Conditions Governing Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Provenance
Related Materials
Biography
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Title: San Francisco Public Library Performing Artists Photograph Collection
Date (bulk): 1890 - 1950
Identifier/Call Number: SFP 87
Creator:
Fredricks, Jessica M.
Creator:
Oppenheimer, Selby C.
Physical Description:
3 boxes
(2.75 linear ft.)
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: The San Francisco Public Library Performing Artists Photograph Collection consists of 1,670 photographic prints from 1890
to 1950 collected by the Music Department of the San Francisco Public Library. This artificial collection of publicity photographs
and performing artists’ portraits was originally assembled by San Francisco Public Library’s Music Department head librarian
Jessica Fredricks as a collection of autographs. In addition to these, the Music Department incorporated photographs dedicated
to and donated by Selby Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was a local impresario and once the managing director of the Opera House.
Many of the photographs are autographed – with dedications to the San Francisco Public Library, Jessica Fredricks, and/or
Selby Oppenheimer. Fredricks and Oppenheimer collected the photographs between 1917 and 1950. The artificial collection includes
portraits of conductors, opera singers, instrumentalists, dancers, directors and composers.
Physical Location: The collection is stored onsite.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center's Photo Desk hours.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish from photographs must be submitted in writing to the Photo Curator. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], San Francisco Public Library Performing Artists Photograph Collection (SFP 87), San Francisco History
Center, San Francisco Public Library.
Provenance
Gift. 2014.
Related Materials
Researchers are encouraged to see also the Musicians' Letters Autograph Collection (1880-1966) in San Francisco Public Library's
Art, Music and Recreation Center.
Biography
Jessica Fredricks (1887 – 1979) was head of San Francisco Public Library’s Music Department 1917–1950.
Jessica Fredricks was born on September 29, 1887. Largely self-taught, her formal education consisting of only three months
of high school and summer coursework on library reference work at the University of California. In 1916 she began working
as a substitute librarian at the San Francisco Public Library, despite lacking the prerequisite high school diploma. Because
of her musical background and her experience teaching piano, she was asked upon the opening of the new Main Library in 1917
to head the Music Department. She strove to make the Library's Music Department a part of the City's musical life. During
her career, Fredricks wrote the book California Composers: Biographical Notes (1934) and various articles for Pacific Coast
Musical Review, Musical West and other music publications. Upon retiring from her job in 1950, she moved to Mexico and lived
nearly 30 more active years.
Selby C. Oppenheimer (1879 – 1941) was a well-known San Francisco impresario and managing director of the San Francisco War
Memorial Opera House and Veteran’s Building.
Oppenheimer was a San Francisco native. In their home, Mr. and Mrs. Selby Oppenheimer had a Steinway baby grand piano which
had over 400 autographs on its interior by the contemporary world’s greatest musicians who visited San Francisco. The couple
began collecting the autographs in the early 1920s.
Scope and Content
The San Francisco Public Library Performing Artists Photograph Collection consists of 1,670 photographic prints from 1890
to 1950 collected by the Music Department of the San Francisco Public Library. This artificial collection of publicity photographs
and performing artists’ portraits was originally assembled by San Francisco Public Library’s Music Department head librarian
Jessica Fredricks as a collection of autographs. In addition to these, the Music Department incorporated photographs dedicated
to and donated by Selby Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was a local impresario and once the managing director of the Opera House.
Many of the photographs are autographed – with dedications to the San Francisco Public Library, Jessica Fredricks, and/or
Selby Oppenheimer. Fredricks and Oppenheimer collected the photographs between 1917 and 1950. The artificial collection includes
portraits of conductors, opera singers, instrumentalists, dancers, directors and composers. Most of these performing artists
visited San Francisco for performance dates. There are a significant amount of photographs of Yehudi Menuhin, la Argentina,
Anna Case, Feodor Chaliapin, Ruth Draper, Florence Easton, Ossip and Clara Gabrilowitsch, Galli-Curci, Frieda Hempel, Harald
Krentzberg, Josef Lhevinne, Grace Moore, Sigrid Onegin, Rosa Ponselle, Elizabeth Rethberg, Ruth St. Dennis, and Laurence Tibbett.
The majority of the photographs have the photographer or photo studio noted on the backside of the photograph. Noted San Francisco
photography studios represented in the collection include Hartsook, Gabriel Moulin and Romaine Studios. In addition to the
San Francisco photography studios, there are a significant amount of photographs by the following photographers and photo
studios - Apeda Studio, Bain News, G. Maillard Kesslere, Lumiere Studio, Moffett Studio, Herman Mishkin, Underwood and Underwood,
and White Studios. Geographic locations of the portrait studios include New York, Cuba, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin, Rome,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Kansas City.
Arrangement
Photographs are arranged alphabetically by performing artist's last name. Some performing artists may have more than one photograph.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Performing arts.
Entertainers.
Entertainers -- Portraits.
Photographic prints, 1890-1900.
Photographic prints -- 1900-1910.
Photographic prints -- 1910-1920.
Photographic prints, 1920-1930.
Photographic prints, 1930-1940
Photographic prints, 1940-1950
Portrait photographs
Publicity photographs
Fredricks, Jessica M.
Oppenheimer, Selby C.