San Francisco Portrait Photograph Collection
Finding aid created by San Francisco History Center staff using RecordEXPRESS
San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center
2022
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, California 94102
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
http://sfpl.org/sfhistory
Title: San Francisco Portrait Photograph Collection
Dates: 1890-2020
Collection Number: SFP 136
Creator/Collector:
San Francisco Public Library
Extent: Approximately 7,500 photographs
Repository:
San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center
San Francisco, California 94102
Abstract: 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, business people, entertainers, literary figures, community leaders, labor
leaders and others primarily from the late nineteenth-century until the 1980s.
Language of Material: English
The collection is open for research and available for use during Photo Desk hours.
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.
[Identification of item]. San Francisco Portrait Photograph Collection. Collection Number: SFP 136. San Francisco Public Library.
San Francisco History Center
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.
Biography/Administrative History
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.
Scope and Content of Collection
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.
Portrait photography -- California -- San Francisco.
Entertainers -- Portraits.
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Biography -- Portraits.
Portraits
Group portraits
Portrait photographs