Collection View
Each photograph is signed by the photographer and includes a brief, handwritten description on the front, written by Monsen. Most also include handwritten copyright symbols.
The photographs have been kept in the order in which they were received. It is unclear whether this was Monsen's original order, or if they were arranged later.
Silver gelatin prints of varying size. Titles and other descriptive information provided by dealer.
Photographs are arranged by accession.
- Scope and Contents
This is an open collection of photographs by Norwegian-born photographer, essayist, and lecturer Frederick I. Monsen (1865-1929). Born in Bergen, Norway, Monsen emigrated to Utah Territory with his parents in 1868. Monsen learned photography as a teenager, when he and his father worked as a photographic team for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. He began photographing Indians while working for the U.S. Geological Survey in the late 1880s; and took a specific interest in the Native American communities of the Southwest, which he continued to document from the mid-1880s until his death in Pasadena in 1929.
The photographs in this collection primarily depict Hopi and Navajo people, structures, and landscapes in New Mexico and Arizona. Represented to a lesser extent are Paiute, Apache, Pueblo, and Mojave Indians. There are several views of Indian children, shown with and without clothes, in their daily activities. It consists of a portfolio, entitled "The Frederick Monsen Ethnogoraphic Indian Photographs," dating from circa 1890 to 1910, with twenty-five sepia-toned silver prints (approximately 16″ x 20″ in size) as well as 4 loose silver prints of varying size, dating circa 1905 to 1910.
- Arrangement
Photographs are arranged by accession.
- Acquisition:
The collection adheres to a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.
Purchases include: AM 2014-104 and AM 2015-6.
- Appraisal
No materials were separated during 2017 processing.
- Processing Information
This collection was processed by Faith Charlton in March 2017. Finding aid written by Faith Charlton in March 2017.
- Conditions Governing Access
Open for research.
- 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.
- Credit this material:
Princeton University Library Collection of Frederick Monsen Photographs; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
- Permanent URL:
- http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/t435gg747
- Location:
-
Firestone LibraryOne Washington RoadPrinceton, NJ 08544, USA
- Storage Note:
- Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes P-000079 to P-000080
- Subject Terms:
- Cliff-dwellings -- Arizona. -- photographs
Hopi Indians
Indian children--North America--History. -- 19th century -- photographs
Indigenous peoples of North America--Arizona--1890-1910. -- Sources
Indigenous peoples of North America--New Mexico--1890-1910. -- Sources
Indigenous peoples of North America--Southwest, New--1890-1910. -- Sources
Mohave Indians.
Navajo Indians.
Paiute Indians.
Pueblo Indians. - Genre Terms:
- photographs -- 19th century
photographs -- 20th century - Names:
- Monsen, Frederick (1865-1929)
