Overview of the Collection
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Repository Name:
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Museum of History &
Industry
Sophie Frye Bass
Library
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org
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Collection Number:
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1967.4283
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Creator:
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Anderson,
Oliver P. (Oliver Phelps)
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Title:
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Oliver P. Anderson
photographs
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Dates:
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circa 1890s-1947 (inclusive)
circa 1890s-early
1900s (bulk)
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Quantity:
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2 boxes
.6 linear feet
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Languages:
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Collection materials are in
English.
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Summary:
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Scenic photographs, largely of
Washington State, taken by Seattle photographer and photographic supplies
business owner Oliver P. Anderson.
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Location of Collection:
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12b.3.1
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Biographical Note
Oliver Phelps Anderson was an amateur photographer and owner of a
photographic supplies business in Seattle in the early 1900s.
Anderson first worked as a bookkeeper in Seattle in the early 1880s,
though by the end of that decade he was doing business as a draughtsman.
Anderson formed his civil engineering and map publishing business, O.P.
Anderson & Co., in the early 1890s, with the business changing its name to
the O.P. Anderson Map & Blue Print Co. by the mid 1890s.
Beginning around 1900, Anderson began selling photographic supplies as
president of Anderson Supply Co., located at 111 Cherry Street in Seattle.
Around 1913, Anderson’s son Maurice P. Anderson took over as President of the
company, and Anderson acted as secretary-manager, a position he continued to
hold until around 1940, probably until his death. Anderson Supply Co. continued
to do business, with Maurice Anderson as President, until the late 1950s.
Content Description
The collection consists of photograph albums and loose photographs
(approximately 530 photographs in total) depicting scenic views, largely in
Washington State, but also including a small number of images from Alaska and
Oregon. Only a few of the images are identified or dated. The majority of the
Washington State images depict Mount Rainier and landscapes in Rainier National
Park, with others depicting views along the Washington coast, unidentified
mountain and park landscapes, and views of Seattle. A few images depict Native
Americans, including a portrait of a Kwakiutl woman. The collection also
contains 7 photographic Christmas cards and an Anderson Supply Co. photo
envelope.
Arrangement
Arranged in 3 series:
- Photograph albums
- Loose photographs
- Ephemera
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information Gift of Bessie B. Brolin, October 14, 1967
Processing Note Accession No. 1975.6741, donated by Barbara Coulter Peterson on March
5, 1979 and consisting of 4 photographic Christmas cards and 4 photographs, was
merged with this accession.
Part of Accession No. 1978.6663, donated by Merton Dawley on September
6, 1978, consisting of one photograph album, was merged with accession in
October 2009.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Restrictions on Use The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to
all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may
require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation Oliver P. Anderson photographs, Museum of History & Industry,
Seattle
Subjects
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
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| Anderson,
Maurice P. |
| Anderson,
Oliver P. (Oliver Phelps)--Photographs |
| Anderson
Supply Co. |
| Coasts--Washington
(State)--Photographs |
| Kwakiutl women--Photographs |
| Mount Rainier National Park
(Wash.)--Photographs |
| Pacific Coast (Or.)--Photographs |
| Rainier, Mount
(Wash.)--Photographs |
| Washington
(State)--Photographs |
| Landscape
photographs |
| Photograph
albums |
| Photographic
prints |
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
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Photograph albums, circa
1890s-1940s
All photographs in the albums are presumed to have been taken by
Oliver P. Anderson, though only a few are signed.
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Container(s)
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Description
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Dates
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1967.4283.1:
Photograph album
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circa early
1900s |
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187 photographs (5”x7” and smaller) Photographs depict Mount Rainier and Rainier National Park,
including views of mountains, snowy landscapes, park inns and the Sunrise
campground; Mount Baker and Oak Harbor from Whidby Island; the Snoqualmie
region of the Cascades and Snoqualmie Pass; the northern Washington coast,
including images of rock formations, steamships and sailing ships; the Oregon
coast, including the coastline at Otter Crest; the State Capitol building in
Olympia; and unidentified coastline and mountain views. Seattle images include
views of dirt roads and snow covered roads, probably in Seattle parks; views of
the Olympics probably from Seattle across Elliott Bay; distant views of
Seattle; and the King Street Station. A few images depicting people show
individuals canoeing, women in a lodge or inn, and men hiking, and with horses.
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1967.4283.2:
Photograph album
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circa early 1900s |
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140 photographs (7.5” x 9.75”) This album includes Anderson’s portrait of a Kwakiutl woman at
Fort Rupert, British Columbia (circa 1899 ) as well as another photograph of a
Native American woman near a canoe. The remainder of the album consists of many
views of Mount Rainier and Rainier National Park View; a photograph of
Snoqualmie Falls and power plant; a photograph of the statue of William Henry
Seward in Volunteer Park; and images of the Olympic range, rock formations on
the Washington coast, and snow covered park roads (probably Seattle parks).
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1967.4283.3:
Photograph album
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circa early 1900s, 1947 |
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132 photographs Pages were removed from the album before current processing.
Photographs which were detaching from the album pages were removed from pages
and foldered in page order.
Content is similar to two albums above, including prints of
many of the same photographs. Also includes a photograph of Volunteer Park in
Seattle (1947), images of the Lake Washington shore, and of Puget Sound near
Seward Park.
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1967.4283.4:
Photograph album
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undated |
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33 photographs (5”x7” and smaller) Pages were removed from the album before current processing.
Unidentified views, probably of Alaska, depict mountain
landscapes, glaciers, bodies of water, rapids, and ice floes.
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1967.4283.12:
Photograph album
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1899-1902 |
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24 photographs (5" x 7") Album of photographs, some marked with Anderson’s name of
initials, all captioned on page. Images depict Seattle, including the
waterfront, Lake Washington, 1st Avenue and Pioneer Square; Native American
adults and children; Snoqualmie Falls; views in the Olympic and Cascade
Mountains; Madrona Park; and St. Peter’s Chapel in Tacoma.
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Loose photographs, circa
1890s-early 1900s
Some of these photographs appear to have been removed from albums.
Most are presumed to have been taken by Anderson, though only 2 are signed by
him.
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Container(s)
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Description
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Dates
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Washington State
landscapes
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circa 1890s-early 1900s |
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13 photographs Scenic views probably from Washington State, including images
Tipsu Lake at Mount Rainier and Snoqualmie Falls
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Washington State
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circa 1890s-early 1900s |
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5 photographs West side of Bainbridge Island; view of Mount Rainier from Yelm
Prairie (signed Oliver P. Anderson, 1905); Douglas Fir in Ravenna Park (signed
Oliver P. Anderson, 1902); battleships on Elliott Bay; Elliott Bay (with
Anderson Photo Supply sticker on back)
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Mountain scenes
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circa 1890s-early 1900s |
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5 photographs Probably in Washington State
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“Canada”
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circa 1890s-early 1900s |
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2 photographs (11”x14”) Building on mountainside and mountain stream with people on
overhead walkway. “Canada” handwritten on back on each.
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Alaska landscapes
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circa 1890s-early 1900s |
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10 photographs Including Rainbow Falls in Ketchikan (photograph by J.E.
Thwaites); Auk Lake near Mendenhall Glacier; and ice floes near Taku
Glacier
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Ephemera
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Container(s)
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Description
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Dates
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Christmas cards
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undated |
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8 cards Christmas cards with scenic photographs, some with printed
greetings from either Gertrude and Maurice Anderson or Mr. and Mrs. Oliver
Phelps Anderson. All but one (of Pavlof Volcano, Alaska) depict Washington
State scenes.
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Photo envelope from Anderson
Supply Co.
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undated |
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