Collection Guide
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Dickey (Donald Ryder) photographic collection
Biomed.0059
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Description
Struck by a serious heart condition during his senior year at Yale, Dickey returned to early interests in natural history
and photography to occupy his mind and hands during the prolonged recovery period. By the time he had regained full strength
in 1916, he had also formulated a new life goal: to establish a research center for study of the vertebrate zoology of Southern
California, and to build a supporting collection of taxidermy specimens, photographs and books. This finding aid introduces
the still photography part and some movie footage of that collection: over 4000 images captured by Dickey and his associates
on various formats of film negatives, glass plates and slides. Each entry in the finding aid for the still photographs leads
to a Dickey negative and a 5 x 8" reference card which contains a positive image, and identifying information. Three-hundred-and-fifty
of the images, from 1911-1929, have been digitized and are viewable online at: http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/dickey/index.cfm.
Background
Donald Ryder Dickey (March 31, 1887-April 15, 1932) was an adventurous, pioneer wildlife photographer as well as an ornithologist
and mammalogist. He was well known in his time for: his photographs (both still and moving) of birds and mammals; his lectures
on wildlife; and eventually, for his substantial specimen collection of birds and mammals. Drawn to outdoor life in his childhood
and youth, he considered this nothing more than a hobby until he experienced a serious heart collapse in his senior year at
Yale and was sentenced to immediate and complete bedrest. Allowed to graduate with his class because of his high academic
standing, he returned after graduation to his parents' home in Pasadena for two years of inactivity. He visited a friend's
ranch in the Ojai Valley after about a year, and there, from his steamer chair, he began to observe, and after a time to photograph,
local birds and their nests.
Extent
72.7 Linear Feet
(139 boxes)
Restrictions
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are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
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