Birmingham View Company: Difference between revisions
(New page: '''Birmingham View Company''' was a commercial photography studio based in Birmingham from c. 1905 until 1961. The studio's exact beginnings are unknown, however, by 1905 ...) |
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The studio's exact beginnings are unknown, however, by [[1905]] brothers [[Edgar J. Hilty|Edgar J.]] and [[George R. Hilty]], also employed in management positions at [[Republic Iron and Steel Corporation]] and [[First National Bank]], worked with the company. In [[1906]], [[J. Frank Knox]] took over the company, located at 416 [[21st Street North]]. Knox, who in [[1910]] opened [[Knox Portrait Studio]], sold Birmingham View in [[1923]] to [[George M. D. Davis]]. | The studio's exact beginnings are unknown, however, by [[1905]] brothers [[Edgar J. Hilty|Edgar J.]] and [[George R. Hilty]], also employed in management positions at [[Republic Iron and Steel Corporation]] and [[First National Bank]], worked with the company. In [[1906]], [[J. Frank Knox]] took over the company, located at 416 [[21st Street North]]. Knox, who in [[1910]] opened [[Knox Portrait Studio]], sold Birmingham View in [[1923]] to [[George M. D. Davis]]. | ||
Davis' studio prospered in the late 1920s. | Davis' studio, which moved to 403½ [[20th Street North]] prospered in the late 1920s. Advertisements of the era proclaimed the company motto: "We Photograph Anything, Any Where, Any Time... Views, Groups, Banquets and Commercial Photography." Among the photographers from [[1927]] until [[1937]] were German-born [[Richard Herschell]], [[TCI]] staff photographer [[Ernest Pryor]], ''[[Birmingham News]]'' photographer [[Walter Rosser]], [[Jimmy Wilson]], [[Mercer Wilson]], and [[Fred Arthur Powell]]. | ||
Powell acquired the studio in [[1929]], and operated it until it closed in [[1961]]. After Powell's death in [[1975]], [[Gary Dobbs]] acquired the studio negatives dating from the 1920s from Powell's widow. Dobbs and his wife [[Jackie Dobbs|Jackie]] donated over 14,000 negatives from the Birmingham View Company to the [[Birmingham Public Library]]. In [[1996]], several of these photographs were published in the [[Birmingham Historical Society]]'s ''[[Birmingham View: Through the Years in Photographs]]''. | Powell acquired the studio in [[1929]], and operated it until it closed in [[1961]]. After Powell's death in [[1975]], [[Gary Dobbs]] acquired the studio negatives dating from the 1920s from Powell's widow. Dobbs and his wife [[Jackie Dobbs|Jackie]] donated over 14,000 negatives from the Birmingham View Company to the [[Birmingham Public Library]]. In [[1996]], several of these photographs were published in the [[Birmingham Historical Society]]'s ''[[Birmingham View: Through the Years in Photographs]]''. | ||
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[[Category:Photography studios]] | [[Category:Photography studios]] | ||
[[Category:21st Street North]] | [[Category:21st Street North]] | ||
[[Category:20th Street North]] | |||
[[Category:1905 establishments]] | [[Category:1905 establishments]] | ||
[[Category:1961 disestablishments]] | [[Category:1961 disestablishments]] | ||
Revision as of 21:59, 12 August 2014
Birmingham View Company was a commercial photography studio based in Birmingham from c. 1905 until 1961.
The studio's exact beginnings are unknown, however, by 1905 brothers Edgar J. and George R. Hilty, also employed in management positions at Republic Iron and Steel Corporation and First National Bank, worked with the company. In 1906, J. Frank Knox took over the company, located at 416 21st Street North. Knox, who in 1910 opened Knox Portrait Studio, sold Birmingham View in 1923 to George M. D. Davis.
Davis' studio, which moved to 403½ 20th Street North prospered in the late 1920s. Advertisements of the era proclaimed the company motto: "We Photograph Anything, Any Where, Any Time... Views, Groups, Banquets and Commercial Photography." Among the photographers from 1927 until 1937 were German-born Richard Herschell, TCI staff photographer Ernest Pryor, Birmingham News photographer Walter Rosser, Jimmy Wilson, Mercer Wilson, and Fred Arthur Powell.
Powell acquired the studio in 1929, and operated it until it closed in 1961. After Powell's death in 1975, Gary Dobbs acquired the studio negatives dating from the 1920s from Powell's widow. Dobbs and his wife Jackie donated over 14,000 negatives from the Birmingham View Company to the Birmingham Public Library. In 1996, several of these photographs were published in the Birmingham Historical Society's Birmingham View: Through the Years in Photographs.
References
Lewis, Pierce and Marjorie Longenecker White (1996) Birmingham View: Through the Years in Photographs. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society. ISBN 0943994217