Scope and Contents
This collection contains photographs arranged by type of photographic process. Types of photographs include daguerreotypes, cyanotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, albumen prints, silver gelatin prints, color prints, negatives, and artwork. The photographs depict a wide variety of subjects, although the bulk of the collection depicts locations, people, and various events in the Pacific Northwest. Photographs of other locations across the United States along with a small number of Civil War prints are also present.
Dates
- circa 1800s-1970
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
The photographs present within this collection represent a spectrum of photographic processes prevalent circa 1800s-1970s: daguerreotypes, cyanotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, albumen prints, silver gelatin prints, and color prints.
Daguerreotypes were introduced in 1839 and are considered to be the “first fully successful and practicable photographic process” (Ritzenthaler and Vogt-O’Connor, 29). They are laterally reversed, direct positive images, printed on finely polished, silver-coated copper plates.
Cyanotypes, also called “blueprints,” were introduced in the late 1840s, although they did not become popular until the 1880s. These photographs were produced by coating paper in a light-sensitive solution, exposing the paper to a negative once it was dry, and then washing it with water (33).
Ambrotypes and tintypes were introduced in the 1850s as cheaper alternatives to daguerreotypes. Ambrotypes were very similar to daguerreotypes as they were direct positive images, although they were usually not laterally reversed. These images were printed on glass. Tintypes were laterally reversed, direct positive images printed on thin sheet iron (36).
Albumen prints were introduced in the late 1840s and became the “dominant printing process of the nineteenth century” (38). These photographs were produced through the utilization of negatives and albumen emulsion paper. As this paper is rather thin, prints were usually mounted on cards of various sizes.
Silver gelatin prints were introduced in the 1870s and have dominated the market since about 1910. These photographs were printed on one of two basic types of paper: developing-out paper (which required chemical developers), or printing-out paper (which required light exposure) (46).
Color prints were produced using a variety of different chemicals and materials which have been available since 1941. However, it is difficult to differentiate between them unless the prints are labeled (55).
Reference: Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, and Diane Vogt-O’Connor. Photographs: Archival care and management. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2008.
Extent
18.5 linear feet (23 containers (22 boxes; 1 oversize folder)) : 3 flat boxes (17.5" x 11.75" x 3.625"); 4 flat boxes (11.125" x 9.125" x 3.125"); 5 flat boxes (7.75" x 5.75" x 3.125"); 3 flat boxes (6.125" x 5.125" x 3.125"); 3 flat boxes (8" x 6.125" x 4.625"); 1 flat box (12.75" x 9.5" x 3.25"); 1 flat box (24.75" x 20.75" x 3.25")
0.2 Unprocessed linear feet (2 folders)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Historic print collection is an artificial collection created to highlight photographic processes. The collection is composed of daguerreotypes, cyanotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, albumen prints, silver gelatin prints, color prints, negatives, and artwork. The photographs depict a wide variety of subjects, although the bulk of the collection depicts locations, people, and various events in the Pacific Northwest. Photographs of other locations across the United States are also present.
Arrangement
Material within this collection has been arranged into ten series by type of photographic process: 1. Daguerreotypes (circa 1839-1860); 2. Cyanotypes (1899); 3. Ambrotypes (circa 1860); 4. Tintypes (circa 1860s-1880s); 5. Albumen prints (circa 1851-1915); 6. Silver gelatin (circa 1800s-1970); 7. Color prints (circa 1950s); 8. Negatives (circa 1890s-1940s); 9. Artwork (circa 1890-1939); and 10. Unidentified process (circa 1860s-1970s).
Series 5. Albumen prints is arranged in four subseries:
5.1. Cartes de visite (circa 1862-1880s); 5.2. Cabinet cards (circa 1860s-1900); 5.3. Boudoir cards (circa 1880s-1900); and 5.4. General, albumen (circa 1851-1925).
Series 6. Silver gelatin is arranged in two subseries:
6.1. General, silver gelatin (circa 1805-1960s); and 6.2. Postcards (circa 1880s-1942).
Material is arranged by process and size.
This collection also includes two unarranged accruals:
Unarranged accrual 19.100.P, circa 1900s.
Unarranged accrual 19.113.P, 1880-1920.
Processing Information
Processed by Liliya Benz, 2018. Revised by Alexa Goff, 2019.
- Northwest, Pacific -- Photographs Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Photography--Printing processes--Albumen Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Photography--Printing processes--Silver Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Historic Print Collection
- Status
- Revise Description
- Author
- Liliya Benz
- Date
- 2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
