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Historical picture collection

 Collection
Call Number: MS 713

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, miniature paintings, and other direct positive photographic and non-photographic pictures, brought together here from numerous collections for special preservation and protection. Many of these pictures were formerly listed as part of the Yale Objects and Yale Picture Collections. Others were removed from various collections of personal and family papers: George Kittredge Collection, Gilman Family Papers, Chauncey Family Papers, Leicester Ely Family Papers, Page Family Papers, Wickham Family Papers, Baldwin Family Papers, Bidwell Family Papers, Bingham Family Papers, Brewer Family Papers, Hiram Bingham II Papers, Beecher Family Papers, the Roe Family Papers, Charles Lindbergh Papers, William Henry Brewer Papers, Tarleton Family Papers, Lyman Family Papers, and William Graham Sumner Papers. Most of the pictures are formal or semi-formal portraits of individuals or groups; most are daguerreotypes. Exact information about the dates is usually not available, but most of these pictures were produced in the 1840s and 1850s. Among the portraits of particular interest – historical and aesthetic – are those of Henry Ward Beecher, John C. Calhoun, Josiah Willard Gibbs, Denison Olmsted, and Benjamin Silliman.

Dates

  • 1780-1975

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown, though much of the material in this collection is likely in the public domain. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series: I. Miscellaneous photographs, drawings, etchings, engravings, and other prints, 1780-1975. II. Daguerreotypes and other early photographs, miniature paintings and other nonphotographic pictures, circa 1842-circa 1872.

Extent

34.25 Linear Feet (40 boxes, 3 folios)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.0713

Additional Description

Overview

This collection consists of daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, miniature paintings, and other direct positive photographic and non-photographic pictures, brought together here from numerous collections for special preservation and protection. Many of these pictures were formerly listed as part of the Yale Objects and Yale Picture Collections. Others were removed from various collections of personal and family papers: George Kittredge Collection, Gilman Family Papers, Chauncey Family Papers, Leicester Ely Family Papers, Page Family Papers, Wickham Family Papers, Baldwin Family Papers, Bidwell Family Papers, Bingham Family Papers, Brewer Family Papers, Hiram Bingham II Papers, Beecher Family Papers, the Roe Family Papers, Charles Lindbergh Papers, William Henry Brewer Papers, Tarleton Family Papers, Lyman Family Papers, and William Graham Sumner Papers. Most of the pictures are formal or semi-formal portraits of individuals or groups; most are daguerreotypes. Exact information about the dates is usually not available, but most of these pictures were produced in the 1840s and 1850s. Among the portraits of particular interest – historical and aesthetic – are those of Henry Ward Beecher, John C. Calhoun, Josiah Willard Gibbs, Denison Olmsted, and Benjamin Silliman.

Separated Materials

The Todd-Bingham family images were transferred to the Todd-Bingham Picture Collection (MS 496E).

The pictures of Yale individuals from classes were transferred to Yale Classes Photographs (RU 779).

Processing Information

The collection was organized to provide each item optimum storage protection. Since this has in some cases necessitated dispersing groups of pictures according to size and type, supplementary information is provided in theguide, though it is scanty in most cases. The pictures were assigned item numbers which correspond to numbered slots or envelopes in the storage boxes: numbers preceded by “A” refer to pictures given flat storage, and “B” to vertical storage.

Additions to this collection include accessions of photographic and pictorial material, and item or items transferred from manuscript and archival collections due to their sensitive physical state and value. Accessions or transfers of material to this collection must possess sufficient historical signifiance, through provenance or content to warrant addition.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Historical Picture Collection
Status
Under Revision
Date
May 2018
Description rules
Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

http://www.library.yale.edu/mssa/
Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)

Location

Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours

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