Johnston (Frances Benjamin) photograph collection, approximately 1890-1908

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Summary

Title:
Frances Benjamin Johnston Photograph Collection
Dates:
approximately 1890-1908
Creators:
Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952 and Brady, Mathew B., approximately 1823-1896
Abstract:
Collection of glass plate negatives produced by Frances Benjamin Johnston, corresponding prints, and interpositives.
Extent:
38.125 Linear Feet (88 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Frances Benjamin Johnston Photograph Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains approximately 1,276 photographic prints and corresponding glass plate negatives by American photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston that focus on the portrait work of Johnston's earlier career in Washington, D.C., mainly in the 1890s. The collection also contains interpositive copies of the glass plate negatives produced by The Huntington sometime during the mid to late 20th century.

The photographic prints and glass plate negatives were hand-selected by Johnston for The Huntington based on their "historical interest or value" and include many autographed prints. The prints are largely cyanotype, with a few gelatin silver and platinum prints. Also included alongside Johnston's original prints are copy prints made by The Huntington at a later date.

The collection is largely made up of Johnstons portraits of Washington DC, socialites, politicians, artists, and more. In addition to that, there are photographs Johnston made for articles about government buildings and architectures, copies Johnston made of Matthew Brady's daguerreotypes, copies of State Department archives and War Department images, views of Bell telephone instruments, and images of Abraham Lincoln objects and ephemera intended to illustrate Ida Tarbell's Life of Lincoln.

Biographical / historical:

Frances Benjamin Johnston was born in Grafton, West Virginia on January 15, 1864 and grew up in Washington, D.C. She is considered to be one of the first American female photojournalists. Her mother, Frances Antoinette Benjamin Johnston, was a political journalist; and her father, Anderson Doniphon Johnston, worked for the United States Treasury Department. Johnston attended Notre Dame Convent in Govans, Maryland; the Académie Julian in Paris; and trained under Thomas Smillie at the Smithsonian. Johnston opened a photography studio in Washington D.C sometime around 1890. She was a member of the Photo Secession. Then in the early 1900s Johnston opened a photographic studio with her partner, Mattie Edwards Hewitt, on Fifth Avenue in New York City. In 1954 she was made an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects. She purchased a home in New Orleans in 1945 where she retired. Johnston died in May of 1952.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Frances B. Johnston, 1924.
Processing information:

The original paper finding aid was prepared in November 1994. Jennifer A. Watts processed the collection and created a partial finding aid in 2014. The collection was reprocessed and the finding aid updated to include all boxes in 2026 by Carri Frola.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into three series: Prints, Glass plate negatives, and Interpositives. Within each series the items are arranged numerically by item number. The item numbers within each series correspond to each other.

Physical facet:
1276 single photographic prints in 14 boxes; approximately 1217 (8x10 in.) glass plate negatives in 59 boxes; 61 (11x14 and 14x17 in.) glass plate negatives in 6 boxes; 8 boxes of interpositives; and 1 box of ephemera.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Carri Frola
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-09-04 14:53:25 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

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

RESTRICTIONS apply to Boxes 16-80: Glass plate negatives not available for paging due to fragility and availability of print surrogates.

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]. Frances Benjamin Johnston Photograph Collection, 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
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