Finding Aid for the Robert B. Fisher Collection of Views of Europe, circa 1850-circa 1920 94.R.30
Hilary Brown and Beth Ann Guynn
Special Collections
2010
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles 90049-1688
Business Number: (310) 440-7390
Fax Number: (310) 440-7780
reference@getty.edu
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections
Title: Robert B. Fisher collection of Views of Europe
Creator:
London Stereoscopic Company
Creator:
Léon et Lévy
Creator:
Photo Zürich
Creator:
Frith, Francis
Creator:
Schmitz, Anselm, 1839-1903
Creator:
Bonfils, Félix, 1831-1885
Creator:
Valentine, James, 1815-1879
Creator:
Wilson, G. W. (George Washington), 1823-1893
Creator:
Sommer, Giorgio, 1834-1914
Creator:
Neurdein frères
Creator:
Darrah, William C. (William Culp), 1909-1989
Creator:
Green, C.E.
Creator:
Grillet
Creator:
Grundy, William Morris, 1806-1859
Creator:
Smith, Beck, and Beck
Creator:
Fenton, Roger, 1819-1869
Creator:
England, William, 1830-1896
Creator:
De la Rue, Warren, 1815-1889
Creator:
Sedgfield, William Russell, 1826-1902
Creator:
Williams, T. R.
Creator:
Zangaki, P.
Creator:
Bedford, Francis, 1816-1894
Creator:
Hautecoeur, J.
Creator:
Macpherson, Robert, 1815 or 1816-1872
Creator:
Notman, William
Creator:
Richebourg, Pierre Ambroise, 1810-1875
Creator:
Ogle and Edge
Creator:
Negretti and Zambra
Creator:
Fratelli Alinari
Creator:
Fisher, Robert B.
Creator:
Lawrence & Houseworth
Identifier/Call Number: 94.R.30
Physical Description:
9.8 Linear Feet
(11 boxes)
Date (inclusive): circa 1850-circa 1920
Abstract: A collection of glass and paper stereographs, glass lantern slides, photographic
prints (single and mounted in an album) and photomechanically illustrated travel booklets, primarily depicting European sites
and cities, together with
some genre scenes and a few non-European views.
Physical Location: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the
catalog record for this collection. Click here
for the
access policy .
Language of Material: Collection material is in English, French, German, and Italian.
Scope and Content of Collection
Assembled by Dr. Robert B. Fisher over a 35-year period, the focus of the collection is early European photography. The collection
contains 737 items
in the following formats: 142 glass stereos, 164 lantern slides, 380 paper stereographs, 44 photographic prints, 1 album,
and 6 travel booklets. The
images primarily depict European sites and cities, together with some genre scenes and a few non-European views.
Series I: Glass stereographs, comprises 142 items (boxes 1-3), arranged by geographic location. The countries represented
are Austria, England (Roger
Fenton, G.W. Wilson), France (Ferrier et Soulier), Germany, Italy (Grillet), Russia, Spain, Switzerland (Ferrier et Soulier),
Istanbul (Ferrier et
Soulier), and Egypt (Francis Frith). There is also a rare image of the moon by Warren De la Rue, circa 1860s, published by
Smith, Beck, and Beck.
Series II: Glass lantern slides, comprises 164 items (boxes 4-5). 109 images of France are by C.E. Green. The original negatives,
circa 1859, were
published by Levy and Company circa 1870; 100 are contained in their original box (box 4). A group of 39 slides mostly labeled
1916 represent a rail
trip from Italy to Russia made that year; images include trains and train stations, markets, daily activities, monuments,
parades, and demonstrations. A
group of 16 miscellaneous slides contains images of Germany, France, the cliffs of Dover, Palestine, Spain, Ecuador, Egypt,
and Martinique.
Series III: Paper stereographs, comprises 380 items (boxes 6-7), arranged by country, and maker when known. The emphasis is
on early stereographic
formats including salt prints, tissue views, and hand-colored salt and albumen prints, mostly dating from 1850-1870. A number
of the stereographs are
from the Darrah collection. Countries represented include France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland,
as well as sites in the
Middle East. Great Britain is the best represented, with images by Francis Bedford, William England, Francis Frith, William
Grundy, Negretti and Zambra
(expositions at the Crystal Palace, 1851, and Sydenham, 1854), Ogle and Edge, William Russell Sedgfield, T. R. Williams, and
G. W. Wilson. The early
works of the London Stereographic Company are also well represented. French photographers include J. Hautecoeur and Richebourg.
There are three stereos
of the Paris Commune. Tissue views include several examples of French "Diablos," European genre scenes, and images of the
Crystal Palace and London
Bridge.
Series IV: Single photographs, is comprised of 44 items (boxes 8-9). Box 8 consists of mostly unmounted photographs of France,
Germany, Great Britain,
and Italy. Photographers represented include: Neurdein Frères, Giorgio Sommer, and Alinari. Box 9 consists of mounted photographs,
including nine images
of Egypt by Zangaki, a view of the Mount of Olives by Bonfils, various views of Italy by Sommer and Alinari, and two views
of Athens, possibly by Robert
Macpherson.
Series V comprises a single leather-bound album (box 10) containing 140 albumen prints with handwritten captions in English.
Some images are dated 1870
or 1872. The album belonged to an unidentified family who may have emigrated from Scotland to Canada. Images are of various
sites in Scotland and of
Hespeler and London, Ontario. In addition, there are several images of Niagara Falls by William Notman and images of San Francisco
by Lawrence and
Houseworth.
Series VI: Travel booklets, is comprised of 6 volumes (box 11). The volumes are small, accordion-folded, photomechanically
illustrated travel booklets.
One booklet is entitled "Around the World." Another booklet is of views of the Isle of Wight. The remaining booklets depict
various sites in
Scotland.
Processing History
the collection was processed by Hilary Brown and Beth Ann Guynn. The finding aid was written by Guynn and encoded by Holly
Larson with grant funding
from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).
Preferred Citation
Robert B. Fisher collection of views of Europe, circa 1850-circa 1920, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession
no. 94.R.30
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa94r30
Acquisition Information
Acquired in 1994.
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Arrangement
Organized in six series: Series I. Glass stereographs; Series II. Glass lantern slides; Series III. Paper stereographs; Series
IV. Single photographs;
Series V. Album; Series VI. Travel booklets.
Related Archival Materials
The Dr. Robert B. Fisher Collection, comprising photographs and other materials pertaining to California history, is held
at the Museum of Local
History, Fremont.
Biographical/Historical Note
Robert B. Fisher, M.D. moved to Washington Township, California in 1950 and established a medical practice in San Jose. He
was keenly interested in
local history, especially that of pioneer families who settled the area, and he founded Mission Peak Heritage Foundation in
Fremont, California in 1962.
He was also an expert on early European photography.
Publication Rights
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Collodion transparencies -- 19th century
Albumen transparencies -- 19th century
Lantern slides -- 19th century
Collotypes -- 19th century
Photograph albums -- 19th century
Lantern slides -- 20th century
Salted paper prints -- 19th century
Photomechanical prints -- 19th century
Albumen prints -- 19th century
Tissue stereographs -- 19th century
Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)
Chromolithographs
Martinique -- Description and travel
Middle East -- Description and travel
Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel
Isle of Wight (England) -- Description and travel
Egypt -- Description and travel
Ecuador -- Description and travel
Austria -- Description and travel
Railroad trains
Railroad stations -- Europe
Parades -- Europe
Crystal Palace (London, England)
Markets -- Europe
Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.) -- Description and travel
Ontario -- Description and travel
Palestine -- Description and travel
Paris (France) -- History -- Commune, 1871
Russia -- Description and travel
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Description and travel
Germany -- Description and travel
Great Britain -- Description and travel
Italy -- Description and travel
Spain -- Description and travel
Europe -- Description and travel
France -- Description and travel
Scotland -- Description and travel
Switzerland -- Description and travel
Moon
Glass stereographs, Series I.
circa 1860-1900
Physical Description: 142 items(3 boxes)
Scope and Contents
The countries represented in this series are Austria, England (including works by photographers Roger Fenton and G.W. Wilson),
France (including
works by Ferrier et Soulier), Germany, Italy (including works by Grillet), Russia, Spain, Switzerland (including works by
Ferrier et Soulier),
Istanbul (including works by Ferrier et Soulier), and Egypt (including works by Francis Frith). There is also a rare image
of the moon by Warren De
la Rue, circa 1860s, published by Smith, Beck and Beck.
Arrangement
The stereographs are arranged by geographic location.
box 1
Austria
Physical Description: 5 items
box 1
England
Physical Description: 13 items
box 1, box 2
France
Physical Description: 55 items
box 2
Germany
Physical Description: 9 items
box 2
Italy
Physical Description: 17 items
box 3
Russia
Physical Description: 1 item
box 3
Spain
Physical Description: 9 items
box 3
Switzerland
Physical Description: 30 items
box 3
Constantinople
Physical Description: 1 item
box 3
Egypt
Physical Description: 1 item
box 3
Moon
Physical Description: 1 item
Glass lantern slides, Series II.
circa 1870-1916, undated
Physical Description: 164 items(2 boxes)
Scope and Contents
This series includes 109 images of France by C. E. Green. The original negatives, circa 1859, were published by Levy and Company
circa 1870; 100
are contained in their original box (box 4). A group of 39 slides mostly labeled 1916 represent a rail trip from Italy to
Russia made that year;
images include trains and train stations, markets, daily activities, monuments, parades, and demonstrations. A group of 16
miscellaneous slides
contains images of Germany, France, the cliffs of Dover, Palestine, Spain, Ecuador, Egypt, and Martinique.
Arrangement
This series is arranged in three groups: France, Europe, and Miscellaneous.
box 4, box 5
France
Physical Description: 109 items
box 5
European trip
Physical Description: 39 items
box 5
Miscellaneous
Physical Description: 16 items
Paper stereographs, Series III.
1850-1870
Physical Description: 380 items(2 boxes)
Scope and Contents
The emphasis of this series is on early stereographic formats including salt prints, tissue stereos, and hand-colored salt
and albumen prints,
mostly dating from 1850-1870. These early images are often referred to as pioneer photographs or views. A number of the stereos
are from the Darrah
collection. Countries represented include France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland, as well as
sites in the Middle
East. Great Britain is the best represented, with images by Francis Bedford, William England, Francis Frith, William Grundy,
Negretti and Zambra
(expositions at the Crystal Palace, 1851, and Sydenham, 1854), Ogle and Edge, William Russell Sedgfield, T. R. Williams, and
G. W. Wilson. The early
works of the London Stereographic Company are also well represented. French photographers include J. Hautecoeur and Richebourg.
There are three
stereos of the Paris Commune. Tissue views include several examples of French "Diablos," European genre scenes, and images
of the Crystal Palace and
London Bridge.
Arrangement
This series is arranged by country, and maker when known.
box 6
Tissue views
Physical Description: 16 items
box 6
Diableries
Physical Description: 4 items
box 6
Genre
Physical Description: 5 items
box 6
European views
Physical Description: 7 items
box 6
France
Physical Description: 79 items
box 6
Paris commune
Physical Description: 3 items
box 6
Richebourg
Physical Description: 4 items
box 6
J. Hautecoeur
Physical Description: 5 items
box 6
Identified photographers
Physical Description: 26 items
box 6
Pioneer views, unidentified
Physical Description: 14 items
box 6
Foreign views by French photographer
Physical Description: 6 items
box 6
Unidentified photographers
Physical Description: 21 items
box 6
German countries
Physical Description: 16 items
Great Britain
Physical Description: 269 items
box 6
Francis Bedford
Physical Description: 8 items
box 6
J. Elliot, publisher, William Grundy
Physical Description: 4 items
box 6
William England
Physical Description: 17 items
box 6
Francis Frith
Physical Description: 8 items
box 6
Negretti & Zambra
Physical Description: 8 items
box 6
Ogle and Edge
Physical Description: 6 items
box 6
William Russell Sedgfield
Physical Description: 8 items
box 6
T. R. Williams
Physical Description: 2 items
box 6
G. W. Wilson
Physical Description: 3 items
box 6
London Stereoscopic Company
Physical Description: 55 items
Scope and Contents
This grouping comprises of 26 pioneer sentimentals; three pioneer views of Chatsworth, England; 20 pioneer views of other
English sites; and
six early strip titles and later formats.
box 7
English identified Volume I
Physical Description: 9 items
box 7
English identified Volume II
Physical Description: 23 items
box 7
English Unidentified Volume I
Physical Description: 17 items
box 7
Early English views
Physical Description: 24 items
box 7
Scotland and Ireland
Physical Description: 8 items
box 7
Italy (pioneer views)
Physical Description: 32 items
box 7
Mid & Near East countries
Physical Description: 4 items
box 7
Russia (pioneer views)
Physical Description: 10 items
box 7
Spanish countries
Physical Description: 6 items
box 7
Swiss (pioneer views)
Physical Description: 17 items
Single photographs, Series IV.
circa 1860-circa 1900
Physical Description: 44 photographic prints(2
boxes)
Arrangement
Box 8 is organized by country. Box 9 is organized by country and then by photographer.
Scope and Contents
Box 8 consists of mostly unmounted albumen prints and small mounted albumen prints of France, Germany, Great Britain, and
Italy. Photographers
represented include Neurdein Frères, Giorgio Sommer, and Alinari. Captions are printed in the negative except where noted.
Box 9 consists of albumen prints on brown mounts, including nine images of Egypt by Zangaki; a view of the Mount of Olives
by Bonfils; various
views of Italy by Sommer and Alinari ;and two views of Athens, possibly by Robert Macpherson. Captions are printed in the
negative except where
noted.
Unmounted albumen prints and small mounted albumen prints
box 8
France
Physical Description: 4 items
box 8
Garcin, Vues Panoramiques 94.R.30-b8.1
Scope and Contents
Printed on mount: Marseille. Les Iles et le Château d'If. Garcin Phot.
box 8
Neurdein frères, Paris, La Place de la Concorde 94.R.30-b8.2
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: N. 152. N.D. Phot.
box 8
Neurdein frères, Paris, L'Opera 94.R.30-b8.3
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: N. 109. N.D. Phot.
box 8
Paris, Le Nouvel Opera 94.R.30-b8.4
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 02[?]
box 8
Germany, Anselm Schmitz, Interior of Cologne Cathedral 94.R.30-b8.5
Physical Description: 1 item
Scope and Contents
Handwritten title on verso. Photographer's wet stamp on verso: Anselm Schmitz, K. Hof-Photograph in Cöln 1884.
box 8
Great Britain
Physical Description: 1 item
box 8
Carousel, harbor town 94.R.30-b8.6
Scope and Contents
Title devised.
box 8
England
Physical Description: 3 items
box 8
James Valentine, Houses of Parliament, London 94.R.30-b8.7
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 3633 J.V.
box 8
George Wilson, Nelson's Monument, Trafalgar Square 94.R.30-b8.8
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 1768. G.W.W.
box 8
Oxford, High Street 94.R.30-b8.9
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 4876. Photographer's wet stamp, verso: Davis. 2, Corn Market St., Oxford.
box 8
Scotland
Physical Description: 2 items
box 8
George Wilson, Glasgow Cathedral from the S.E. 94.R.30-b8.10
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 506. G.W.W.
box 8
George Wilson, Loch Katrine, East End 94.R.30-b8.11
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 4583. G.W.W.
box 8
Italy
Physical Description: 15 items
box 8
Street scene, after a painting 94.R.30-b8.12
Scope and Contents
Title devised.
Unmounted photo.
box 8
Firenze (Contorni) Castello di Vincigliata 94.R.30-b8.13
Scope and Contents
Torre all'angolo nord-ouest con la porta. D'ingresso [sic] del castello vista [sic] dall'interno. (Ripristinato dall'arch
C. Fancelli sotto
la direzione del proprietario onor Sig. Giovanni Temple Leader.)
Numbered in negative: N. 9994. Unmounted photo. In the town of Fiesole.
box 8
Fratelli Alinari, Firenze-Museo di S. Maria del Fiore. Cantoria di Donatello. (Ricostituita e restaurata dall'Arch. Prof.
L. Del
Moro.)
94.R.30-b8.14
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Ed. Alinari P.I.N. 2557.
Unmounted photo.
box 8
Fratelli Alinari, Firenze-Museo di S. Maria del Fiore, Cantoria di Luca della Robbia, (Ricostituita e restaurata dall'Arch
Prof. L.
Del Moro.)
94.R.30-b8.15
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: (Ed. Alinari) P.I.N. 2545.
box 8
Fratelli Alinari, Loreto-Piazza della Madonna, La fonte (Fontana e maderno, i bronzi sono dei Fratelli Iacometti.) 94.R.30-b8.16
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: P.I.N. 14877
box 8
Walled mountain town 94.R.30-b8.17
Scope and Contents
Title devised.
Handwritten on verso: Naples. Amalfi?
box 8
Giorgio Sommer, Museo di Napoli sala Ercole Farnese 94.R.30-b8.18
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 11215. Somner-Napoli.
box 8
Venice: Basilica of San Marco and Doges Palace, Facade 94.R.30-b8.19 - 94.R.30-b8.20
Physical Description: 2 items
Scope and Contents
Titles devised.
box 8
Venice, La Puenta 94.R.30-b8.21
Scope and Contents
Title handwritten on verso.
box 8
Venezia, Palazzo del Camello 94.R.30-b8.22
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 212.
box 8
Venice. Palace Lucretia Borgia 94.R.30-b8.23
Scope and Contents
Hand-written title on verso.
box 8
Venice. Canal with gondola and bridge 94.R.30-b8.24
Scope and Contents
Title devised.
box 8
Photo Zurich, Venezia, Canal Grande 94.R.30-b8.25
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 1186. P.Z. Title stamped in gold on photo. Verso: Santa Maria della Salute.
Tinted albumen, mounted.
box 8
Photo Zurich, Venezia, Rio della Botisella 94.R.30-b8.26
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 6996. P.Z. Title stamped in gold on photo.
Tinted albumen, mounted.
Albumen prints on brown mounts
box 9
Egypt: Zangaki, photographer
Physical Description: 9 items
box 9
Femmes arabes puisants l'eau 94.R.30-b9.1
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: N. 870[?]
box 9
Diner arabe 94.R.30-b9.2
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Zangaki. N. 556.
box 9
Chalouf a la ____ 94.R.30-b9.3
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: N. 560.
Men drawing water from the Nile for irrigation.
box 9
Rue du Caire 94.R.30-b9.4
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: N. 327.
box 9
Maison arabe et maison Nubia 94.R.30-b9.5
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Zangaki. N. 326.
box 9
Pyramide de Cheops, le Sphynx et le Temple de Cheops 94.R.30-b9.6
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Zangaki. N. 391.
box 9
Levs[?] du Caire 94.R.30-b9.7
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Zangaki. N. 589.
box 9
Philae le Kosque d'Isis 94.R.30-b9.8
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Zangaki. N. 818.
box 9
Karnac, 2 obelisks 94.R.30-b9.9
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 50.
box 9
Jordan: Felix Bonfils, Mont des Oliviers, the Mount of Olives 94.R.30-b9.10
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: Bonfils. 292.
box 9
Italy
Physical Description: 5 items
box 9
Giorgio Sommer, Napoli Costume 94.R.30-b9.11
Scope and Contents
Numbered and initialed in negative: 11604. Sommer - Napoli.
Ox cart in front of cemetery.
box 9
Fratelli Alinari, Firenze 94.R.30-b9.12
Scope and Contents
Il Portico degli Uffizi (G. Vasari) e il Palazzo Vecchio (Arnolfo di Cambio).
Numbered and initialed in negative: Ed. Alinari P.I.N. 3131.
box 9
Fratelli Alinari, Firenze 94.R.30-b9.13
Scope and Contents
La Cattedrale vista dalla cupola di S. Lorenzo.
Numbered and initialed in negative: Ed. Alinari. P.I.N. 1932.
box 9
Fratelli Alinari, Firenze 94.R.30-b9.14
Scope and Contents
Battistero porta in bronzo all'est (Lorenzo Ghiberti).
Numbered and initialed in negative: 1858. (Ed. Alinari) P.I.N.
box 9
Anderson, Pantheon di Agrippa 94.R.30-b9.15
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 477.
box 9
Anderson, San Pietro 94.R.30-b9.15a
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 176.
box 9
Greece
Physical Description: 2 items
box 9
Temple of Jupiter, Athens 94.R.30-b9.16
Scope and Contents
Numbered in negative: 26.
Title devised by cataloger.
Possibly MacPherson.
box 9
Amphitheater, Athens 94.R.30-b9.17
Scope and Contents
Title devised.
box 9
Europe: European street 94.R.30-b9.18
Scope and Contents
Title devised.
Album, Series V.
circa 1870s
Physical Description: 1 album(s)(140 photographic
prints)
Scope and Contents
The leather bound album contains 140 albumen prints with handwritten captions on the mounts in English. Some images are dated
1870 or 1872. The
album belonged to an unidentified family who may have emigrated from Scotland to Canada. Images are of various sites in Scotland
and of Hespeler and
London, Ontario. In addition, there are several images of Niagara Falls by William Notman and images of San Francisco by Lawrence
and
Houseworth.
Arrangement
In original order.
box 10
Scotland and Canada family album
Physical Description: 1 vol.
Travel booklets, Series VI.
circa 1880-circa 1920
Physical Description: 6 booklet(s)(1
box)
Scope and Contents
Series VI consists of six small accordion-folded photomechanically illustrated travel booklets. One booklet is titled
Around
the World
; another is of views of the Isle of Wight; the remaining booklets depict various sites in Scotland.
Arrangement
Arranged by cataloger.
box 11
World:
Around the World
Scope and Contents
26 pp. photomechanical illustrations. Captions in English.
box 11
England: Album of Isle of Wight views
Scope and Contents
London: Charles, Reynolds, & Co. 15 pp. photomechanical illustrations includes "Birds-Eye Panorama of Ryde, From the Sea to
the Isle of
Wight," panorama across the top half of six pages. Captions are in English.
box 11
Scotland
Physical Description: 4 items
box 11
Caledonian Canal: the royal route - Oban to Inverness
Scope and Contents
London: T. Nelson & Sons. 12 pp. photomechanical illustrations (chromo views) and 22 p. text in English, map of canal inside
back
cover.
box 11
Edinburgh, Valentine & Sons series of collotype view books
Scope and Contents
Edinburgh: J. Douglas. 16 pp. photomechanical illustrations. Captions are in English.
box 11
Views of Edinburgh
Scope and Contents
28 pp. photmechanical images (collotype). Captions are in English.
box 11
Poulton, W., Views of Kilmalcolm: Poulton's series
Scope and Contents
Kilmalcolm: Duncan C. McNaughtan. 20 pp. photomechanical illustrations (collotype). Captions are in English.
