Guide to the Robert S. Harrah Photographs of Robert "Bob" K. Boyd and the Palos Verdes Peninsula 011

Monique Leahey Sugimoto

Palos Verdes Library District, Peninsula Center Library. Local History Center.

2018 June 1

701 Silver Spur Road

Rolling Hills Estates, California 90274

localhistory@pvld.org

URL: http://www.pvld.org/localhistory

Contributing Institution: Palos Verdes Library District, Peninsula Center Library. Local History Center.

Title: Robert S. Harrah Photographs of Robert "Bob" K. Boyd and the Palos Verdes Peninsula

Creator: Harrah, Robert S.

Identifier/Call Number: 011

Physical Description: 2 Folders

Date (bulk): ca 1950

Physical Location: Local History Center

Abstract: Collection includes black and white photographs of sheep herder Robert "Bob" Boyd taken by photographer, Robert S. Harrah. Includes some photographs mounted on board. Collection also includes several press releases and accompanying photos. The collection provides images of 1950s Palos Verdes as the Peninsula experienced a boom in residential development.

Language of Material: English .

Container: OV 1

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the Local History Center for access information.

Conditions Governing Use

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

[Name of item], Robert S. Harrah Photographs of Robert "Bob" K. Boyd and the Palos Verdes Peninsula (Collection 011). Local History Center, Peninsula Center Library, Palos Verdes Library District, Rolling Hills Estates, CA.

Biographical / Historical

Robert S. Harrah (1925-1989) was an American photo journalist and essayist. Harrah served in the Navy during WWII and spent almost two years in the South Pacific. During his service, Harrah met photographer W. Eugene Smith. After the war, Harrah attended photography school and then worked as an assistant to Smith in New York from 1947-1949, before returning to work in photography in California. Harrah took assignments from various publications including Life and Esquire magazines. The photos in this collection of sheep herder Robert "Bob" Boyd were to be published in Life, but with the outbreak of Korean War the project was dropped and the images were not published.

Arrangement

Arranged by material type; original photographs and press releases followed by exhibit boards.

Scope and Contents

Includes oversize black and white photographs of Robert "Bob" K. Boyd and his flock of black karakul sheep taken by photographer Robert S. Harrah. Also includes photographs mounted on exhibit boards for a Harrah exhibit titled, "The Moments Past," and two press releases for the American Karakul Breeders Society with accompanying images of actresses Peggy Lee and Peggy Dow modeling clothing made from the wool of karakul sheep.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated to the Palos Verdes Library District by Ronald Goetz on behalf of photographer Robert S. Harrah.

Processing Information

Initial rehousing and stabilization of materials by Local History Center volunteers. Final arrangement and description by Monique Leahey Sugimoto, November, 2022.

General

Background information from unpublished memoir by Robert S. Harrah.

Existence and Location of Copies

Photographs digitized and available for viewing at the Palos Verdes Library District.

Related Materials

Local History Center Biographical Files, Boyd, Robert "Bob" folder which includes background research on Boyd and the Karakul Breeders Association.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Horses

Karakul sheep

Shepherds

Sheepherding

Photographs

Boyd, Robert "Bob"