (Vol 1)
• “Presented to Mr. & Mrs. Silas Boyer” - taken by B. Breslow’s Empire Movable Photograph Gallery
• “C. H. Holmes May 2nd 1881” - taken by J. B. Silvis (Vol 1)
• “Lou House - Graham’s Baby” - taken by the Erik Borklund Photo Car (Vol 2)
• “Olive Woodward” - taken by A. Couturier (Vol 2)
• “Geo. H. Dunham” and “Fredd Harry Dunham” - taken by Currier & Parkinson (includes stamp depicting Landing of Columbus on verso) (Vol 2)
• “Will Duning of Dresden” - taken by F. M. Foster (Vol 2)
• “Pansy Lovewell” - taken by the Hutchings Rail-Road Photo-Car (Vol 2)
• “Jabez Willes brother of Julia Willes Thrall” - taken by F. L. Hale (Vol 2)
• “Charlie, Mary, & Bruce Blaney Claysville Washington Co Pa.” - taken by Gibson & Myres (Vol 2)
• “Mrs. James J. Connelly #10 McConnellsburg PA” - taken by S. R. Miller’s Photograph Car (it is unclear if this inscription is related to the couple depicted) (Vol 2)
• “Carrie and Mattie Ewan”- taken by the National Art Company’s Railroad Palace Photographic Studio (Vol 2)
• “George & Sarah Kistler” - taken by Rollow’s Art Car (Vol 2)
• “Leo Martin” and "Jim Martin" - both taken by the Pacific Photograph Car, Rockford, Washington (Vol 2)
• “Arron Smith Children” - taken by the Pacific Photograph Car, Rockford, Washington (Vol 2)
• “Miss. Kittie M. Newell July 22nd 1889” - taken by Abel J. Whalen’s Accommodation Photo. Car (Vol 2)
• “Will Schnegg” - taken by H. C. Williams’ Floating Gallery (Vol 2)
• “Jonas Heim” - taken by B. L. Wilson’s Traveling Gallery (“Christina Waltz Williamsport Pa.” likely a relative of the subject and former owner of the photograph) (Vol 2)
• “April 1891 - Maggie Austin April 1891. A. M. Austin 43. E. G. ‘ ‘ 43 Mag ‘ ‘ 14 Edd ‘ ‘ 18 May ‘ ‘ 21.” - taken by W. H. Yant (Vol 2)
• “Howard J. Martin about 1893” - taken by Boston and Albany R.R. Photo Car (Vol 2)
• “Wash’s Daughter Pearl” - taken by F. M. Steele (Vol 2)
• “The Boy Preacher, Age 14: John E. De Merritt” - taken by Winslow and Shobe (Vol 2)
• “Maurice (Moe?) Boynton Alice Price } 2nd buggy” - taken by Carson Bros (Vol 2)
• “Mrs. J. C. Boxley” - taken by Newton & Sprague Photo Car (Vol 2)

Other items of interest include 14 tintypes including a group portrait taken at the Algonquin Bon Ton Tent by W. H. Pearce and a miniature tintype produced by Douglass’ Travelling Car (Vol 1); several photographs with revenue stamps; and 10 cartes de visite by C. G. Blatt, including three items containing humorous poetry in their backstamps (Vol 1); a stereograph view of "the old Block House at Annapolis Royal" by the Palace R.R. Photograph Car Co. (Vol 2); a stereograph view of Bridgewater, Vermont (Vol 2); a stereograph view of the "Steam Packet 'Minnesota' at Hastings [Minnesota] (Vol 2); a portrait of a pet pug taken by Will. H. McMillan, R. R. Palace Photo Car that bears an inscribed caption reading: “For my dear ‘Missis’ from her Devoted ‘Brownie’” (Vol 2); a group portrait of a man and women taken by Keil & Matula with an inscribed caption reading “Czechlovakia Couple Fayetteville, TX” (Vol 2); several portraits of children that appear to show hidden mothers in the background; two studio portraits of unidentified individuals produced by Civil War veteran turned photographer Capt. J. B. Shane (Vol 2); a number of photographs that appear to be copies of earlier images, including a portrait of a man produced by the Hutchings Railroad Photo Car bearing an inscribed caption reading: “Copied from original” (Vol 2); and a possible self portrait of photographer Abel J. Whalen on a mount stamped "Whalen's 'Accommodation' Photo. Car."

The following lists contain names of photographers represented in the collection as well as the total number of images included for each photographer:

• F. J. Aiken [2 images]
• Aldhizer & Eutsler [2 images]
• Atkinson’s Photographic Railroad Gallery [1 image]
• L. K. Bair [1 image]
• B. Billian [1 image]
• C. G. Blatt [10 images]
• A. F. Bonine [1 image]
• E. A. Bonine [2 images]
• J. K. Bottorf [1 image]
• Bowdish's Traveling Gallery [1 image]
• B. Breslow’s Empire Movable Photograph Gallery [2 images]
• Brown & Huard [1 image]
• Burchfield & Bottorf [1 image]
• J. Bushong [1 image]
• Callahan’s Travelling Gallery [3 images]
• H. P. Carnes [1 image]
• Coggeshall’s Excelsior Photographic Car (John Ingersoll Coggeshall) [2 images]
• G. W. Dibert [1 image]
• W. A. Dietrich [4 images]
• Doran's Photographic Car [1 image]
• Dougherty (Mammoth wagon) [2 images]
• Dougherty & Cope (Mammoth wagon; J. L. Cope) [3 images]
• J. W. Fothergill's Mammoth Photograph Car [1 image]
• F. Z. Fritz [2 images]
• William R. Godkin [1 image]
• M. C. Goodell [4 images]
• William Griffin [2 images]
• Harry Gurlitz’s Photograph Car [1 image]
• W. H. Heiss [2 images]
• J. J. Hodge [2 images]
• J. M. Horning & Co. [2 images]
• Huested Bros. [1 image]
• Johnson & Sullivan’s Portable Railroad Gallery [1 image]
• King & Co.’s Traveling Gallery [1 image]
• George V. Knecht [5 images]
• Josiah Knecht [8 images]
• H. F. Knoderer & Bro. [1 image]
• C. L. Leonard [3 images]
• J. Loveridge [1 image]
• C. D. Luccock [1 image]
• J. H. McGowan (U.P.R.R. Photographic Car) [1 image]
• A. J. Miller [1 image]
• S. R. Miller's Photograph Car [2 images]
• William Nick [3 images]
• Nick & Knecht [2 images]
• E. W. Peirce (The Railroad Photograph Coach) [1 image]
• Lewis P. Peter [7 images]
• Peter & Kresge [1 image]
• Peters & Brother [1 image]
• F. B. Pine's Floating Photographic Studio, of the St. John's River, Fla. [1 image]
• S. Place [1 image]
• Portable Picture Palace [1 image]
• G. M. Primrose [2 images]
• W. H. Rector [4 images]
• C. S. Roshon (Mammoth Union photograph car) [1 image]
• J. B. Silvis (U.P.R.R. Photographic Car) [2 images]
• C. H. Sisson [1 image]
• C. M. Stark [1 image]
• N. L. Stone [1 image]
• A. Stoppel [1 image]
• Tucker & Powell [1 image]
• W. A. Vale [1 image]
• M. C. Vance [1 image]
• D. S. Von Nieda [1 image]
• Horace L. Webber [1 image]
• West & Lewis (Travelling photographers) [1 image]
• Whalen's Portable Art Gallery (Abel J. Whalen) [1 image]
• L. H. Whitson (Professor L. H. Whitson's Rail Road Photographic Car) [1 image]

• Bishop's Portable Photograph Gallery [1 image]
• J. Davidson [1 image]
• Doolittle & Humphrey's Tintype and Ferrotype Car [1 image]
• Dougherty & Cope (Mammoth wagon; J. L. Cope) [1 image]
• Douglass’ Traveling Car [2 images]
• Paul’s Mammoth Travelling Photograph and Ferro-type Car [1 image]
• W. H. Pearce (The Algonquian Bon Ton Tent) [1 image]
• E. B. Squier [2 images]
• A. D. Terhune [1 image]
• Williams & Dodge’s Photograph Cars [2 images]
• C. C. Williams [1 image]

• Antoinette Palace Railroad Photo Car (Studio Antoinette) [2 images]
• Blocker Palace Art Studio and Traveling Cottage Gallery [1 image]
• Erik Borklund [1 image]
• Boston and Albany R. R. Photo Car [2 images]
• W. A. Bradley [1 image]
• P. L. Britain (Palace R. R. Photo Car.) [1 image]
• Clark’s Portable Gallery [1 image]
• J. P. Coffey, Photo. Car. (J. N. Bayles) [1 image]
• A. Couturier [2 images]
• James H. Crockwell [1 image]
• Currier & Parkinson [1 image]
• J. W. Dalrymple [1 image]
• Drum Rail Road Photo Car (Oscar Drum) [1 image]
• Elite R. R. Photo Co. [1 image]
• Fallman Parlor Photo Car [3 images]
• F. M. Foster [1 image]
• Gibson & Myres, Traveling Photographers [1 image]
• F. L. Hale [2 images]
• F. J. Haynes [3 images]
• T. E. Hays [1 image]
• Howell (Prairie Queen Gallery - Temple, Tex.) [1 image]
• Hutchings Bros. Railroad Photo. Car [1 image]
• Hutchings Rail-Road Photo-Car [3 images]
• K. C. Photo Car [1 image]
• Keil & Matula, Traveling Photographers [1 image]
• Keystone Portable Gallery [1 image]
• Lyden & Bellinger [1 image]
• Malloy (20th Ave. No. & Wash. Minneapolis) [1 image]
• William H. McMillan [1 image]
• J. W. Merideth [1 image]
• S. R. Miller [3 images]
• National Art Company’s Railroad Palace Photographic Studio [1 image]
• Newton & Sprague Photo Car. [1 image]
• Nowack Bros. Floating Gallery [1 image]
• Pacific Photograph Car [4 images]
• Palace R.R. Photograph Studio [1 image]
• Lewis DeArcy Rollow (Rollow’s Art Car) [2 images]
• J. B. Shane [2 images]
• Showman & Joy’s Palace Cars [1 image]
• Smith Brothers [1 image]
• C. H. South [1 image]
• F. M. Steele [1 image]
• The K. C. Art Chariot [1 image]
• The Stuart Queen City Photo Co's. Great Australian Route, Car No. 12 [4 images]
• The Traveling Art Company [1 image]
• M. F. Timmerman (East Tenn. Photo Car) [1 image]
• Tooley & Grigsby (The Monarch Traveling Photographers) [1 image]
• Turner & Johnson [1 image]
• N. A. Watkins [1 image]
• Welsh & Harlow [1 image]
• West & Lewis (Travelling photographers)
• Whalen's "Accommodation" Photo. Car. (Abel J. Whalen) [2 images]
• H. C. Williams (Williams' Floating Gallery) [1 image]
• B. L. Wilson's Traveling Gallery [1 image]
• Wilson's Railroad Photo Car. (B. L. Wilson) [1 image]
• Winslow and Shobe [1 image]
• Wolfe & Peiffer (Keystone Traveling Photo Studio) [2 images]
• W. H. Yant [1 image]
• Young, Portrait Artist (Boston Portrait Car) [1 image]

• T. A. Aldrich [1 image]
• Coggeshall’s Excelsior Photographic Car (John Ingersoll Coggeshall) [2 images]
• Mrs. Emma A. Cooke's Traveling Photo. Pavillion (Emma A. Cooke and W. A. Cooke) [1 image]
• J. P. Doremus [1 image]
• H. H. H. Langill [1 image]
• Palace R. R. Photograph Car Co. [1 image]
• F. B. Pine's Floating Photographic Studio, of the St. John's River, Fla. [1 image]
• W. E. Warren's Portable Photograph House [2 images]

• J. A. Bellinger [1 image]
• Carson Bros. [1 image]
• Newton & Sprague Photo Car. [1 image]
• D. R. White [1 image]

The Wabash (Ind.) family photograph albums contain tintype and carte-de-visite studio portraits of men, women, and children in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the 19th century.

The Wabash (Ind.) family photograph albums (both 14cm x 10cm) contain tintype and carte-de-visite studio portraits of men, women, and children in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the 19th century. The first volume contains 19 tintypes and five cartes-de-visite, and the second volume contains 16 tintypes and nine cartes-de-visite; an index of subjects in included at the back of the second album. Some of the tintypes have raised decorated borders on their cardstock frames, and many include hand coloring. Most items are individual portraits, though some men and women posed in pairs. One man appears in a Masonic sash and apron. Each album has a brown leather cover with a raised geometric design and floral patterns stamped in gold.

The Gerta Gage family photograph album contains cabinet card portraits of men, women, and children taken in various Michigan cities around the mid-1880s to mid-1890s. Some of the pictured individuals posed in groups or with animals, and two men wore Shriners uniforms. The album likely belonged to Gerta Gage, of Big Rapids, Michigan.

The Gerta Gage family photograph album (22cm x 29cm) contains 80 cabinet card photographs of men, women, and children, few of whom are identified. The studio portraits were taken in Michigan towns and cities such as Muskegon, Big Rapids, Petoskey, Jackson, Allegan, Ovid, and Traverse City, as well as in other locales such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Decatur, Illinois; and Chicago, Illinois. Two men posed in Shriners hats, a few posed with dogs, and one man, photographed by A. S. Green of St. Thomas, Ontario, blew cigar smoke while having his picture taken. Though most items are individual portraits, some subjects posed in groups of two to four; one image is a group portrait of seven men. The volume's padded covers are bound in blue and yellow cloth. "Gerta Gage" and "Gerta Gage Big Rapids Michigan" are engraved on the album's large metal clasp. The pages of the album are decorated to resemble wood.

The Corning-Southwick photograph album contains cartes-de-visite and tintypes of infants and young children. Several people pictured were members of the Corning and Southwick families.

The Corning-Southwick photograph album (13cm x 9cm) contains 15 cartes-de-visite and 3 tintype photographs, primarily of babies and young children. Many of the children pictured were members of the Martin, Corning, Gardner, and Southwick families. Two lithographs of a young girl putting on a boot and a young boy posing by a basket full of apples are also present. Included is a carte-de-visite showing the wedding of Charles Sherwood and Lavina Warren Stratton (Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb). The album has a decorative hard cover and a metal clasp.

The Wolf family photograph albums contain cabinet card and carte-de-visite portraits of numerous men, women, and children. Most of the photographs were taken in Indianapolis and various small towns in central Indiana.

Together, the Wolf family photograph albums contain 61 portraits taken in Indianapolis, Indiana, and other central Indiana locales around the late 19th century. Volume 1 (26cm x 21cm) contains 45 items in sleeves and 6 loose items; Volume 2 (20cm x 15cm) contains 7 items in sleeves and 3 loose items, as well as three paper cutouts in the shape of hatchets related to the annual celebration of George Washington's birthday. Most items are cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards, though tintypes, other card photographs, and unmounted prints are also present. The first volume also has a small plate containing the names of George McGaughey, Sallie McGaughey, Jesse McGaughey, and Mrs. Minnie Wolf.

The majority of the photographs are studio portraits of men, women, and children. Some members of the Hill, Wolf, and McGaughey families are identified by captions written on the album pages or directly on the photographs. A picture of Jacob Grove Wolf is accompanied by part of a newspaper obituary regarding his death. Henry G. Wolf, Jr., posed near a large waterfall, possibly at Niagara Falls. Volume 1 has a hard leather cover with a slightly raised decorative design, including a small rope culminating in a tassel. Volume 2 has a hard white cover with a raised, painted floral design.