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Libraries HomeHistoric Photograph Collections
Angelus Studio photographs, 1880s-1940s.
Collection number: PH037
Extent: 87 linear ft. (293 containers)
Access restrictions: None.
Publication rights: Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish images must be submitted to the Photographs Curator of Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Provenance: The collection was acquired in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Images from the WPA historical collection were acquired in the mid 1940s.
Preferred citation: [Identification of item], Angelus Studio photographs, PH037-[image number], Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-1299.
On-line access: Additional Angelus Studio images are available in our Digital Collections.On-line finding aid
Processed by: Normandy S. Helmer
Date Completed: November 2004
Abstract
The Angelus Studio was a professional photographic company located in Portland, Oregon. The collection includes works by George M. Weister (1862-1922) and Arthur M. Prentiss (dates undetermined) among the studio photographers; owner Fred Clark also acquired images by previous local photographers including Partridge. The Angelus Studio collection provides extraordinary documentation of the city of Portland, the Lewis & Clark Exposition of 1905, Oregon landmarks, and commercial operations including logging and fish packing.
Historical Sketch
The Angelus Studio photographs collection is comprised of: glass plate, nitrate, and safety negatives; original and reprinted photographs, and logbooks from the photographic studios of George M. Weister (1862-1922), Arthur M. Prentiss (dates undetermined) and the Angelus Commercial Photo Company of Portland, Oregon. The history of the company, and the relationships between the photographers represented, is complex and not yet fully understood.
George M. Weister began his photographic career in 1888 with the Partridge Photo Company of Portland, Oregon. Following the untimely death of E. J. Partridge in 1891, Weister managed the company until 1893, when he established the Weister-Meek Company. In 1895 Weister established the Weister Company, selling photographic supplies, lantern slides and cameras along with Weister's photographic services. His collection of negatives reportedly dated to 1872. See Weister's Astoria album.
Arthur M. Prentiss joined the Weister Company in 1913 as a photographer and secretary-treasurer. In 1917 Prentiss established Gifford and Prentiss, Inc. with noted Oregon photographer Benjamin A. Gifford (1859-1936). Following Weister's death in 1922 Prentiss acquired Weister's studio and collection of negatives.
Robinson lists the following employees for Weister and Prentiss:
- Adams, John Foster., photographer and printer 1914-1929
- Aldrich, Frank C., photographer and printer 1911-1923
- Brown, H. C.
- Gensler, Jacob vice pres 1912, mngr 1913, photographer 1914.
- Hasenmayer, Max manager 1916
- Hasenmayer, Oscar manager 1917
In 1932 Fred N. Clark, owner of the Angelus Studio, purchased Prentiss' studio from the ailing photographer. The Angelus Commercial Photo Company had been established in Portland, Oregon around 1911, and specialized in commercial subjects. "We photograph Construction Work, Interiors and Exteriors of Buildings, Real Estate Views, Machinery, Furniture, Automobiles, Catalog Work, etc." After acquiring the Weister and Prentiss negatives, which were numbered as taken and recorded in logbooks, it appears that they were filed by subject and renumbered by the Angelus Studio.
Collection History
Photographic negatives and images within this collection are currently housed using three separate numbering systems: the University of Oregon Special Collections numbering (Boxes 1-185), the Angelus Studio category abbreviation and negative numbering (Boxes 186-211) and negatives grouped by the photographer's original numbering (Boxes 212-232). Since Special Collections was unable to reprocess the entire collection into a unified numbering and indexing system, current efforts have focused on rehousing negatives in appropriate storage boxes, identifying damaged or missing negatives from those numbered using the University of Oregon Special Collections system (boxes 1-185) and developing a shelf list of the entire collection. Existing finding aids for the collection include a computer inventory and index for images P1-P4500, and a guide to a collection of 598 images selected from the Angelus Studio negatives by Works Progress Administration workers in 1940. Due to the subsequent renumbering and rearrangement of the collection the W.P.A guide needs to be cross-referenced with the University of Oregon numbering system.
The classifications used by the Angelus Studio and the number of negatives in each classification are as follows:
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1. Agriculture 510
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17. Livestock 260
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In 1940 Zed N. Clark assisted members of the Oregon Historical Record Survey in selecting 598 images of "permanent historical value.\" These images were reclassified by subject and consecutively numbered for the Guide to the Angelus Studio Collection of Historic Photographs. The Angelus Studio also provided photographic services for other W.P.A. survey projects. Further research is necessary to determine the relationship between the Angelus Studio and other W.P.A. survey projects in Oregon.
In the mid-1940s the 598 images selected by the Oregon Historical Records Survey were transferred to the University of Oregon, which had sponsored the development of the Angelus Studio guide. Sometime in the late 1940s or 1950s the University acquired the remaining negatives by Weister, Prentiss, and the Angelus Commercial Photo Company from the Angelus Studio. It is not currently known whether this transfer coincided with the closing of the Angelus Studio or the death of Zed N. Clark.
In the mid-1970s the entire collection was rehoused in acid-free envelopes and stored upright in clamshell boxes. The Special Collections staff began renumbering the entire collection and created a computerized index with catalog cards for each image. During this project negatives were numbered consecutively without regard to prior numbering sequences or arrangement. When original photographer's numbers or Angelus Studio numbers were available they were listed on the negative envelopes and computer cards. Unfortunately the project was never completed and rapid changes in computer technology have rendered computer tapes from the project inaccessible. A bound printout of the 1970s database, by subject, is available in the Paulson Reading Room. A modern database is being compiled and is available for staff searching.
In preparation for the 1993 renovation of the Knight Library, the Angelus Collection was rehoused in negative storage boxes designed specifically for glass plate and safety negatives. During this process damaged negatives were individually wrapped and relocated at the end of the collection for subsequent conservation. The negatives are arranged in the following order until funding is available for a comprehensive cataloging effort.
Box list
1 Glass plate and safety negatives P1-P25
2 Glass plate and safety negatives P26-P50 (P38 missing)
3 Glass plate and safety negatives P51-P75
4 Glass plate and safety negatives P76-P95
5 Glass plate and safety negatives P96-P115
6 Glass plate and safety negatives P116-P135
7 Glass plate and safety negatives P136-P156
8 Glass plate and safety negatives P157-P173
9 Glass plate and safety negatives P174-P210
10 Glass plate and safety negatives P211-P241 (P220 missing)
11 Glass plate and safety negatives P242-P270 (P251 missing)
12 Glass plate and safety negatives P271-P300
13 Glass plate and safety negatives P301-P320
14 Glass plate and safety negatives P321-P340
15 Glass plate and safety negatives P341-P365
16 Glass plate and safety negatives P366-P390
17 Glass plate and safety negatives P391-P420
18 Glass plate and safety negatives P421-P440
19 Glass plate and safety negatives P441-P460
20 Glass plate and safety negatives P461-P488
21 Glass plate and safety negatives P489-P530
22 Glass plate and safety negatives P531-P560
23 Glass plate and safety negatives P561-P575
24 Glass plate and safety negatives P576-P595
25 Glass plate and safety negatives P596-P610
26 Glass plate and safety negatives P611-P630
27 Glass plate and safety negatives P631-P650 (P637 missing)
28 Glass plate and safety negatives P651-P670
29 Glass plate and safety negatives P671-P690
30 Glass plate and safety negatives P691-P710
31 Glass plate and safety negatives P711-P730
32 Glass plate and safety negatives P731-P750
33 Glass plate and safety negatives P751-P770
34 Glass plate and safety negatives P771-P790
35 Glass plate and safety negatives P791-P805
36 Glass plate and safety negatives P806-P825
37 Glass plate and safety negatives P826-P845
38 Glass plate and safety negatives P846-P865
39 Glass plate and safety negatives P866-P885
40 Glass plate and safety negatives P886-P905
41 Glass plate and safety negatives P906-P920
42 Glass plate and safety negatives P921-P940
43 Glass plate and safety negatives P941-P960
44 Glass plate and safety negatives P961-P979
45 Glass plate and safety negatives P980-P995
46 Glass plate and safety negatives P996-P1010
47 Glass plate and safety negatives P1011-P1025
48 Glass plate and safety negatives P1026-P1040
49 Glass plate and safety negatives P1041-P1056
50 Glass plate and safety negatives P1057-P1071
51 Glass plate and safety negatives P1072-P1090 (P1074-P1078 missing)
52 Glass plate and safety negatives P1091-P1105
53 Glass plate and safety negatives P1106-P1120
54 Glass plate and safety negatives P1121-P1140
55 Glass plate and safety negatives P1140-P1175
56 Glass plate and safety negatives P1176-P1210
57 Glass plate and safety negatives P1211-P1250
58 Glass plate and safety negatives P1251-P1295
59 Glass plate and safety negatives P1296-P1340
60 Glass plate and safety negatives P1341-P1380
61 Glass plate and safety negatives P1381-P1425 (P1400 and P1407 missing)
62 Glass plate and safety negatives P1426-P1455
63 Glass plate and safety negatives P1456-P1476
64 Glass plate and safety negatives P1477-P1500
65 Glass plate and safety negatives P1501-P1520
66 Glass plate and safety negatives P1521-P1540
67 Glass plate and safety negatives P1541-P1560
68 Glass plate and safety negatives P1561-P1580 (P1562 and P1566 missing)
69 Glass plate and safety negatives P1581-P1600
70 Glass plate and safety negatives P1601-P1620
71 Glass plate and safety negatives P1621-P1640
72 Glass plate and safety negatives P1641-P1660
73 Glass plate and safety negatives P1661-P1700
74 Glass plate and safety negatives P1701-P1740
75 Glass plate and safety negatives P1741-P1765
76 Glass plate and safety negatives P1766-P1785
77 Glass plate and safety negatives P1786-P1800
78 Glass plate and safety negatives P1801-P1820
79 Glass plate and safety negatives P1821-P1860
80 Glass plate and safety negatives P1861-P1900
81 Glass plate and safety negatives P1901-P1940
82 Glass plate and safety negatives P1941-P1975
83 Glass plate and safety negatives P1976-P1990
84 Glass plate and safety negatives P1991-P2020
85 Glass plate and safety negatives P2021-P2040
86 Glass plate and safety negatives P2041-P2060
87 Glass plate and safety negatives P2061-P2080
88 Glass plate and safety negatives P2081-P2100
89 Glass plate and safety negatives P2101-P2120
90 Glass plate and safety negatives P2121-P2140
91 Glass plate and safety negatives P2141-P2160
92 Glass plate and safety negatives P2161-P2180
93 Glass plate and safety negatives P2181-P2200
94 Glass plate and safety negatives P2201-P2220 (P2210 missing)
95 Glass plate and safety negatives P2221-P2240
96 Glass plate and safety negatives P2241-P2260
97 Glass plate and safety negatives P2261-P2280
98 Glass plate and safety negatives P2281-P2300 (P2286 and P2293 missing)
99 Glass plate and safety negatives P2301-P2320
100 Glass plate and safety negatives P2321-P2340
101 Glass plate and safety negatives P2341-P2360
102 Glass plate and safety negatives P2361-P2380 (P2363 missing)
103 Glass plate and safety negatives P2381-P2400
104 Glass plate and safety negatives P2401-P2420
105 Glass plate and safety negatives P2421-P2440
106 Glass plate and safety negatives P2441-P2460
107 Glass plate and safety negatives P2461-P2480
108 Glass plate and safety negatives P2481-P2500
109 Glass plate and safety negatives P2501-P2520
110 Glass plate and safety negatives P2521-P2540
111 Glass plate and safety negatives P2541-P2560
112 Glass plate and safety negatives P2561-P2580
113 Glass plate and safety negatives P2581-P2600
114 Glass plate and safety negatives P2601-P2620 (P 2603 missing)
115 Glass plate and safety negatives P2621-P2640
116 Glass plate and safety negatives P2641-P2660
117 Glass plate and safety negatives P2661-P2680
118 Glass plate and safety negatives P2681-P2700
119 Glass plate and safety negatives P2701-P2720
120 Glass plate and safety negatives P2721-P2740
121 Glass plate and safety negatives P2741-P2760
122 Glass plate and safety negatives P2761-P2780
123 Glass plate and safety negatives P2781-P2815
124 Glass plate and safety negatives P2816-P2860
125 Glass plate and safety negatives P2861-P2910
126 Glass plate and safety negatives P2911-P2960 (P2946-P2949 missing)
127 Glass plate and safety negatives P2961-P3010
128 Glass plate and safety negatives P3011-P3060
129 Glass plate and safety negatives P3061-P3090
130 Glass plate and safety negatives P3091-P3125
131 Glass plate and safety negatives P3126-P3154
132 Glass plate and safety negatives P3155-P3184
133 Glass plate and safety negatives P3185-P3212
134 Glass plate and safety negatives P3213-P3243
135 Glass plate and safety negatives P3244-P3265
136 Glass plate and safety negatives P3266-P3290
137 Glass plate and safety negatives P3291-P3310
138 Glass plate and safety negatives P3311-P3330
139 Glass plate and safety negatives P3331-P3355 (P3335 missing)
140 Glass plate and safety negatives P3356-P3395
141 Glass plate and safety negatives P3396-P3415
142 Glass plate and safety negatives P3416-P3435
143 Glass plate and safety negatives P3436-P3460
144 Glass plate and safety negatives P3461-P3480
145 Glass plate and safety negatives P3481-P3500
146 Glass plate and safety negatives P3501-P3520
147 Glass plate and safety negatives P3521-P3540
148 Glass plate and safety negatives P3541-P3560
149 Glass plate and safety negatives P3561-P3588
150 Glass plate and safety negatives P3589-P3610
151 Glass plate and safety negatives P3611-P3640
152 Glass plate and safety negatives P3641-P3670
153 Glass plate and safety negatives P3671-P3700 (P3677 missing)
154 Glass plate and safety negatives P3701-P3720
155 Glass plate and safety negatives P3721-P3750
156 Glass plate and safety negatives P3751-P3775
157 Glass plate and safety negatives P3776-P3805
158 Glass plate and safety negatives P3806-P3830
159 Glass plate and safety negatives P3831-P3860
160 Glass plate and safety negatives P3861-P3880
161 Glass plate and safety negatives P3881-P3900
162 Glass plate and safety negatives P3901-P3920
163 Glass plate and safety negatives P3921-P3940
164 Glass plate and safety negatives P3941-P3970
165 Glass plate and safety negatives P3971-P4010
166 Glass plate and safety negatives P4011-P4040
167 Glass plate and safety negatives P4041-P4060
168 Glass plate and safety negatives P4061-P4090
169 Glass plate and safety negatives P4091-P4120
170 Glass plate and safety negatives P4121-P4150
171 Glass plate and safety negatives P4151-P4180
172 Glass plate and safety negatives P4181-P4201
173 Glass plate and safety negatives P4202-P4220
174 Glass plate and safety negatives P4221-P4240
175 Glass plate and safety negatives P4241-P4260
176 Glass plate and safety negatives P4261-P4280
177 Glass plate and safety negatives P4281-P4300
178 Glass plate and safety negatives P4301-P4320
179 Glass plate and safety negatives P4321-P4340
180 Glass plate and safety negatives P4341-P4380
181 Glass plate and safety negatives P4381-P4421
182 Glass plate and safety negatives P4422-P4450
183 Glass plate and safety negatives P4451-P4475
184 Glass plate and safety negatives P4776-P4510
185 Glass plate and safety negatives P4511-P4551
186 Angelus numbering SH344-SH375
187 Glass plate and safety negatives SH unnumbered
188 Glass plate and safety negatives SH376-SH400
189 Glass plate and safety negatives SH401-SH425
190 Glass plate and safety negatives SH426-SH475
191 Glass plate and safety negatives SH476-SH520
192 Glass plate and safety negatives SH521-SH569
193 Glass plate and safety negatives SH570-SH610
194 Glass plate and safety negatives SH611-SH726; T1-T5
195 Glass plate and safety negatives T6-T25
196 Angelus numbering T26-T50
197 Glass plate and safety negatives T51-T70
198 Glass plate and safety negatives T71-T100
199 Glass plate and safety negatives T101-T125
200 Glass plate and safety negatives T126-T160
201 Glass plate and safety negatives T161-T124
202 Glass plate and safety negatives T215-T240
203 Glass plate and safety negatives T241-T285
204 Glass plate and safety negatives T286-T325
205 Glass plate and safety negatives T326-T413
206 Glass plate and safety negatives T414-T460
207 Glass plate and safety negatives T unnumbered
208 Glass plate and safety negatives T unnumbered
209 Glass plate and safety negatives W1-W20
210 Glass plate and safety negatives W21-W50
211 Glass plate and safety negatives W51-W130; unnumbered
212 Photographer's numbering-Safety negatives 32711-45637
213 Glass plate and safety negatives 42196-46299
214 Glass plate and safety negatives 46101-47538
215 Glass plate and safety negatives 47641-48642
216 Glass plate and safety negatives 49349-56947
217 Glass plate and safety negatives 58728-65255
218 Glass plate and safety negatives 60501-68791
219 Glass plate and safety negatives 65700-68410
220 Glass plate and safety negatives 69709-74864
221 Glass plate and safety negatives 74799-8888_
222 Glass plate and safety negatives 85174-12207
223 Glass plate and safety negatives 12188A-Flax scenes
224 Glass plate and safety negatives Flax scenes-74113
225 Glass plate and safety negatives 73600-77220
226 Glass plate and safety negatives 77218-70709
227 Glass plate and safety negatives 70708-84723
228 Glass plate and safety negatives 84723-76653
229 Glass plate and safety negatives 76648-29540
230 Glass plate and safety negatives 29148-59421
231 Glass plate and safety negatives 64186-62011
232 Glass plate and safety negatives 73037-85407; 5x7 68129-80867
233 Nitrate negatives with prints
234 84856 - Multnomah Hotel sitting room
235 Multnomah Hotel bathroom - NW Steel Company
236 NW Steel Company - Columbia Building
237 Christian Service Church - Livestock
238 Town - NW Electric
239 People with flags - Multnomah Falls
240 Glass plate negatives 5x7
241 Glass plate and safety negatives
242 Glass plate positives
243 Glass plate negatives 5x7
244 Glass plate and safety negatives
245 Glass plate and safety negatives
246 Glass plate and safety negatives
247 Glass plate and safety negatives
248 Glass plate and safety negatives
249 Glass plate and safety negatives
250 Glass plate and safety negatives
251 Glass plate and safety negatives
252 Glass plate and safety negatives
253 Glass plate and safety negatives
254 Glass plate and safety negatives
255 Glass plate and safety negatives
256 Glass plate and safety negatives
257 Panorama negatives
258 Glass plate and safety negatives
259 Glass plate and safety negatives
260 Glass plate and safety negatives
261 Glass plate and safety negatives
262 Glass plate and safety negatives
263 Glass plate and safety negatives with Stadden negatives
264 Prentiss prints 8x10
265 Glass plate and safety negatives
266 Glass plate and safety negatives
267 Glass plate and safety negatives
268 Glass plate and safety negatives
269 Angelus prints 8x10
270 Glass plate and safety negatives
271 Glass plate and safety negatives
272 Glass plate and safety negatives
273 Glass plate and safety negatives
274 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition prints
275 Glass plate and safety negatives
276 Angelus W.P.A. and miscellaneous prints
277 Glass plate and safety negatives
278 Glass plate and safety negatives
279 Glass plate and safety negatives
280 Glass plate and safety negatives
281 Glass plate and safety negatives
282 Glass plate and safety negatives
283 Angelus W.P.A. and miscellaneous prints
284 Miscellaneous negatives 8x10
285 Damaged glass plate negatives
286 Glass plate and safety negatives
287 Glass plate and safety negatives
288 Glass plate and safety negatives
289 Glass plate and safety negatives
290 Glass plate and safety negatives
291 Glass plate and safety negatives
292 Photographer's logbooks
293 Glass plate and safety negatives
Robinson
[Excerpted from with permission from directory of Thomas Robinson's Oregon Photographers; Biographical History and Directory 1851-1917.]
Angelus Studio
Angelus Commercial Photo Co.
See also Weister, George
See also Prentiss, Arthur
Employee Listings
Adams, John Foster., photographer and printer 1914-1929
Aldrich, Frank C., photographer and printer 1911-1923
Brown, H. C.
Gensler, Jacob vice pres 1912, mngr 1913, photographer 1914.
Hasenmayer, Max manager 1916
Hasenmayer, Oscar manager 1917
Bibliography
The Call Number, (periodical, University Of Oregon Library) Vol. 24, No. 2, Spring 1963, the entire issue is about the Angelus photographs. "the photographs in this essay were drawn from the Angelus Collection, University of Oregon Library. The Angelus Studio was one of the great studios of Portland..."
The Angelus Collection, typewritten paper in Oregon Historical Society Files, no author or date, probably from the University of Oregon. This paper has many ms. corrections and does not appear to be entirely accurate. Summary of this paper: George Weister founded the studio, and had negatives dating back to 1872. He worked as an official photographer for a railroad company. The bulk of his work was commercial photography. According to the typewritten paper, and ms notes, he died in 1918 or 1922 or 1923. Upon Weister's death (or disability) he sold his studio to Arthur Prentiss, who had worked for him since 1910. In 1932 ill health forced Prentiss to retire and he sold the business and the negatives to Fred N. Clark, who ran the studio with his wife Alma. The collection of negatives is now housed in the Special Collections division of the University of Oregon Library. The Works Progress Administration began an index of the materials in 1937 and the University completed the project later. (Please note that just before press time for this book the author has located the original employees of Angelus and the person who prepared the inventory for the WPA. I have not had a chance to fully interview these people yet, however I am hoping to include this in future editions. I should remark for posterity that I am in disagreement with most of the published information about Angelus. Fred Clark was not a photographer. The early images, which are credited to Weister, are actually the work of another photographer and are probably 1883-1886. I am hoping to clarify this in future editions. The relationship between Prentiss and Weister is much more complex.
1914 "Angelus Commercial Studio, The, Goodnough Bldg, Main 2014" plus display ad: "Angelus Commercial Studio. We Photograph Construction Work, Interiors and Exteriors of Buildings, Real Estate Views, Machinery, Furniture, Automobiles, Catalog Work, etc. Special Instruments for Every Requirement. Goodnough Bldg, 5th and Yamhill Main 2014" 1914 PCBD Directory
1916: "Angelus Commercial Studio, Commercial Photographers, Operating the Largest and Most Complete Commercial Photographic Studio on the Pacific Coast. Interior and Exterior Views of Buildings, Manufacturing and Business Establishments, Machinery, Automobiles, Scenery, Catalogue Work, Lantern Slides, Developing, Printing, Enlarging and Copying. Phone Main 2014. Goodnough Building, Fifth and Yamhill Streets, Portland, Oregon" Polk's Portland City Directory 19176. Portland; R. L. Polk & Co. 1916. pg. 1474.
1917: "Angelus Commercial Studio, Commercial Photographers, Operating the Largest and Most Complete Commercial Photographic Studio on the Pacific Coast. Interior and Exterior Views of Buildings, Manufacturing and Business Establishments, Machinery, Automobiles, Scenery, Catalogue Work, Lantern Slides, Developing, Printing, Enlarging and Copying. Phone Main 2014. Abington Building, Portland, Oregon" Polk's Portland City Directory 1917. Portland; R. L. Polk & Co. 1917. pg. 1469.
Last Modified: 01/07/2010
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