Collection of encased images including daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes, ca. 1840-1870. Each item includes a view of the recto and verso of the case (when case is present), as well as the interior image.

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[Portrait of an unidentified young woman.]
Her short hair parted in the middle, hands clasped in her lap. She is wearing a dark dress with big, full sleeves, and has a black choker at her neck. Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Mat: Ornamented oval., Case: Uncased.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman.]
Portrait of a young woman seated in a high backed chair in front of a painted landscape background. One arm rests on a table and she holds a book in her lap., The sitter's earrings, brooch, and rings are hand colored gold., Verso and recto of case are detached and may not belong together., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Rust colored velvet embossed D. F. Bower's 317 Nth Second St. Philadelphia. Scroll border., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. In center a striated eight pointed star. Fancy scroll work all around. Tangent circle design on verso., Gift of Harvey S. Shipley Miller and J. Randall Plummer.
[Portrait of an unidentified, young woman dressed all in black, with a large black hat on her head tied in a big bow at the neck.]
Pale hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Mat: Modified nonpareil., Case: Leather. Lacking cover. Circle in center with a spoke at each corner. The design of the case is very similar to The Tangent Circle, plate 195 in American Miniature Case Art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Designated as uncommon, ca. 1852.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman, hair parted in the middle, wearing a big lace collar with a cameo pin at her neck.]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Red velvet. Swirls in the center, and all around., Mat: Ornamented oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: W. L. Germon. 168 Chest St Phila., Case: Leather. Spray of flowers within an oval surrounded by a wreath. Nonpareil-like border. Geometric design on verso with a circle within an oval.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman, hair parted in the middle, wearing a black ribbon attached to a pin at her neck.]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Mat: Ornamented oval. Photographer's imprint: Germon. 702 Chest. St. Phila., Case: Leather. Lacking cover. Floral spray within an oval. Lines radiating out to a double elliptical border.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman, hair parted in the middle, wearing a white blouse with a black satin bow at the neck.]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Mat: Oval., Gift of Mrs. A. Douglas Oliver, August 22, 1977.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman holding a daguerreotype.]
Three-quarter length portrait of a seated, young, white woman with brown hair. She rests an elbow on a book on a table beside her and holds a daguerreotype in her opposite gloved hand. She sits in front of a painted landscape backdrop depicting high cliffs near a body of water., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Faded rust colored velvet with an eagle at the top. Photographer's imprint: "Daguerreotype artist, Goodridge's Extra Sky- Light Gallery, York, Pa.", Mat: Brass nonpareil., Case: Leather. Within a nonpareil-like border, striated lines surround a geometric design in the center. Same design on verso. Front cover detached., See John Vincent Jezierski's Enterprising images: The Goodridge brothers, African American photographers, 1847-1922 (Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University, 2000) and "'Dangerous opportunity': Glenalvin J. Goodridge and early photography in York Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania history. (Spring 1997, vol. 64, no. 2), pp. 310-333 for additional information on Goodridge., Accessioned 2001., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Goodridge, an African American daguerreotypist, ambrotypist, and photographer, operated a gallery in York, Pennsylvania from 1847 to 1862. He primarily produced daguerreotypes from 1847 to around 1855.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman in a patterned dress with a child in her lap.]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded bugundy velvet. Urn in the center, large scrolls at corners., Mat: Modified nonpareil., Case: Leather. A young woman is in the center holding a large spray of flowers and leaves. Fancy scrolls are all around. Swirling lines on back. The design of the case is called Maiden with Cornucopia and is plate 163 in American Miniature Case Art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Produced in quantity, ca. 1851., Gift of Mrs. A. Douglas Oliver, August 22, 1977., Reference: CRH/1978. Source to be identified.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman, long hair, parted in the middle, wearing a white collar with a black brooch.]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red silk. No design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Geometric design with S scrolls.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman wearing a dark, taffeta dress with a crossed collar.]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Royal blue silk. Design obscured., Mat: Octagonal., Case: Leather. Geometric. An open tulip design at top, reversed on the bottom. Photographer's imprint "M. P. Simons, Phila." stamped on verso., Same sitter in P.8518.
[Portrait of an unidentified young woman wearing a plaid dress with a small white collar.]
Her hair is parted in the middle with long side curls. Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Bright red silk. No design., Mat: Octagonal., Case: Leather. The design on the case is horizontal. Within an oval is a country scene with a house, sunburst, and dogs running. Photographer's imprint, M. P. Simons, Phila. stamped on verso.
[Portrait of an unidentified, young woman, wearing a white lace cap, her right arm is resting on a table. ]
Waist-length portrait of a seated young woman facing forward. She wears a bonnet on her head and her dress is adorned with a large lace collar and cuffs. Her right arm rests on a table., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project. Hand colored pink on cheeks., Pad: Red velvet embossed "Willard Market St. Ab 16th Philada." Geometric border., Mat: Fancy nonpareil., Case: Leather. Geometric design with a small oval surrounded by fanciful leaves within four scrolls. Same design on verso.
[Portrait of an unsmiling, unidentified woman with white cotton cap.]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Purple silk - design obliterated., Mat: Oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: R. Cornelius, Philada., Case: Leather Cornelius case. Overall pattern of tiny flowers. Same design on verso., Gift of Robert C. Langmuir, Jr.
Statue
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Purple silk - design obliterated., Mat: Oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: R. Cornelius, Philada., Case: Leather Cornelius case. Overall pattern of tiny flowers. Same design on verso., Gift of Robert C. Langmuir, Jr.
Copy portrait of Mrs. Benedict Arnold
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Purple silk - design obliterated., Mat: Oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: R. Cornelius, Philada., Case: Leather Cornelius case. Overall pattern of tiny flowers. Same design on verso., Gift of Robert C. Langmuir, Jr.
[Portrait of an unidentified man]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Purple silk - design obliterated., Mat: Oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: R. Cornelius, Philada., Case: Leather Cornelius case. Overall pattern of tiny flowers. Same design on verso., Gift of Robert C. Langmuir, Jr.
[Portrait of Charles Sailer in his Civil War uniform.]
Pale hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Very faded and brittle orange velvet with geometric design., Mat: Ornamented oval., Case: Leather. Spray of mixed flowers within several concentric ovals. Same design on verso. Accompanied by manuscript note: Charles Sailer, Mother's brother.
[Portrait of seated unidentified couple.]
She is wearing a striped dress and is sitting primly, hands folded across her lap. He is turned slightly to his left and is wearing eye glasses and a black waistcoat., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Deep purple velvet with swirls., Mat: Octagonal., Case: Leather. No visible design. Photographer's imprint "M. A. Simons, Phila." on verso., Photographer's imprint repeated on verso of plate: "Daguerreotyped June 1, 1846 by M.P. Simons, No. 120 Chestnut Street, Phila."
[Portrait of seated unidentified man.]
Bust length portrait of middle-aged man facing left. He wears a high collared shirt, wide necktie, vest, and jacket. Hand colored pale pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red velvet. Design obscured., Mat: Octagonal., Case: Leather. No visible design. Casemaker/photographer's imprint "M.P. Simons, Phila." on verso., Simons was listed as a case manufacturer in McElroy's Philadelphia directories from 1843 until 1847. By 1845 he was taking his own daguerreotypes and became one of Philadelphia's leading daguerreotypists.
[Portrait of seated, unidentified woman, hair parted in the middle, with a white lace collar and cuffs on her dress.]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red velvet with geometric design., Mat: Modified non pareil., Case: Green leather with fanciful gold stamped floral and leaf design with hand coloring. This design is The Lily Motif and is reproduced opposite page 65 in American Miniature Case Art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) A thin gold border is on the back, but no design., See Henry B. Swift Research file.
[Portrait of stylishly dressed unidentified young man]
The seated man wears a plaid jacket, and large bow tie. His hair is styled in an upswept wave. His cheeks are hand-painted pink., Mat: Oval., Uncased.
[Portrait of three unidentified men, possibly a family group, in formal clothes.]
Hand colored photograph. The younger man in the center is looking straight ahead, the older man is looking to his left, and the elderly man on the right is looking right., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Gold velvet., Mat: Square., Case: Tan soft leather. No design.
[Portrait of two brothers, George and Ralph Wood]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Deep purple velvet. No design., Mat: Double elliptical., Case: Leather. No design., See Anne Ayer Verplanck, Facing Philadelphia: Social Functions of Silhouettes, Miniatures, and Daguerreotypes, 1760-1860, (Ph.D. diss., College of William and Mary, 1996), section of Chapter IV, Wood Family Daguerreotypes, pp. 221-233. See research folder for biographical information about the Wood Family.
[Portrait of two seated men]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Pad: Faded red velvet embossed with scrollwork., Mat: Oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: W. Dinmore Phila., Case: Leather. Geometric design in center surrounded by fancy scrolls and swirls. Same design on verso.
[Portrait of two siblings, Gilbert Livingston Bishop and Susan Holmes Bishop, as children.]
Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Stained red silk. No design., Mat: Octagonal., Case: Leather. Spray of mixed flowers, scroll border. Same design on verso., Gift of Hugh P. Brinton, January 3, 1977.
[Portrait of two sisters, Caroline and Mary Wood.]
Mary is standing with her arm around seated Caroline. Both girls are wearing the same patterned dress, but the dresses are hand colored different colors. Very pale hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red velvet. No design., Mat: Octagonal., Case: Leather. Within a double oval is an open flower surrounded by scrolls. No design on verso., Richard Davis Wood (1799-1869), the girls' father notes in his diary on May 1, 1846, "Took wife and daughters Mary and Caroline to Langenheim's, and had their daguerreotypes taken, succeeding very well." Inside case is the poem "Watching for the Prodigal" clipped from a newspaper., See Anne Ayer Verplanck, Facing Philadelphia: Social Functions of Silhouettes, Miniatures, and Daguerreotypes, 1760-1860, (Ph.D. diss., College of William and Mary, 1996), section of Chapter IV, Wood Family Daguerreotypes, pp. 221-233. See research folder for biographical information about the Wood Family.
[Portrait of two sisters, Martha and Mandana Ball, as young girls]
Portrait of the two girls arms intertwined wearing identical checked dresses and each holding a book., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Very faded red velvet with a rose and several leaves., Mat: Elliptical., Case: Leather. Spray of mixed flowers in a nonpareil like border. Same design on verso., Accompanied by manuscript note: Martha and Mandana sisters [of] Milo Ball.
[Portrait of two unidentified male musicians holding their instruments, a flute and a violin.]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red velvet. Urn with flowers in center, scroll work all around., Mat: Double elliptical., Case: Leather. Flowers and leaves are In a circle within a six pointed star. Same design on verso.
[Portrait of two unidentified men wearing hats.]
The man on the left is wearing a checked vest and has his arm aroung the man on the right., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Red velvet. Small urn with leaves in center, scrolled border., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Geometric diamond design in the center, with scrolled border. Same design on verso. Opens horizontally.
[Portrait of two unidentified young girls.]
One is standing with her right hand on the left shoulder of the seated girl. Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Red velvet. Eagle with outstretched wings on top. Embossed: S. W. Colton Sky Light Gallery 265 Race St. below 8th Phila. Pa. Daguerreotype galleries., Mat: Elliptical., Case: Leather. Three roses in a circle surrounded by scrolls and leaves. Same design on verso.
[Portrait of two unidentified young women.]
One is standing, resting her right arm on the shoulder of the other who is seated. Possibly sisters., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Purple velvet., Mat: Oval. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: Ambrotype by Rehn. Patent July 4th & 11th 1854., Case: Leather. No design on front or back.
[Portrait of two unidentified young women.]
Seated woman, with long curls, has her hands crossed over a book on her lap; the standing woman, with her hair, parted in the middle, severely pulled back, has a cross around her neck., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Mat: Octagonal. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: M. P. Simons, Philada., Case: Leather. Lacking cover. Spray of roses in a square border. The design of the case is called The Delicate Roses, variant and is plate 124 in American Miniature Case Art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Generally produced in large quantity, ca. 1845., See Board Report November 9, 1999.
[Portrait of two unidentified, young women seated wearing close fitting long sleeved dresses with crossed collars.]
Hand colored pink on cheeks., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red velvet. No design., Mat: Double elliptical. Photographer's imprint stamped on mat: McClees & Germon Phila., Case: Leather, painted a dirty yellow color on front. Within an ornamented oval is a single flower surrounded by curlicues. No design on verso.
[Portrait of young man] [graphic]
Waist-length portait of a young man with a sparse beard wearing a jacket, vest, high-collared shirt, and necktie., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Green velvet with embossed floral design., Mat: Oval., Case: Painted leather. Central lyre motif with leafy border design on recto and verso. Paper label in case: R. Jennings, manufacturer of daguerreotype minature and jewel cases of every description, daguerretoype stock, and the patent book-case for daguerreotypes, always on hand. N.W. corner of Vine and Second streets, Philadelphia. Robert Jennings was a Philadelphia case maker in the early 1850s.
[Post mortem portrait of an unidentified man] [graphic] Keenan, 248 South Second St. Philada.
Portrait of deceased elderly man with closed eyes wearing a high-collared shirt and jacket and resting his head on a pillow., Title supplied by cataloger., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Dark red velvet with geometric border. Embossed: Keenan 248 South Second St. Philada., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Single rose within nonpareil border surrounded by floral scroll work. Same design on verso.
[Potrait of three sisters, Caroline, Mary, and Julianna Wood.]
Studio portrait of three of the sixteen children of Richard and Julianna Randolph Wood. Shows the girls posed in a window frame with grape vines growing along thee edge. A strw hat hangs down in front of them., Daguerreotypist attribution based on use of window frame with creeping vine prop used by Samuel Broadbent's studio., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Faded red velvet. No design., Mat: Double elliptical., Case: Leather. No design., See Anne Ayer Verplanck, Facing Philadelphia: Social Functions of Silhouettes, Miniatures, and Daguerreotypes, 1760-1860, (Ph.D. diss., College of William and Mary, 1996), section of Chapter IV, Wood Family Daguerreotypes, pp. 221-233. See research folder for biographical information about the Wood Family.
[Ralston family cased photograph collection] [graphic].
Collection of daguerreotype and ambrotype portraits, several by Norristown daguerreotypist William Stroud, portraying clergyman and founder of Oakland Female Institute James Grier Ralston, his wife Mary Anderson Larimore Ralston, their daughters, and his and his wife’s female siblings, and women teachers at the Institute. Contains bust-, half-, three-quarter, and full-length portraits of individual and pairs of sitters. Sitters are often seated, but a number of the portrait depicts sitters in a standing pose. The women’s and girl’s attire includes bonnets; off-the-shoulder bateau neckline dresses; high-neck, long-sleeved dresses with lace collars and cuffs; brooch and belt chatelaines; and earrings. Dresses worn by the female sitters are often a solid dark color, but occasionally are of a pattern design or light color. James Grier Ralston’s attire included broad bow ties, vests, jackets, and suits. Many of the images also contain props, including covered side tables, chairs, flowers, possibly an ambrotype, and a crumpled piece of cloth., Sitters in addition to James Grier Ralston and Mary Anderson Larimore Ralston include their daughters Anna Larimore Ralston, Ella Grier Ralston, Lilly Grier Ralston (who died at 11 months old), and Cora (Cara) Ralston; Institute music teacher Mrs. John Hunsicker, i.e., Fannie Henry Hunsicker (married by James G. Ralston); Mary’s sister and Institute graduate, Hetty Clark Larimore; and Institute teacher and sister of James, Agnes Caldwell Ralston; Institute graduate Martha (Mattie) Divine (Mrs. Fleming); and an unidentified woman., Posed portrait pairs include images of Mary Anderson Larimore Ralston and daughter Anna Larimore Ralston (P.2012.5.6) in which Anna sits in Mary’s lap with her mother’s hand on her head; and Anna Larimore Ralston and Ella Grier Ralston (P.2012.5.8) which Anna stands next to Ella who sits on a chair, while she rests her arm on a covered side table adorned with a basket of flowers; Anna Larimore Ralston and Fanny Hunsicker (P.2012.5.16) in which Fanny, seated, has her one hand at her hip and her other hand and arm around the waist of Anna who stands; and Hetty Clark Larimore and Mary Larimore Ralston (p.2012.5.17) in which the women are seated, side by side, and Hetty holds a bound object, possibly an ambrotype and Mary holds a crumpled white cloth., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and age and attire of sitters., Photographers include William Stroud (Norristown, Pa.) and Theodore L. Chase (Philadelphia, Pa.)., Various-shaped mats, including oval, elliptical, double elliptical, and non pareil., Various colored pads, including blue, red, and maroon velvet or silk, several with embossing. Embossings include photographer’s imprints and/or imagery. Imagery includes floral and geometric designs, scroll work, and eagles., Primarily leather cases, and one thermoplastic case. Case designs vary, but are predominantly rose and mixed flower designs, in addition to geometric, scroll, and quatrefoil designs. Designs also include Pressed Flower, plate 154; The Delicate Roses, variant, plate 123; A Spray of Roses, plate 131; Mixed Garden Flowers, plate 133; Two Lilies, variant, see plate 112 and 113 in American miniature case art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A.S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969)., Majority of sitters identified by accompanying slips of paper with manuscript notes., Several of the images contain pink tinting on the cheeks of the sitters., P.2012.5.4, P.2012.5.8, P.2012.5.11-15, P.2012.5.21 contains daguerrean's imprint on pad or inside rim of case. Various imprints include: William Stroud, Norristown; William Stroud's Skylight Gallery, Norristown, Pa.; Stroud’s Ambrotypes Norristown, Pa., P.2012.5.6 contains dagurrean's imprint on pad: Theodore L. Chase, N.E. cor. Chestnut & Fifth Sts., Fannie Henry Hunsicker was a woman of Chinese descent. Official records are conflicting as to whether she was born in China, at sea, or in Connecticut., Several of the images contain weeping glass deterioration, tarnished plates, or other damage., Inventory of collection available at repository., See Sarah Weatherwax, "Revealing the Ralston Family," The Daguerreian Society Quarterly (July-September 2021), p. 3-6., Clergyman James Grier Ralston (1815-1880) founded Oakland Female Institute in 1845 in Norristown, Pa. Ralston studied at the Theological Seminary at Princeton and headed the Female Seminary at Oxford, Chester Country, PA before establishing Oakland. He married Mary A. Larimore (1822-1891) in 1842 and they had four children Anna L. (1848-1902), Ella M.(1847-1924), Lillie G. (1852-1853) and Cara G. (1856-1928), with Lillie dying in infancy. Ralston’s children were educated and/or taught at Oakland, as did his sister Agnes C. Ralston. The Institute operated until 1880 and the death of Ralston
Rev. Samuel Clark.
Three quarter length portrait of Clark seated with his hands clasped on his lap. He has a short beard, and is wearing a high white collar., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Case: Uncased., Accompanied by manuscript note: With the affectionate regards of the victim of the photographic art. Rev. Samuel Clark, Gift of Edwin Wolf, 2nd, March 14, 1989.
[Reverend Bird Wilson, 1777-1859.]
Portrait of an elderly Wilson, looking slightly to his right, wearing glasses., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Dark purple velvet, embossed Brady's Gallery 205 & 207 Broadway, New York. Fancy design surrounds broken scroll border., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. A small oval surrounded by leaves and flowers is within a modified nonpareil like border. Scroll work all around., Bird Wilson, D.D., LL.D, was a lawyer, a President Judge of the Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 7th Circuit 1806-1807, and chair of Systematic Divinity at the General Theological Seminary in New York, 1821-1850. See collection folder for additional biographical information. See Board Report for September 21, 1993.
[Reverend Henry Nixon.]
Portrait of Nixon, wearing a high white collar. Nixon was the photographer's brother-law-in, married to Swift's sister Elizabeth., Cased photographs retrospective conversion project., Pad: Raised red velvet with geometric design. Gilt border., Mat: Ornamented modified nonpareil., Case: Black laquer, shaped like a book, with mother of pearl inlay in the shape of a spray of roses. Spine is leather, with repeated floral design stamped in gold. Gilt edges. No design on verso. Single ornamented brass clasp., Accompanying manuscript note reads: "Great uncle Henry Nixon Presby. Clergyman. Taken by Henry B. Swift, brother in law, 312 Markt St. formerly partner of S. F. B. Morse." The note identifies Nixon as a Presbyterian clergyman. However, the couple's 1852 marriage announcement identifies him as a Methodist Episcopal minister., See Henry B. Swift research file.

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