What to do with 400 historical 8x10 glossy San Francisco photographs??

[Nancy123]

My father was a professional. I have approximately 350, 8x10s from the 1940s and '50s that he took for a real estate company, so most of these are streets and buildings but some are from the air (he was a pilot, too). They are all numbered on the back with their corresponding numbered 4x5 negatives in sleeves. I think this collection is worth some money and would like to sell it, but I have no idea how to go about it. (I prefer not to use ebay). Does anyone have any suggestions? They've been sitting in a box for 80 years now!!! (The quality is still excellent).

 

[koraks]

I think this collection is worth some money

Don't get your hopes up. While your father's collection of prints evidently has considerable historic value, economic value of the archive is likely to be marginal at best. Frankly, I personally think a better option would be to find an institution that's willing to take on stewardship of this collection - although you'll have to be prepared to actually work quite hard to find one that's capable and willing of doing so.

Is the box taking up such valuable space? Why not keep it, and perhaps pass it on to a next generation in your family?

I really doubt whatever financial gain you can eek out from this by offering it up for sale will be proportional to the value of the material as such.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Check with your local governments. Their building departments or other record keeping authorities might be interested. I found an old picture of the apartment building I grew up in originally built in the 1930's. It was in NYC's records.

 

[Kino]

You might try contacting this place:

Home - San Francisco Historical Society

The San Francisco Historical Society exists to uncover, preserve, and present, in engaging ways, the colorful and diverse history of our city from its earliest days to the present. We present history programs, walking tours, publications, mobile history apps, special events and exhibits, and...

www.sfhistory.org

Might be able to arrange a show or donate or ????

 

[Nancy123]

Don't get your hopes up. While your father's collection of prints evidently has considerable historic value, economic value of the archive is likely to be marginal at best. Frankly, I personally think a better option would be to find an institution that's willing to take on stewardship of this collection - although you'll have to be prepared to actually work quite hard to find one that's capable and willing of doing so.

Is the box taking up such valuable space? Why not keep it, and perhaps pass it on to a next generation in your family?

I really doubt whatever financial gain you can eek out from this by offering it up for sale will be proportional to the value of the material as such.

Good advice, thank you! I'm now thinking it should to to an organization that will use, appreciate, and archive it all properly.

 

[Nancy123]

Check with your local governments. Their building departments or other record keeping authorities might be interested. I found an old picture of the apartment building I grew up in originally built in the 1930's. It was in NYC's records.

Thank you, Alan. This will be on my list of possibilities. Very cool that you found that picture of the apartment!

 

[Nancy123]

You might try contacting this place:

Home - San Francisco Historical Society

The San Francisco Historical Society exists to uncover, preserve, and present, in engaging ways, the colorful and diverse history of our city from its earliest days to the present. We present history programs, walking tours, publications, mobile history apps, special events and exhibits, and...

www.sfhistory.org

Might be able to arrange a show or donate or ????

This is a great possibility. In fact, I just called them and will be considering them if they can offer solid archiving, use, and appreciation. I would love to see them put on a show. Thanks!

 

[Kino]

This is a great possibility. In fact, I just called them and will be considering them if they can offer solid archiving, use, and appreciation. I would love to see them put on a show. Thanks!

Great to hear! Those are some neat photos and they deserve to be appreciated!

 

[jeffreyg]

If the institution or group you make arrangements to obtain the photos has an exhibition facility an interesting idea would be to photograph some of the sites that have been redeveloped with significant new structures. The originals and new displayed side by side. Enlargements can be made and displayed in the airport or public space. Many cities have Art In Public Places programs.
Years ago Miami Dade County celebrated an anniversary of its program and I was one of the photographers selected to photograph one of the pieces. They were displayed in the airport.

 

[Nancy123]

If the institution or group you make arrangements to obtain the photos has an exhibition facility an interesting idea would be to photograph some of the sites that have been redeveloped with significant new structures. The originals and new displayed side by side. Enlargements can be made and displayed in the airport or public space. Many cities have Art In Public Places programs.
Years ago Miami Dade County celebrated an anniversary of its program and I was one of the photographers selected to photograph one of the pieces. They were displayed in the airport.

They do have exhibits and this is a wonderful idea. I would love to see it happen. I will suggest this to them if they end up with the photos. Thanks!!

 

[BrianShaw]

Consider a donation to a museum that specializes in California history, like California State Museum or Huntington Museum.

California Museum

Learn more about California’s diverse history, arts, culture, and unique influence on the world through interactive online exhibits and engaging virtual programs.

californiamuseum.org

Welcome to The Huntington | The Huntington

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a tourist attraction and collections-based educational and research institution.

www.huntington.org

 

[Brendan Quirk]

How about posting a few in the Gallery? They are very nice!

Although I have no personal interest in San Francisco, I wonder if some sort of fund raising might help a local institution take them on. They are truly good photos; wish I could do the same!

 

[Nancy123]

Consider a donation to a museum that specializes in California history, like California State Museum or Huntington Museum.

California Museum

Learn more about California’s diverse history, arts, culture, and unique influence on the world through interactive online exhibits and engaging virtual programs.

californiamuseum.org

Welcome to The Huntington | The Huntington

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a tourist attraction and collections-based educational and research institution.

www.huntington.org

Brian, these are excellent ideas, too. I'm thinking now that I should ask several places if they'd be interested in them and choose the best fit, in my opinion. I see now that there are a lot of good opportunities. Thank you!

 

[Nancy123]

How about posting a few in the Gallery? They are very nice!

Although I have no personal interest in San Francisco, I wonder if some sort of fund raising might help a local institution take them on. They are truly good photos; wish I could do the same!

You know, I think I will post some of these in the gallery. For years I've thought about scanning all the best ones and posting them somewhere, just to share them. If I do decide to take that on, I'd have to figure out the best way and place to share.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Are there San Francisco art or historical museums that would be interested in displaying? Possibility to loan them or sell them to such museums.

 

[Nancy123]

Are there San Francisco art or historical museums that would be interested in displaying? Possibility to loan them or sell them to such museums.

All great ideas. I'm looking into just that and want to find the perfect home for them. I really have no idea what the interest level will be but I'm starting the search, something I really should have done many years ago. Oh well....

 

[grahamp]

The Oakland Museum of California (just across the Bay) is another possibility. If there is location and date information to go with the print/negative catalogue, it would be more attractive as a set.

 

[mshchem]

These are tremendous! You might contact your PBS stations, this is of great interest to your neighbors (and the world).

I noticed the main street photo, so many different things of interest. The automobiles . If you look at the sign, you can see the painted lettering, but also notice the glass tubing of the neon letters. Terrific stuff.

I would love to see more. Thanks for sharing this, your father did wonderful work!!!

 

[mshchem]

Bountiful Harvest: The Farm Photography of Pete Wettach - Iowa Source

This article first appeared in the August 2002 issue of The Iowa Source. An exhibition of Pete Wettach’s photographs opens January 20 at the Herbert Hoover Museum in West Branch, Iowa. In the winter of 1999, while I was working as an editor at the University of Iowa’s Institute for Rural and...

www.iowasource.com

Similar situation, all this fellow's work was sitting for decades, made a book, documentary film and a touring exhibition of photographs.

There's an hour length documentary on Pete Wettach

 

[Nancy123]

The Oakland Museum of California (just across the Bay) is another possibility. If there is location and date information to go with the print/negative catalogue, it would be more attractive as a set.

Very good idea and I will add it to the list of possibilities. Thank you!

 

[Nancy123]

These are tremendous! You might contact your PBS stations, this is of great interest to your neighbors (and the world).

I noticed the main street photo, so many different things of interest. The automobiles . If you look at the sign, you can see the painted lettering, but also notice the glass tubing of the neon letters. Terrific stuff.

I would love to see more. Thanks for sharing this, your father did wonderful work!!!

Thank you for this! I'm now looking at other ideas on what to do with this unique collection. And my father was truly great, believe me

 

[Nancy123]

Bountiful Harvest: The Farm Photography of Pete Wettach - Iowa Source

This article first appeared in the August 2002 issue of The Iowa Source. An exhibition of Pete Wettach’s photographs opens January 20 at the Herbert Hoover Museum in West Branch, Iowa. In the winter of 1999, while I was working as an editor at the University of Iowa’s Institute for Rural and...

www.iowasource.com

Similar situation, all this fellow's work was sitting for decades, made a book, documentary film and a touring exhibition of photographs.

There's an hour length documentary on Pete Wettach

This is fantastic! I just looked at and read the article and will find the documentary. Beautiful photos; and my brother-in-law grew up on a farm in Iowa so he will love it. This is giving me much better ideas on what to do besides give it all away. I actually have a skill set where I could digitize the best 4x5s (I have 1,500 of them!), write a biography, and publish. The only question is, publish where, and making the time for it all.

 

[xkaes]

https://www.sfhistory.org/

 

[mshchem]

This is fantastic! I just looked at and read the article and will find the documentary. Beautiful photos; and my brother-in-law grew up on a farm in Iowa so he will love it. This is giving me much better ideas on what to do besides give it all away. I actually have a skill set where I could digitize the best 4x5s (I have 1,500 of them!), write a biography, and publish. The only question is, publish where, and making the time for it all.

My wife is a retired curator. When the Pete Wettach farm photos were found, some in a file cabinet at the University of Iowa, this was the first anyone had seen the photos for decades, a book followed, my wife curated an exhibition at the University of Museum of Art, experts printed from the original large format negatives, it was a hit. Then the Iowa public television network did a hour length program it's been very well received, still plays occasionally.

The photos you have are priceless, just need to find a interested party. I wouldn’t be surprised if a commercial gallery wouldn't sell archival prints made from the original negatives.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I'd look up local historical societies. The art museums do sometimes buy up entire collection or take donations;
but they mainly acquire from serious private collections selectively at best. Funds and archiving space, and personnel, are quite limited; and many museums these days are seriously underfunded; and any Fed backup is either about to get killed, or already has been. The Oakland museum has the best historical archives, but is already stuffed to the gills in terms of a massive photo collection.

Most people I know are mostly interested in pre-1906 documentation. But SF is otherwise a good city with respect to its own historical interests. It might take some patience, but some kind of party out there will probably be interested. Galleries want catchy things either they can sell, or which in their opinion has social relevance. It would be pretty hard to interest one of them, and display slots can take years in advance to assign. Some kind of local neighborhood association venue in a library or bank might be possible, or perhaps some restaurant or realtor group.