William H. Pilliner family photograph albums, 1870s-1902

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Creators:
Pilliner, William H., 1826-1902
Abstract:
Two photograph albums containing late-19th century portraits by William H. Pilliner, an early photographer in the Western United States.
Extent:
2.34 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. William H. Pilliner family photograph albums, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

Two photograph albums of Pilliner family and other portraits, chiefly taken by William H. Pilliner, an early photographer in the American West. Subjects include Pilliner, his wife Eliza Jane (McGuire) Pilliner, members of the Pilliner and McGuire families, and associates. One album contains cartes-de-visite and tintypes, the other is larger, containing mostly cabinet card photographs. The images date from approximately 1870s to 1902, and some are inscribed. The collection also includes a typescript by Cornelia Elizabeth McGuire (Eliza Jane's sister) of the McGuire family geneology from 1700 to the mid-1900s, and a typescript of W. H. Pilliner's biography. One photograph depicts G. W. Jenkins and I. N. McGuire, the proprietors of the Santa Maria Times, superimposed over a photograph of the newspaper. Some imprints on the images say "W. H. Pilliner, Pioneer Artist" and studio locations include Reno and Idaho Falls. There are also a few photographs by Piggott & Shaw of Santa Rosa, California.

Biographical / historical:

William H. Pilliner (1826-1902) was born in the Dutch East Indies. He went to San Francisco as a youth, eventually learned photography and in 1858 had his first gallery in Red Bluff, California. In 1863, he married Eliza Jane McGuire, born about 1843, who came to California from Missouri in 1850. For the next several decades they and their children lived intermittently in California, Nevada, Montana, and Idaho, where Pilliner operated various photography studios. His son Frederick John Pilliner also became a photographer, and father and son operated a gallery together for a brief time in Silver City, Idaho in 1891.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Nada S. Roherbeck, granddaughter of William H. Pilliner, 1973.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa late-20th century. In 2020, Suzanne Oatey created a finding aid derived from a collection file.

Physical / technical requirements:

Bindings are broken and covers are detached.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. William H. Pilliner family photograph albums, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2129
reference@huntington.org
Website