Stereographs of the West from The Bancroft Library Pictorial Collection, ca. 1858-1906

Summary

Extent:

1,042 stereographs 1019 digital objects

Language:

Collection materials are in English

Background

Scope and content:

This finding aid describes 1,042 stereographs acquired by The Bancroft Library through the year 1995. The stereographs were acquired as single items and collections of fewer than 30 stereographs. Collections of more than 30 stereographs have been described separately in their own finding aids. These collections are listed under "Related Collections."

The stereographs date approximately from 1858 through 1906. Their subject matter varies, but is primarily landscapes of the West. Views in California predominate, but many other locales are featured including Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Mexico.

The collection represents the work of more than 90 photographers and publishers. The stereographs have been grouped alphabetically under the photographer's or publisher's name, whether an individual or a company. Among the more prolific photographers and companies (each having 15 or more stereographs in the finding aid), represented are: E.L. Bickford, F. Jay Haynes, William B. Ingersoll, James M. Jacobs, William Henry Jackson, C.W.J. Johnson, Keystone View Company, Kilburn Brothers, Lawrence & Houseworth (and their successors Thomas Houseworth & Co.), Eadweard Muybridge, Alphonse Pinart, C.L. Pond, J.J. Reilly, C.R. Savage, Strohmeyer & Wyman, H.C. White & Co., Underwood & Underwood, and Carleton E. Watkins. Many other photographers and companies are also represented (see the Container Listing for a complete list). The 119 stereographs by unidentified photographers are grouped at the end of the finding aid.

The container listing contains the following information for each stereograph (when available): Catalog Number, Caption, Photographer, Photographer's Number, Place of Publication, Date of Publication, and Photographer's Series. Container listing information contained in parentheses appears in manuscript on the stereograph. Information in brackets has been supplied. Any information taken from the verso of the stereograph has been noted. All of the information in the container listing is fully searchable in the online version of the finding aid. Therefore, the online finding aid is the preferred means of subject access to the stereographs.

Two catalog number schemes for the individual stereographs are represented in the container listing. All catalog numbers are preceded by the designator "BANC PIC." The first catalog number scheme consists of the designation "1905" followed by a five digit item number, e.g. BANC PIC 1905.12345. The second scheme consists of the year of acquisition, followed by a three digit collection or item number, and an individual item number if the stereograph is part of a collection. (e.g. BANC PIC 1980.072 for an individual item; BANC PIC 1980.072:2 for item number 2 of the designated collection. Note that the item number in the latter example is preceded by a colon.) Use the complete catalog number to request originals in the Library or to cite originals.

Acquisition information:

The stereographs were assembled from various sources.

Rules or conventions:

Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Location of this collection:

UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US

Contact:

510-642-6481

bancref-library@berkeley.edu

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