Traveling photographers collection, ca. 1850s-1900s

Summary

Creator:

Anonymous

Abstract:

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.

Extent:

approximately 245 photographs

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Jakob Dopp, March 2022

Background

Scope and Content:

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.

While most of the people represented in this collection are unidentified, the following individuals are identified by accompanying inscriptions:

• “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:

Volume 1: Cartes de visite

• 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]

Volume 1: Tintypes

• 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]

Volume 2: Cabinet cards

• 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]

Volume 2: Stereographs

• 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]

Volume 2: Larger formats

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

Biographical / Historical:

Numerous 19th-century photographers worked on an itinerant basis and traveled extensively in search of new business opportunities. Traveling photographers were able to visit successions of towns and settlements that were often too small to support a permanent resident photographer. Many traveling photographers sought to rent out local rooms that could be converted into temporary studios, while others brought their own portable studios along with them. Some even utilized means of transportation such as wagons, railroad cars, and boats as multi-purpose spaces that jointly served as vehicles, living quarters, and photography studios.

Acquisition Information:

Purchased from Periodyssey, September 2020. F-1265 .

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Alternate Locations

Collector's Guide to 19th Century U.S. Traveling Photographers by Robert O. Brown came with this collection and has been transferred to the Clements Library Book Division.

Related Materials

Other Clements Library collections containing examples of images produced by traveling photographers include the Frederick P. Currier collection, the David V. Tinder Collection of Michigan Photography, and the Itinerant Photographer's Albums.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Photographers--United States.
Photographs shelf.
Children--United States.
Couples--United States.
Dogs--United States.
Families--United States.
Family members--United States.
Pets--United States.
Siblings--United States.
Spouses--United States.

Formats:

Albumen prints.
Cabinet photographs.
Cartes de visite.
Collodion silver printing-out paper prints.
Group portraits.
Landscape photographs.
Photographic prints.
Platinum prints.
Portrait photographs.
Reproductions.
Self portraits.
Stereographs.
Tintypes.

Names:

Aldhizer & Eutsler.
Atkinson’s Photographic Railroad Gallery.
Bishop’s Portable Photograph Gallery.
Blocker Palace Art Studio and Traveling Cottage Gallery.
Boston and Albany R.R. Photo Car.
Bowdish’s Traveling Gallery.
B. Breslow’s Empire Movable Photograph Gallery.
Brown & Huard.
Burchfield & Bottorf.
Callahan’s Travelling Gallery.
Carson Bros.
Clark’s Portable Gallery.
Coggeshall’s Excelsior Photographic Car.
Currier & Parkinson.
Doolittle & Humphrey’s Tintype and Ferrotype Car.
Doran’s Photographic Car.
Dougherty & Cope.
Douglass’ Traveling Car.
Drum Rail Road Photo Car.
Elite R.R. Photo Co.
Fallman Parlor Photo Car.
Gibson & Myres.
Hale’s Traveling Photo Car.
H. F. Knoderer & Bro.
Howell, Prairie Queen Gallery.
Huested Bros.
Hutchings Bros. Railroad Photo. Car.
Hutchings Rail-Road Photo-Car.
J. M. Horning & Co.
Johnson & Sullivan’s Portable Railroad Gallery.
K.C. Photo Car.
Keil & Matula.
Keystone Traveling Photo Studio.
King & Co.’s Traveling Gallery.
National Art Company’s Railroad Palace Photographic Studio.
Newton & Sprague Photo Car.
Nick & Knecht.
Nowack Bros. Floating Gallery.
Pacific Photograph Car.
Palace R.R. Photograph Car Co.
Palace R.R. Photograph Studio.
Paul’s Mammoth Travelling Photograph and Ferro-type Car.
Peter & Kresge.
Peters & Brother.
Portable Picture Palace.
Pullman Railroad Company.
Showman & Joy’s Palace Cars.
Smith Brothers, Traveling Photographers.
Studio Antoinette.
The K.C. Art Chariot.
The Stuart Queen City Photo Co.’s Great Australian Route, Car No. 12.
The Traveling Art Company.
Tooley & Grigsby.
Tucker & Powell.
Turner & Johnson.
Union Pacific Railroad Company.
Welsh & Harlow Photo Car.
West & Lewis, Travelling Photographers.
Will. H. McMillan, R.R. Palace Photo Car.
Williams & Dodge’s Photograph Cars.
Winslow and Shobe.
DeMerritt, John E., 1882-1961--Portraits.
Aiken, F. J.
Aldrich, T. A.
Bair, L. K.
Bayles, J. N.
Bellinger, J. A.
Billian, Benjamin, 1849-1925.
Blatt, C. G. (Cyrus Gerhart), 1841-1915.
Bonine, Archibald Franklin, 1846-1907.
Bonine, Elias A., 1843-1916.
Borklund, Erik.
Bottorf, J. K.
Bradley, W. A. (Photographer)
Britain, P. L.
Bushong, J.
Carnes, H. P.
Coffey, J. P.
Cooke, Emma A.
Cooke, W. A.
Cope, J. L.
Couturier, A.
Crockwell, James H., 1855-1940.
Dalrymple, J. W. (Photographer)
Davidson, J. (Photographer)
Dibert, G. W.
Dietrich, W. A. (Wallace A.), 1853-1909.
Doremus, John P., 1827-1890.
Dougherty.
Drum, Oscar, 1860-1936.
Foster, F. M. (Photographer)
Fothergill, J. W.
Fritz, F. Z.
Godkin, W. R. (William R.)
Goodell, M. C.
Griffin, William (Photographer)
Gurlitz, Harry.
Hale, Frank L., 1860-1928.
Haynes, F. Jay (Frank Jay), 1853-1921.
Hays, T. E.
Heiss, William H.
Hodge, J. J.
Knecht, George V.
Knecht, Josiah.
Knoderer, H. F. (Henry Frederick), 1840-1915.
Langill, H. H. H.
Leonard, C. L.
Loveridge, J.
Luccock, C. D.
McGowan, J. H. (Photographer)
Merideth, James W., 1849-1917.
Miller, A. J. (Photographer)
Miller, S. R.
Nick, William.
Pearce, W. H.
Peirce, E. W.
Peter, Lewis P.
Pine, F. B.
Place, S.
Potee, I. M.
Primrose, George M., 1841-1889.
Rector, W. H.
Rollow, Lewis DeArcy, 1868-1937.
Roshon, C. S. (Christian S.), 1838-1916.
Shane, James Boucher, 1840-1913.
Silvis, John B., 1830-1900.
Sisson, C. H.
South, C. H.
Squier, E. B.
Stark, C. M. (Photographer)
Steele, F. M. (Francis Marion), 1866-1936.
Stone, N. L. (Nathan Levi), 1836-1907.
Stoppel, A.
Terhune, A. D.
Timmerman, M. F.
Vale, W. A., 1847- .
Vance, M. C.
Von Nieda, D. S. (Daniel S.), 1844-1920.
Warren, W. E. (Photographer)
Watkins, N. A. (Norman Austell), 1877-1922.
Webber, Horace L.
Whalen, Abel J., 1830- .
White, D. R. (Photographer)
Whitson, L. H.
Williams, C. C.
Williams, H. C. (Hazael Coleman), 1859-1930.
Wilson, B. L. (Benjamin L.), 1864-1917.
Yant, W. H. (William H.)