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]