Collection Guide
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Sirlin Studios photographers' collection
MS0137
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Center for Sacramento History
Title: Sirlin Studios photographers' collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS0137
Physical Description:
37 boxes
32 carton boxes and 5 oversized boxes
Physical Description:
40.14 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1888-2009
Date (bulk): 1960-1999
Abstract: The Sirlin Studios photographers' collection reflects the work Ted Sirlin accomplished in photography from 1945 until his
death in 2009. A renowned Sacramento institution, Sirlin Studios captured the city's people and places from legislators, judges,
and governors to weddings, graduating seniors, and local restaurateurs. The photographic collection includes black and white
and color negatives, black and white and color prints, color transparencies, View Master transparencies, and 16mm film. While
a bulk of the collection does document the actual work ordes, negatives, and photographs taken by Sirlin Studios, the collection
also highlights Ted Sirlin's national acclaim in his copy and restoration sample album as well as his seminars on studio management.
The other half of the collection documents the work, policies, and correspondences behind the photographs and the management
of the studio and Sirlin's business Daguerreochrome Incorporated. The photographs themselves document a range of topics with
a majority of them focusing on Sacramento and Sacramentans. The wide array of materials in the collection include correspondence,
legal and financial documents, newspaper clippings, publications, awards and certificates, and photograph prints and negatives.
Language of Material: Languages represented in the collection: English
Physical Location: SP SV 9: G:2-11; 9:H:1-4
Collection is open for research use.
All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted
in writing to CSH@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron.
No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Sirlin Studios photographers' collection, MS0137, Center
for Sacramento History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Theda Sirlin in 2010 (accession #2010/015).
Artifacts have been separated from the archival material. These include three view masters, their slides, and two award plaques.
The first is a Kodak International Photography's Ambassador of Goodwill Award from December 1982 and the second is a Professional
Photographers of America National Award from 1994. They have been assigned object numbers #2010/015/002-0027 located at SP
SV 40:J:10.
Frank S. Christy collection (1998/722)
Theodore "Ted" Sirlin, born in New York City, New York on February 28, 1923, studied at the Signal Corp Photographic School
and the Pennsylvania Military College. The latter is where is obtained a two-year degree in Engineering. During the Second
World War, Sirlin served as a photographer in the Philippines. Upon his return to the United States, twenty-three-year-old
Sirlin established Sirlin Studios in Sacramento in 1946. Since then, Sirlin Studios has been a staple within the community,
capturing the people and events of the region. The Studio documented a variety of events and social aspects from weddings
to high school senior portraits, politician visitations, corporation portraits, and family portraits. The institution kept
every negative it produced since its establishment until its closure in February of 2010, seven months after Ted's death.
Sirlin himself became one of the leaders of the photographic industry. He was a member and president of the Professional Photographers
of America (PPA) and the Professional Photographers of Sacramento Valley (PPSV). Sirlin toured throughout the national, event
raveling internationally to Japan, presenting seminars on the business aspects of the photography industry as well as the
techniques. Sirlin earned various awards throughout his career. However, his principal goal was "to capture and reflect the
beauty, strength, and sensitivity of the subjects he photographed." Sirlin remained a prominent member of the photographic
and Sacramento community until his death on July 31, 2009.
The Sirlin Studios collection ranges from 1946, when Sirlin Studios was established, to 2009, with the bulk of the collection
falling between 1960 until 1999. The collection is divided into six series. The first series, Business Administration, ranges
from 1969 to 1999 and includes business cards, awards received by Sirlin, and his work in Lou Coopey's The Idea Book: Business
management presentation. The Kodak subseries highlights correspondence between Sirlin and the company regarding the use of
several images produced by the Sirlin Studio for various Kodak promotional products, including a guide for wedding photography
entitled, "To Have and To Hold."
The second subseries, Ledgers, highlights the photographic collection. Within the second through sixth subseries are also
several manuals, pricing charts, business ledgers, and policies used by Sirlin and his staff. The Marketing subseries covers
advertisements for Sirlin Studios from 1970 until 1985. This series also covers Sirlin's correspondence and relationships
with those in the community, including Kodak, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), and Sacramento Executives Association
(SEA). The ninth subseries, Sample Restoration Work, contains an album with samples of Sirlin's Copy and Restoration work,
of which Sirlin received national acclaim.
The second series, Seminar Tours, showcases Sirlin's knowledge on managing a photographic studio through his national seminar
tour outlines and notes from 1967 to 1987. Also included in this series are material related to his 1970s trip to Japan to
meet with leaders of the country's photographic industry, including his business card in Japanese and a feature written on
him in a Japanese photograph book.
The third series documents Sirlin's communication with those in the photographic community from 1969 to 1985. The fourth series,
Publications, includes photographic magazines, journals, and books that Sirlin Studios photography was published in as well
as a few that were used in the business from 1960-2002.
The fifth series, Daguerreochrome Incorporated, features Sirlin's business venture to recapture the Daguerre technique to
create portraits for his customers. The series includes administrative papers, including policies and marketing material,
as well as photographs and negatives. They were advertised as the same priceless antique feel of framed Daggeureotypes in
just fifteen minutes.
The bulk of the collection is in the sixth series, Sirlin Studio Jobs. This series is divided into seven subseries: early
jobs, Commercial files (C), Commercial Portraits (CP), Senior Portraits (S), Weddings (W), and Unlabeled orders and audiovisual
material. This series is mostly comprised of work orders, negatives, and photographs.
Processed by Elvira Alonso, 2011 and Sabrina Holecko, 2022.
The collection is arranged into 6 series:
- Series 1. Business Administration papers, 1951-2006
- Series 2. Seminar Tours, 1967-1987
- Series 3. Correspondence, 1969-1985
- Series 4. Publications, 1960-2002
- Series 5. Daguerreochrome Incorporated, ca. 1969-1985
- Series 6. Sirlin Studio Jobs, ca. 1945-2008
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographers--California--Sacramento
Sacramento (Calif.)--History--Pictorial works
Sacramento (Calif.) -- Businessmen