Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- San Francisco Public Library
- Abstract:
- Extent:
- Approximately 7,500 photographs
- Language:
- Preferred citation:
-
San Francisco Portrait Photograph Collection. San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco History Center
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The artificial collection consists of over 7,500 photographic prints of prominent people in San Francisco and California’s history from the 1890s – 2010s collected by the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. The photographs are of a diverse group of politicians, artists, businesspeople, entertainers, literary figures, community leaders, labor leaders and others primarily from the late nineteenth-century until the 1980s. Politicians and elected officials include many of San Francisco’s mayors and Supervisors and California’s early governors, senators, and congressmen. California's wealthy and powerful families represented include the de Youngs, the Hearsts, and the Spreckels. The collection does include persons of national prominence. The collection contains the work of many photographers, including Moulin Studios, Stewart & Skelton Studios, Hartsook, and others including San Francisco News and Call Bulletin staff photographers. Most prints are original but there are many copy prints including a series of photo prints by Hosea Blair. Many photographs do not have the photographer or photography studio identified and are undated. The photographs are mostly traditional portrait photography, but some photographs are group shots or photographs of the individual. There are some vernacular photographs and a small number of drawings.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The collection was collected and assembled by the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. The creation of the collection and the selection process focused on primarily individuals and families associated with the history of San Francisco and California starting in the mid-19th century to early 20th century. The base of the collection was from the people files separated from the San Francisco News and Call Bulletin newspaper photo morgues. The collection includes multiple accessions and donors received over the life of the San Francisco History Center.
- Acquisition information:
- This collection was assembled over the life of the San Francisco History Center’s Historical Photograph Collection and includes multiple accessions and donors. Many of the photographs (perhaps seventy-five percent) were separated from the San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Photo Morgue.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research and available for use during Photo Desk hours.
- Terms of access:
-
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:
-
San Francisco Portrait Photograph Collection. San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco History Center
- Location of this collection:
-
San Francisco Public Library100 Larkin StreetSan Francisco, CA 94102, US
- Contact:
- (415) 557-4567