Wilhem Hester Photographs, 1893-1905

Collection context

Summary

Creators:
Wilhem Hester
Abstract:
Marine photographer Wilhelm Hester's images of sailing ships and seamen of Washington's Puget Sound from 1893-1905. The collection of mostly 8 x 10 inch glass gelatin dry plates includes broadside views of vessels at anchor, crew portraits, masters and family portraits, and cabin interiors.
Extent:
837 items
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists primarily of dry plate negatives and some original mounted prints. All of the negatives have preservation film interpositives and negatives.

Hester's views of ships were by tradition a classic, broadside view at anchor or a photograph of her as she lay tied up at a wharf awaiting her cargo. He developed favorite vantage points from which to photograph--a nearby wharf or dock, the roof of a mill, a convenient swing bridge as at Eleventh Street in Tacoma, or from Port Blakeley's less crowded south shore. Crew portraits were another mainstay of his business. Rare interior photographs of 19th-century sailing ship cabins. The collection includes detailed images, both close-ups on deck and long shots, of loading lumber.

Biographical / historical:

At the turn of the 20th-century, marine photographer Wilhelm Hester took and sold photographs of ships and sailors at the Tacoma, Seattle, and Port Blakeley waterfronts. The shipment of grain centered in Tacoma and lumber at Puget Sound's sawmills attracted deepwater sailing ships, steamers and coastal vessels.

Hester was born in October, 1872, in central Hamburg. He and his brother Ernst arrived in the United States in 1890. They spent the years 1890-1893 in Montana. In the fall of 1893 they arrived in Seattle. Shortly after their arrival Hester started photographing together with his brother Ernst. He continued until 1898, leaving Seattle then for a year to search Alaska's famed Klondike for gold. At 34, he appears to have given up photography in 1905 or 1906 to pursue real estate speculation. In his retirement he bought and lived atop Seattle's Queen Anne Hill. He died at Seattle's Virginia Mason Hospital on February 25, 1947.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Emerson Spear to the San Francisco Maritime Museum in memory of Captain Alexander Spear.
Arrangement:

The collection was organized and arranged by the San Franicisco Maritime Museum Library using a subject classification scheme as part of an artificial photograph collection. The falling material are listed by their classified photo number.

Physical location:
Historic Documents Department.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Archives, Personal Papers, and Manuscripts. and Describing Archives

Access and use

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030