- Collection Overview
- Collection Description & Creator Information
- Access & Use
- Collection History
- Find Related Materials
Subseries 3F: Photographs, circa 1860-1949
Collection Overview
Collection Description & Creator Information
- Scope and Contents
Consist of numerous loose and framed photographs, including approximately 400 cartes-de-visite (some of which are from the studios of Matthew Brady and M.P. Simons) and a couple of daguerreotypes, and several photograph albums belonging to Arnold Guyot, Constance Cameron (A. Guyot Cameron's sister), Henry Clay Cameron, and A. Guyot Cameron. A majority of the photographs depict family members; friends, such as Jane Link and Lucy Russell, as well as those likely unaffiliated with the Cameron and Guyot families, such as prominent American politicians and members of European royal families, are also represented.
Many prints that are not of family or friends are likely copy prints (photographs of photographs) and do not represent the original work of the studio or photographer whose name appears in the photographer's inscription. A notable example is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln's family in Arnold Guyot's album, likely many times removed from the Matthew Brady original. However, the portrait of George Brinton McClellan with Brady's actual inscription is likely the product of his studio.
The information and identifications included in album descriptions represent only a part of the album content, as most of the versos -- often with manuscript notations -- are hidden by the format of the album and many prints have no information.
- Arrangement
Not arranged according to any particular scheme.
Collection History
- Appraisal
No appraisal information for the initial processing of this collection is available.
In 2022, multiple Princeton University-related printed materials that had been separated from the collection were removed from the collection as it was determined that these items were duplicates of those included in university archives collections. A few university-related items that may have been unique were transferred to university archives for evaluation and disposition.
- Processing Information
A significant portion of the collection was treated for mold in 2014 and 2016.
Preservation photocopies were made for a sizeable number of letters and writings that are in very poor condition during processing work that occurred before 2014.
Finding aid updated by Faith Charlton in 2014 with assistance from Luise Zhong '2016.
The portion of the collection that underwent mold remediation was rehoused in 2016. In 2022, three items that had been separated from the collection were (re)integrated: Volume II No. 9 of the publication "The Youth's Dayspring" (September, 1851), Press of T. R. Marvin, Boston, was added to printed materials associated with Henry C. Cameron; and the monthly publication "Series of Tracts" by D. A. Borrenstein (Princeton, NJ), Volume 1, No. 4 (December 1824) and Volume 2, No. 6 (February 1826), were added to printed materials associated with Arnold Guyot. Finding aid updated by Faith Charlton.
Access & Use
- Conditions Governing Access
Most of the collection is open for research use.
Some original letters and writings, for which preservation copies were made, as well as Arnold Guyot's cloth maps, are restricted due to their poor condition.
- Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
Many of the materials in the first two series, "Henry Clay Cameron Papers" and "Mina Chollet Cameron Papers" are in fragile condition and should be handled with care. These series, particularly the latter, also include a significant number of preservation photocopies that are somewhat illegible.
- Credit this material:
Subseries 3F: Photographs; Cameron Family Papers, C0355, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
- Location:
-
Firestone LibraryOne Washington RoadPrinceton, NJ 08544, USA
- Storage Note:
- Firestone Library (mss): Boxes 29, 57, 60, 82
