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Title: [Half-length portrait of an unidentified, seated woman]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of an unidentified white woman seated on a chair. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, short-sleeved, silk dress with buttons down the bodice and a white lace collar, and black lace, fingerless gloves. A broach adorns her collar. She rests her right forearm on a table covered in a patterned cloth. The sitter’s left hand is slightly clenched and rests on her lap. Her lips and cheeks are tinted pink., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium, attire of the sitter, and dates of operation of the photographer., Pink tinting on lips and cheeks., Attributed to McClees & Germon., Pad: Red velvet. No design., Mat: Double elliptical., Case: Leather., Contains weeping glass deterioration., Edges of daguerreotype plate are tarnished., Gift of Jane Hastings, 2011., James E. McLees (1821-1887) and Washington Lafayette Germon (1822-1877) operated as partners from 1846 to 1855 in Philadelphia.
Creator: McClees & Germon, photographer
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos – photographer – McClees & Germon [P.2011.56.3]

Title: [Three-quarter length portrait of an unidentified, seated woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of an unidentified, seated white woman. Sitter has dark hair parted in the middle with ringlet curls at the sides of her face. She is attired in a lace cap, a white chemisette, and a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a lace collar and cuffs. She also wears earrings, a ring on her right hand, and a cameo brooch and pocket watch chain that adorn her chest and waist, respectively. Gilt is applied to the photographic details of her earrings, ring, right cuff, cameo brooch, and pocket watch chain. She sits holding a card in her left hand on her lap. It is inscribed with the number, 50, which may signify the portrait is in honor of her 50th birthday. She rests her right arm on a cloth-covered side table in the left. Possibly her bonnet lies on top of the table. Her cheeks are tinted pink., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and attire of the sitter., Pink tinting on cheeks., Gilt on sitter’s jewelry and card., Gift of Michael Zinman, 2016., Pad: Red velvet with a spray of flowers., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Case is shaped like a book with gilt edges and a spine labeled “Bijou.” Papier-mache, black lacquer with a spray of flowers made of mother of pearl inlay. Verso design composed of an ornamental scroll in gold, green, and red with a gold border., Edges of daguerreotype plate are tarnished.
Date: [ca. 1855]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos – unid photo – unid sitter [P.2016.85]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified woman]
Description: Bust-length, forward facing portrait of an African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind the ears. She is attired in hoop earrings, a white collared chemisette, a dress with polka dots, and a dark-colored shawl. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from sitter's attire., Pad: Dark purple velvet. No design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Surrounded by scrolls, a spray of lillies is in the center. Geometric design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.4]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of an African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, crimped, and looped behind the ears. She is attired in a striped, long-sleeved dress with a wide lace collar, a brooch, black laced fingerless gloves, and a ribbon around her neck attached to a pair of spectacles. She rests her left arm on a table covered with a patterned tablecloth on which a book sits. Her right hand rests at her side below her waist. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from sitter's attire., Pad: Faded golden colored velvet. Geometric design in center surrounded by swirls., Mat: Double elliptical., Case: Leather. Geometric design: striated lines in the center within interlocking circles. Shell-like designs at the four corners. Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [Philadelphia]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.5]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of an African American woman seated on a chair. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and tied behind her head. She is attired in a dark-colored, diagonally striped, long-sleeved dress with a lace collar, a brooch, and a long necklace. She rests her left arm on a table covered with a patterned tablecloth, and her right hand rests on her lap. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from sitter's attire., Pad: Cinnamon colored velvet with one large leaf., Mat: Octogonal., Case: Leather. Design is curved octagon within scroll and is Plate 219 in Floyd and Marion Rinhart's American miniature case art (Cranbury, NJ: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969). Case made by William Shew who was active in Boston in the 1840s. Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993 p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [Philadelphia]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.10]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified woman]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of an African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle with ringlet curls on either side of her face, and tied behind her head. She is attired in a long-sleeved dress with a lace collar, a brooch, and a ring. She rests her right arm on a table covered with a patterned tablecloth, and she clutches a purse in her right hand. Her left hand rests on her lap. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred by sitter's attire., Pad: Faded red silk., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Geometric design: A striated circle in the center within a striated oval. Nonpareil border. Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.6]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, front facing portrait of a seated African American woman. Sitter has dark hair, parted in the middle, crimped, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, silk dress with long, bell-shaped sleeves with trim details and ruching below the shoulder. She also wears a lace collar and cuffs. A pin adorns the front of her collar. She rests her left forearm on a book which sits atop a table covered in a patterned cloth in the right of the image. A ribbon adorns her left wrist and she wears a ring on her left forefinger. Her right hand rests in her lap. Her lips and upper cheeks are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from sitter's attire., Tinting on sitter's lips and upper cheeks., Pad: Deep purple velvet without a design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Case design showing small vase of flowers in the center surrounded by ornate decorations is called "Flower Vase Motif" and is Plate 146 in Floyd and Marion Rinhart's American miniature case art (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Geometric design on verso., Die-engraver's name on case design reads A[nthony] C. Paquet., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Library Company. Annual Report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.15]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of an African American woman seated on a chair with an ornate, wooden back. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, crimped, and looped behind her ears. She wears hoop earrings and a dark-colored, long-sleeve button-down, silk dress with a lace collar and cuffs. A broach adorns her collar. She also rests her right forearm and hand on a book which sits atop a table covered in a patterned cloth in the left of the image. She wears a ring on her right hand and her left hand, in a slight fist, rests in her lap. Her cheeks are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic format and attire of sitter., Tinting on cheeks., Pad: Dark red velvet with a scroll design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. A large floral spray with a lily and leaves, surrounded by an ornate scrolled border. Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Library Company. Annual Report, 1993, p. 17-24., Reproduced on cover and on page 45 of Julie Winch's The Elite of our people (University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000)
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.12]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified woman]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of an African American woman seated on a chair. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved dress with a white chemisette with a collar and under sleeves, a brooch, and a ring. She rests her left arm on a table covered with a patterned tablecloth, and her right hand rests on her lap. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from sitter's attire., Pad: Faded red velvet with small floral spray in center surrounded by scrolls., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Case design of a bouquet of flowers in an urn within a nonpareil border is called "The Romanesque Urn" and is Plate 141 in Floyd and Marion Rinhart's American miniature case art (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993 p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.14]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified woman]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of a woman seated on a chair. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a high lace collar, a brooch, hoop earrings, a ring, and a long necklace. She rests her right arm on a table covered with a patterned tablecloth, and her left hand rests on her lap. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from sitter's attire., Pad: Red velvet embossed Van Loan & Co's Gallery 118 Chesnut St. Philada. Geometric border., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Spray of flowers in a nonpareil like border. Scroll work all around. A different floral spray within a modified double elliptical border is on the back. Design called "Lily and Rose" and is Plate 114 in Floyd and Marion Rinhart's American miniature case art (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.), Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993 p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Van Loan operated from 118 Chestnut Street circa 1849-circa 1851.
Creator: Van Loan & Co., photographer
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.3]

Title: [Three-quarter length portrait of Frances W. Bruce]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing, seated portrait of Frances W. Bruce. Sitter has dark hair parted in the middle with ringlet curls at the sides of her face. She is attired in a dress made of a patterned fabric of decorative scrolls and with a white lace collar and cuffs. She wears two rings on her right hand. Sitter rests her right elbow on a tableclothed side table in the left. Her left hand rests on her lap and slightly clasps her right hand. Frances Wardale Bruce (1815-1892) was William Y. McAllister’s sister and spouse of physician George D. Bruce., Title supplied by the cataloger., Date and name of photographer from manuscript note on label attached to case: Frances Bruce, Feb. 1845., Pad: Red velvet., Mat: Octagon., Case: Leather. Bouquet of mixed flowers in a vase. No design on verso., William Y. McAllister was an optician and cane manufacturer in Philadelphia from 1845 to 1860.
Creator: McAllister, W. Y. (William Young), 1812-1896, photographer
Date: Feb. 1845
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cased photos – McAllister [P.2021.37]

Title: [Half-length portrait of an unidentified woman, seated]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of an unidentified white woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved dress with buttons down the bodice and a white collar, and black lace, fingerless gloves. A broach adorns her collar. Her lips and cheeks are tinted pink. She is seated and holds a book labeled, Message and Documents 1857-8 Part 1 (i.e., Congressional documents), on her lap with her right hand. She crosses her left arm over her right and rests her left hand on her right wrist., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and attire of the sitter., Pink tinting on lips and cheeks., Cased image accompanied by a lock of hair and four feathers from an Amazon parrot., Gift of Ivan Jurin, 2022., Pad: Red velvet with flowers within a decorative scroll border., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Decorative geometric and scroll pattern in the center with leaves in the corners. Same design on verso.
Date: [ca. 1860]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos – unid photo – unid sitter [P.2022.29.1-1a]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Bust-length, forward facing portrait of a seated, African American woman whose eyes look to the right. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, crimped, and looped behind her ears. She wears hoop earrings and a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a white collar and cravat. A small, decorative button or brooch is pinned in the center of the collar. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Faded red velvet with a single swirled feather design., Mat: Oval., Leather. Geometric design with a crosshatched oval surrounded by ovals, each of which has a flower in the center. Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1855-ca. 1860]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.8]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of a seated, African American woman. Sitter has dark hair that is parted in the middle and combed close to and tied back behind her head. She is attired in a long-sleeved, button down, plaid dress with ruffles at the cuffs and wears a matching, round, brooch necklace and earrings. She rests her right forearm on a table and her hands, forming slight fists, rest in her lap. Her cheeks and lips are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Faded red velvet. Fleur de lis in center surrounded by scrolls., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Geometric design featuring a six-pointed star within a shield flanked by banners. Same design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1855-ca. 1860]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.7]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of a seated, African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a white lace collar, and black lace, fingerless gloves. A broach adorns her collar. She rests her left forearm on a table covered in a patterned cloth. A book lies on the table. The sitter’s left hand rests on her lap. Her lips are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Dark purple velvet with a scroll design in the center., Mat: Oval., Case: Square thermoplastic. On recto is a leaf design surrounded by scrolls. This design is #3-128 reproduced in Paul K. Berg's nineteenth century photographic cases and wall frames (Huntington Beach, Ca. 92647: Huntington Valley Press, 1995.) The design on the verso is a bunch of grapes, #2-25 in Berg's book., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24.
Date: [ca. 1850-ca. 1860]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos -Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.16]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified African American woman]
Description: Half-length, forward facing portrait of a seated African American woman posed behind a prop window frame. Sitter rests her left elbow and right hand on the bottom edge of the frame. Her left hand rests on her shoulder, near the side of her face. She has dark, crimped hair, parted in the middle and that is pulled back into a braided crown at the back of her head. She is attired in a dark-colored, satiny dress with a plunging V-neck and that is adorned with a frilled ribbon and long sleeves with ruching below the shoulder. She also wears a white V-neck collar adorned with a broach, frilled white cuffs, hoop earrings, and a ring on her right hand. Her cheeks and lips are tinted pink. Image also includes a creeping grape vine in the right of the image. Sitter probably from or related to the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic format and attire of sitter., Sitter's cheeks tinted pink., Name of daguerreotypist inferred from studio prop (window and trailing vine) visible in image., Pad: Bright red velvet with a scroll design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. A large floral spray with a lily and leaves, surrounded by an ornate scrolled border. Geometric design on verso., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Library Company. Annual Report, 1993, p. 17-24., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Broadbent, Samuel, 1810-1880, photographer
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cased photos [P.9427.13]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified woman]
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of a seated, African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a white lace collar, and black lace fingerless gloves. A broach adorns her collar. She rests her left forearm on a table covered in a patterned cloth. A book lies on the table. The sitter’s left hand rests on her lap. Her lips are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred by sitter's attire., Pink tinting on lips., Pad: Deep purple velvet without a design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Small vase of flowers in the center surrounded by ornate decorations. The"Flower Vase" design is reproduced as Plate 146 in Floyd and Marion Rinhart's American miniature case art (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Geometric design on verso., The die-engraver's name is below the design in reverse, and properly reads A[nthony] C. Paquet., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Reproduced on page 45 of Julie Winch's The Elite of our people (University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000), Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1850]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.11]

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified young woman holding a daguerreotype]
Description: 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.
Creator: Goodridge, Glenalvin J., 1829-1867, daguerreotypist
Date: [ca. 1853]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Goodridge [P.9989]

Title: [Full-length portrait of an unidentified older woman seated in a wheelchair]
Description: Full-length, forward facing portrait of an unidentified older white woman, seated in a wheelchair positioned at a slight angle. Sitter has gray hair parted in the center and is attired in a dark-colored lace cap with lappets and a dark-colored, long-sleeved dress with a white collar. Her cheeks are tinted pink. She holds a book, with the spine towards the viewer, in her right hand on her lap. Her left arm is propped on the armrest. A small pouch-like bag hangs from the corner of the back of the wheelchair visible in the left of the image. The chair back is covered with a patterned cloth., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and attire of the sitter., Pink tinting on cheeks., Pad: Red velvet with a leaf in the center and decorative scroll border., Mat: Nonpareil., Case: Leather. Decorative geometric and leaf pattern in the center with leaves in the corners. Same design on verso.
Date: [ca. 1860]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos – unid photo –unid sitter - ambro [P.2021.31]

Title: [Gutekunst and Haldt family cased photograph collection]
Description: Collection of cased photographs of sitters related to cabinet maker Frederick Gutekunst, his son and photographer Frederick Gutekunst, and his son-in-law and photographer Jacob Haldt. Majority of the sitters (men, women, and children) are unidentified. Identified sitters include Frederick L. Gutekunst, and Katherine (Katie) Gutekunst, son and daughter of photographer Gutekunst, photographer Jacob Haldt, and Tomas Hernandes, “the friend who was with Mr. Peale since he came to Pto [ Puerto] Rico until the last moment.” Includes bust, half, three-quarter, and full-length portraits with sitters mostly posed seated. Many of the women sitters wear long-sleeved dresses with collars. Some images also include a scenic backdrop (P.2020.12.13) or depict props, including side tables and a book on which an unidentified girl leans as she sits on a table (P.2020.12.11). Also includes a daguerreotype depicting a woman holding a baby inscribed “Isaac, Mary Jane & Charles Burr” on verso of the plate., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and age and attire of sitters., Photographers include Frederick Gutekunst, Gutekunst & Bro., and Lemuel H. Purnell., Various-shaped mats, including oval, elliptical, double elliptical, square, and quarterfoil., Various colored pads, including red, purple, black, green, and maroon velvet, some with embossing. Embossings include photographer’s imprints and/or imagery. Imagery includes floral and ornament designs and scroll work., Leather and thermoplastic cases. Case designs vary, and include floral, ornament, emblem, geometric, and scroll designs. Designs also include a double-sided bookcase format as well as Seated woman holding child and pets, plate 30 and Berry motif, plate 99 in American miniature case art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A.S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969)., P.2020.12.2-3 and P.2020.12.6-9 contains daguerrean's imprint on pad., Several of the images contain weeping glass deterioration, tarnished plates, or other damage., Basic inventory of collection available at repository.
Date: [ca. 1850-ca. 1870]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cased photos - Gutekunst and Haldt Family [P.2020.12.1-22]

Title: [Ralston family cased photograph collection]
Description: 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
Date: [ca. 1845-ca. 1855]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cased photos - Ralston Family [P.2012.5.1-22]

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