Collections

The Kate and Robert Johnson photograph album contains interior and exterior images of the Johnsons' homes and grounds in San Francisco, and Menlo Park, California, as well as portraits of the Johnsons, their family members, and friends photographed at these locations. The pictures, taken by Eadweard Muybridge circa 1880, also include examples of spirit photography.

The Kate and Robert Johnson photograph album (30 x 25 cm) contains 84 images of the Johnsons' homes on O'Farrell Street in San Francisco, California, and "Heartsease" near Menlo Park, California, taken by Eadweard Muybridge circa 1880. The album has a pebbled brown cover with a binder's ticket from Partridge & Cooper, 192 Fleet St. [London].

The first group of 42 images consists of exterior and interior views of their San Francisco mansion, including views of parlors, bedrooms, and children's rooms. A few individual portraits taken on the premises are included. Of particular note are several spirit photographs of Robert and Kate Johnson, both of whom were alive at the time (20, 21, 24, 29). The couple's art collection is often visible including the painting "Elaine" by Toby Rosenthal. Furniture and decorative arts objects appear and reappear in different rooms and positions in the carefully composed images. In one image (37), it is possibly the photographer Muybridge who appears in a mirror reflection. The section ends with a close portrait of Robert C. Johnson.

The remaining 42 photographs are scenes from the Johnsons' "Heartsease" estate near Menlo Park, California. While the San Francisco photographs focus primarily on room interiors, the Menlo Park photographs mostly show the grounds and surroundings. Two images include sporting activities: a girl riding a young pony (70) and a group of men and women playing croquet (60). A photographic title page image for this section includes Muybridge's pseudonym "Helios" (44). Also included is a portrait of one of Kate Johnson's numerous cats, her affinity for which was well-documented (43).

This album showcases Muybridge’s interest in urban architecture and landscape photography, his success in earning commissions from notable men and women, while also touching on San Francisco’s rapidly developing wealth. It highlights the Johnsons' ornate mansion, their expansive art collection, and features both their urban homestead and rural retreat simultaneously. Moreover, with portraits, staged "spirit" photographs, and landscape scenes placed alongside more traditional photographs of the Johnsons' homes, the album speaks to Muybridge’s multiple artistic talents and the nuances of the Johnson’s personalities.

The San Francisco earthquake and fire photograph album contains 29 photographs taken by photographer Arnold Genthe showing the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco.

The San Francisco earthquake and fire photograph album contains 29 photographs taken by photographer Arnold Genthe showing the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. The album (24 x 32 cm) has pebbled black cloth covers. Images include scenes of billowing smoke over the city being watched by crowds of onlookers; survivors wandering among the ruins; tnets set up in Union Square and Portsmouth Square; the destruction in the city center, between Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, and Market Street; and wagons removing rubble.

Inside the front cover there is a laid in program for a "Port of Oakland Day Luncheon" held on October 27, 1949, a newspaper clipping regarding Benjamin F. Steacy, and a typed note on "Steacy's Restaurants" stationery stating "This album dedicated to the earthquake and fire San Francisco, April 18 1906. The following pictures were taken by a friend of my dads. Ben F. Steacy April 21 1948."

The Vernon Foley photograph album (18 x 27 cm) primarily contains photographs taken in and around California and the West Coast of the United States. Many images feature a group of travelling men, likely Bell telephone linemen.

The Vernon Foley photograph album (17 x 19 cm) primarily contains photographs taken in and around California and the West Coast of the United States. Many images feature a group of travelling men, likely Bell telephone linemen. Images of note include: the Panama-Pacific Exhibition in San Francisco; a sleet storm in Portland Oregon; beaches in San Francisco; geysers at Calistoga, California; railroad travel; El Paso street scenes; a bullfight and Pancho Villa's train cars in Juarez, Mexico; hunting and camping scenes in Emigrant Gap, Wyoming, and Lake Fordyce, California; visiting with friends in Davis, California; and the burning of the Freeman Hotel in Auburn, California. One photograph shows a group of men wearing flu masks standing next to a truck with a Bell company logo; some captions refer to cutting wires during the sleet storm in Portland, and "trimming the right-of-way," and men are shown wearing leg shanks and climbing gaffs. Of note are scenes of the Armistice Day celebration in San Francisco, with many participants wearing flu masks. Most photographs are labeled with handwritten captions.

The album has black cloth covers and is tied with a black cord. Stored in three-part wrap with blue cloth spine.

Night Photos Taken Before and After the Earthquake and Fire is a photograph album containing 25 nighttime photographs of buildings and streets with electrical lighting in San Francisco, California, from 1901 to 1909.

Night Photos Taken Before and After the Earthquake and Fire is a photograph album containing 25 nighttime photographs of buildings and streets with electrical lighting in San Francisco, California, from 1901 to 1909.

The album (18.5. x 14.5 cm) has black cloth covers with “Photographs” gilt-stamped on front and black paper pages. An inscription on the inside of the front cover reads “Night Photos Taken Before and After The Earthquake and Fire by Cecil C. Cline S.F.” The photographer may possibly have been Cecil Cephas Cline (1884-1949), a San Francisco-based electrician. Buildings pictured include the Ferry Building, the Old Union Trust Building, the Old City Hall, the Tivoli Opera House, and more. While most photographs are exterior views, interior shots of the Ferry Building and Tivoli Opera House are also present.

Towards the back of the album one page is captioned “After the Earthquake and Fire.” Seven photographs are present in this section of the album including several images documenting the Portola Festival held in October, 1909, which was the first city-wide public event held in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.

The California, Colorado, and Long Island vacation photograph album consists of 65 snapshot photographs from 1904 to 1906.

The California, Colorado, and Long Island vacation photograph album consists of 65 snapshot photographs from 1904 to 1906. The album begins with scenes of Colorado. These images show views from a railway through the Rocky Mountains and a trip to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

A majority of the photographs were taken in San Francisco, California. These photos date from May, 1906, just after the San Francisco earthquake and fire. Many of the images show refugee camps and temporary housing, displaced businesses, and damage on Van Ness Ave, which was used as a firebreak by the United States Army. The McKinley Parade, also known as Fiesta de Los Angeles is photographed as well. Other California scenes include Cliff House in San Francisco, an ostrich farm in Pasadena, vineyards, and orchards of olive trees, palm trees, and lemon trees.

The last portion of the album is of Long Island, New York State. These scenes include people on a boat in the water near Westhampton, people swimming in Jamaica Bay, and Apacuck Point.

The album is 18.5 x 14 cm with red cloth covers.

The Alaska Gold Rush photograph album contains approximately 300 photographic prints. Most photographs show scenery, people, and settlements in Alaska around the turn of the 20th century, as well as a small group of scenes from San Francisco, California.

The Alaska Gold Rush photograph album (25cm x 30cm, 92 pages) contains approximately 300 photographic prints. Around 280 prints, including around 270 mounted onto the album's pages and around 10 loose items laid into the volume, show settlements, natural scenery, and people in Alaska from 1898-1902. Settlements such as St. Michael, Dutch Harbor, and Dawson are shown, as are native settlements, tents, and log cabins; a few interior shots are present. Some of the buildings and people pictured were associated with the North American Transportation & Trading Company. Subjects include: United States military personnel, indigenous Alaskans, men and women (sometimes in heavy winter dress), landscape views, glaciers, native animals and other natural scenery, and military and civilian boats.

Most of the photographs are black-and-white prints, though the album also includes a small number of cyanotypes. Items of note include a small panorama (p. 14), a photograph taken at the "dawn of the century" (p. 7), and pictures of a totem pole (p. 77), an early telegraph pole (p. 81), and a hands-free pie-eating contest (p. 85). A partial manuscript list of captions, roughly contemporary with the photographs, is laid into the volume. The final four pages of the album contain small photographic prints of scenes from San Francisco, California, with a focus on missions and other architecture. Penciled captions accompany many of the album's prints, though many are difficult to read. The album has post binding with screw posts.

The Family travel photograph album contains approximately 335 photographs depicting the travels of an unidentified family to various locations in California, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and British Columbia.

The The Family travel photograph album contains approximately 335 photographs depicting the travels of an unidentified family to various locations in California, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and British Columbia. The album (19 x 28 cm) is partially disbound and has green burlap covers. Images include family snapshots primarily taken in Oakland, California (89 photographs in total), and East Orange, New Jersey (73 photographs in total); views of sights in Richmond (Virginia), Victoria (British Columbia), including many home interiors and exteriors, nurses and infants, family groups, and children in cribs and posed with dolls; photographs of parks and scenic views of Oakland; views of the battleships Vermont and St. Louis off the coast of Old Point Comfort, Virginia; and a street and waterfront view of New York City. Other photographs of interest include a light-hearted image of five women with their faces bursting through sheets of newspaper; views from locations in Virginia (Roanoke, Richmond, East Radford, Norfolk, and Jamestown), New York (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Schenectady, and Staten Island), Washington (Seattle and Big Lake), and California (Berkeley and Santa Catalina); White Fleet admiral Robley D. Evans in a carriage; and four real photograph postcards showing night views of San Francisco illuminated to welcome the Great White Fleet, May 6-17, 1908. Most photographs include manuscript captions indicating location and date.

The Vacation travel photograph album contains a mixture of approximately 260 commercial and amateur photographs documenting a series of vacations to California, a Lake Michigan cottage, Alaska, and Canada.

The Vacation travel photograph album contains a mixture of approximately 260 commercial and amateur photographs documenting a series of vacations to California, a Lake Michigan cottage, Alaska, and Canada. The album (18 x 30 cm) has black cloth covers with two rivets. California-related photographs include views of beach scenes at Santa Catalina and La Jolla; the Theosophical Society Homestead and Temple on Point Loma; a cutler at work at his donkey-drawn cart; crates of fruit at a railroad station; passengers stretching their legs beside a stationary train; and Mount Lowe Railway and Observatory. Other Western photographs include views of pueblos and adobe buildings in New Mexico Territory.

A series of approximately 70 photographs taken in 1902 show a summer sojourn at Pine Knot Cottage, Macatewa, on Lake Michigan and includes interior and exterior cottage views, beach scenes, sailing a small boat on the lake, and views of the Hotel Ottawa. One whimsical snapshot shows a man standing on his head while being photographed by a man and woman holding a box camera. Images of a traveling party to Alaska include views of the group onboard a steamer and making stops in southeast Alaska; a street view of Wrangell; Tlingit totem poles in Wrangell and Fort Tongass; and commercial photographs of a Greek Church interior and Indian River Park in Sitka.

Additional photographs show Lake Agnes and the Canadian Rockies; Washington Park in Springfield, Illinois; Wall Street, Trinity Church Cemetery, and Grant's Tomb in New York City; Mission San Jose and Mission Concepcion in San Antonio, Texas; and bison and black bears, including a photograph of two men feeding a bear off the back of a wooden cart.

The Western views - Kodak snapshot album contains 104 photographs primarily of Western landscapes including canyons, rivers, waterfalls, and the Monterey, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz coasts.

The Western views - Kodak snapshot album contains 104 photographs primarily of Western landscapes including canyons, rivers, waterfalls, and the Monterey, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz coasts. The album (26.5 x 32 cm) is fully bound in leather with gilt lettering "Kodak" on the front cover. Most of the locations depicted are represented in one or two photographs with the exception of Yellowstone (approximately 20 images) and the Grand Canyon (approximately 12 images). Other photographs show trains and train tracks, with two photographs of train station gardens in Sacramento and Ypsilanti, Michigan. Non-western locations and objects depicted include the Hudson, Niagara, and Mohawk Rivers, Niagara Falls, Minnehaha Falls, and Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. In general people appear to be incidental to the scenery, save for two photographs showing posed groups; one in front of a topiary maze, and another in a grove of giant trees. Most photographs have numbers and captions derived from labeled negatives.

The Shriners' excursion tour photograph albums (2 volumes, each 15.5 x 20 cm) contain 95 photoprints of photographs taken during a cross-country train and ship excursion by a group of Shriners ca. 1898.

The Shriners' excursion tour photo albums (2 volumes, each 15.5 x 20 cm) contain 95 photoprints of photographs taken during a cross-country train and ship excursion by a group of Shriners ca. 1898. Images show a range of different places around the United States, including: St. Joseph, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa; Big Spring, Texas; Phoenix and Tuscon, Arizona; Redlands, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, California; and Honolulu, Hawaii. The Shriner group appears to have chartered their train as there are photographs documenting a train breakdown in Arizona and stops in various stations show it to be decorated with banners. Several images includes women and young boys wearing fezzes, indicating that families participated in the trip. There are also several photographs of cowboys and Native Americans in Arizona and Texas. Images taken in California include views of Los Angeles rooftops, Golden Gate Park and San Francisco Bay, Mt. Shasta and San Bernadino, and palms and a grapefruit grove at Baldwin's Ranch in Redlands. There are several images of ships including the S.S. Sierra, the committee boat Fearless, a quarantine boat, an Austrian training ship at Honolulu, the American battleship U.S.S. Wisconsin, and unidentified ocean steamers in San Francisco Bay.

The albums are half bound with red leather bindings, have red cloth boards and are housed in light blue boxes.