Photo Craftsmen Photograph Collection, 1946-1999 | Sargeant Memorial Collection

By Will Hopkins

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Collection Overview

Title: Photo Craftsmen Photograph Collection, 1946-1999

Predominant Dates:1946-1972

ID: 007/MSS 2016-033

Primary Creator: Photo Craftsmen Company, Inc. (1946-2004)

Extent: 52.0 Boxes

Arrangement: The bulk of the negatives are arranged in serial/chronological order. Some negatives that document special construction or commercial projects are arranged in project/chronological order. Larger format negatives (including the aerial photography missions) are arranged in mission/chronological order. The original film envelopes and ledgers are arranged in chronological order. The maps and aerial camera equipment are marked and stored separately.

Date Acquired: 03/25/2016

Subjects: Buildings, Express highways, Hampton Roads (Va. : Region), Norfolk (Va.), Norfolk (Va.)--Social life and customs--20th century, Norfolk County (Va.), Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Portrait photography, Princess Anne County (Va.), Roads--Virginia--Maps, Urban renewal

Forms of Material: Aerial photographs, Ledgers (account books), Negatives (photographs), Photographs

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Photo Craftsmen was a Norfolk commercial photography company that opened in 1946 at 512 West Olney Road. Jim Barry was the proprietor. The company moved to 1043 West 45th Street by 1958, and relocated to 251 West Bute Street by 1961. The company again relocated, to 420 West Bute Street by 1966, and then to its final location at 415 West York Street by 1978. When Barry died in 1976 the company was purchased by employee Len Rothman. Rothman changed the company name to Len Rothman Photography in the late 1990s. The company closed in the early 2000s.

The company donated its remaining photo negatives and associated materials to the Sargeant Memorial Collection in 2016. The collection includes approximately 15,000 photographic negatives (black & white and color, in various formats) and rolled aerial photographic negatives; original, annotated negative sleeves; company ledgers with information on date, subject and client for each negative; aerial photography maps; and aerial camera equipment.

The collection offers a rich photographic record of the Tidewater area. The negatives and prints cover a wide range of subjects, including historic buildings and residential developments, major construction and infrastructure projects, industrial sites, street and harbor scenes, and more intimate scenes of weddings and social events. Notably, about half of the collection consists of aerial photographs, which extensively document the development of area cities and county lands after World War Two.

Records included in the donation show that the company did most of its photographic work on contract, either for local government agencies such as the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, corporations and local businesses, or individual customers.

The content of the Photo Craftsmen collection in many ways mirrors the evolution of post-war Tidewater. Most of the company’s photographs from the 1940s and early 1950s focus on scenes around downtown Norfolk and industrial sites along the Elizabeth River. By the mid-1950s, the photographs begin to document the sweeping redevelopment of urban residential areas in local cities, as well as the rise of residential and commercial areas in the former Norfolk and Princess Anne counties. Photographs through the 1960s continue to record this suburbanization, and also detail major transportation projects across the region, such as new highways and tunnels. By the later 1960s, the collection increasingly includes private photographic work, such as weddings, portraiture, and photographs for use in legal actions. Throughout the years, the collection is leavened by images of the everyday life—beach scenes, sailboat races, business openings, sporting events—that help capture a sense of mid-century Tidewater.

Most of the collection’s negatives are large format (4"x5" or larger), so provide detailed, high-quality images of their subjects. Most are in black and white, although Photo Craftsmen began to make significant use of color film by the late 1960s.

Biographical Note

Photo Craftsmen Company, Inc. was a Norfolk commercial photography company that opened in 1946 at 512 West Olney Road. Jim Barry was the proprietor. The company moved to 1043 West 45th Street by 1958, and relocated to 251 West Bute Street by 1961. The company again relocated, to 420 West Bute Street by 1966, and then to its final location at 415 West York Street by 1978. When Barry died in 1976 the company was purchased by employee Len Rothman. Rothman changed the company name to Len Rothman Photography in the late 1990s. The company closed in the early 2000s.

Subject/Index Terms

Buildings
Express highways
Hampton Roads (Va. : Region)
Norfolk (Va.)
Norfolk (Va.)--Social life and customs--20th century
Norfolk County (Va.)
Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Portrait photography
Princess Anne County (Va.)
Roads--Virginia--Maps
Urban renewal

Administrative Information

Repository: Sargeant Memorial Collection

Access Restrictions: This collection is open to all researchers.

Use Restrictions: The status of copyright for these materials is governed by Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. C.). Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Source: Leonard Rothman by donation

Preferred Citation: Photo Craftsmen Photograph Collection, MSS 2016-033, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

Processing Information: Processed September 6, 2018.

Other Note:

Sargeant Memorial Collection Digital Collection: Photo Craftsmen Photograph Collection, 1946-1999 — MSS 2016-033

https://cdm15987.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/phcrcoll/search

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Negatives 129 to 999, 1946 September 15 - 1947 July 27],
[Box 2: Negatives 2-100 to 3-723, 1947 July 27 - 1948 June 28],
[Box 3: Negatives 3-724 to 5-917, 1948 June 28 - 1949 June 28],
[Box 4: Negatives 6-061 to 8-374, 1949 June 28 - 1950 June 26],
[Box 5: Negatives 8-408 to 10-550, 1950 June 25 - 1951 March 10],
[Box 6: Negatives 10-551 to 12-365, 1951 March 10 - 1951 October 5],
[Box 7: Negatives 12-366 to 13-543, 1951 October 5 to 1952 February 15],
[Box 8: Negatives 13-544 to 14-910, 1952 February 15 - 1952 July 29],
[Box 9: Negatives 14-911 to 16-719, 1952 July 29 - 1953 March 28],
[Box 10: Negatives 16-720 to 18-512B, 1953 March 28 - 1953 October 9],
[Box 11: Negatives 18-575 to 19-857, 1953 October 16 - 1954 February 18],
[Box 12: Negatives 19-858 to 22-137, 1954 February 18 - 1954 September 14],
[Box 13: Negatives 22-137 to 24-875, 1954 September 14 - 1955 May 26],
[Box 14: Negatives 24-899 to 27-415, 1955 May 26 - 1956 January 23],
[Box 15: Negatives 27-416 to 29-423, 1956 January 23 - 1956 July 5],
[Box 16: Negatives 29-449 to 32-325, 1956 July 12 - 1957 April 11],
[Box 17: Negatives 32-666 to 37-383, 1957 April 11 - 1958 March 18],
[Box 18: Negatives 37-385 to 40-673, 1958 March 18 - 1959 February 25],
[Box 19: Negatives 40-674 to 44-598, 1959 February 25 - 1960 August 10],
[Box 20: Negatives 44-599 to 48-010, 1960 August 10 - 1961 October 27],
[Box 21: Negatives 48-011 to 51-883, 1961 October 27 - 1963 July 3],
[Box 22: Negatives 51-912 to 53-879, 1963 July 3 - 1964 July 16],
[Box 23: Negatives 53-889 to 55-181, 1964 July 16 - 1965 May 1],
[Box 24: Negatives 55-181A to 56-057, 1965 May 1 - 1966 June 1],
[Box 25: Negatives 56-058 to 56-856, 1966 May 9 - 1967 November 11],
[Box 26: Negatives 56-865 to 57-282, 1967 November 11 - undated],
[Box 27: Negatives 57-283 to 57-504, 1968 July 20 - 1968 December 10],
[Box 28: Negatives 57-505 to 58-807, 1968 December 10 - 1970 August 8],
[Box 29: Negatives 58-808 to 59-279, 1970 August 15 - 1971 June 15],
[Box 30: Negatives 59-280 to 59-564, 1971 June 15 - 1971 October 20],
[Box 31: Negatives 59-565 to 61-516, 1971 October 20 - 1973 October 10],
[Box 32: Negatives 61-532 to unnumbered; 1 to 49 (Mid-size aerials), 1973 October 10 - 1973 November 5; 1948 January 15 - 1949 April 9],
[Box 33: Project series negatives, 1955 May 16 to 1976 September 22],
[Box 34: Original negative sleeves 129 to 22-533, undated],
[Box 35: Original negative sleeves 22-534 to 53-630, undated],
[Box 36: Original negative sleeves 53-631 to 64-154, undated],
[Box 37: Large format negatives; various negatives and prints],
[Box 38: Various negatives and prints],
[Box 39: Various negatives and prints],
[Box 40: Aerial prints from main negative sub-collection, 55-703 to 64-795, 1965 October 30 - 1978 May 11],
[Box 41: Larger-area aerial missions (prints)],
[Box 42: BCM aerial mission, extra prints],
[Box 43: BCM aerial mission, extra prints],
[Box 44: Large-area aerial mission BCF, northern Virginia Beach (negatives), 1956 May],
[Box 45: Miscellaneous photos and materials],
[Box 46: Prints and Negatives],
[Box 47: Ledger 1, 1946-1950],
[Box 48: Ledgers 2 and 3, 1951-1959],
[Box 49: Ledger 4, 1959-1965],
[Box 50: Ledger 5, 1965-2003],
[Box 51: Ledger 6, 1946-1965],
[Box 52: Artifact, Fairchild K-17 Aerial Photographic Camera, circa 1940s],
[All]

Box 1: Negatives 129 to 999, 1946 September 15 - 1947 July 27

Box 2: Negatives 2-100 to 3-723, 1947 July 27 - 1948 June 28

Box 3: Negatives 3-724 to 5-917, 1948 June 28 - 1949 June 28

Box 4: Negatives 6-061 to 8-374, 1949 June 28 - 1950 June 26

Box 5: Negatives 8-408 to 10-550, 1950 June 25 - 1951 March 10

Box 6: Negatives 10-551 to 12-365, 1951 March 10 - 1951 October 5

Box 7: Negatives 12-366 to 13-543, 1951 October 5 to 1952 February 15

Box 8: Negatives 13-544 to 14-910, 1952 February 15 - 1952 July 29

Box 9: Negatives 14-911 to 16-719, 1952 July 29 - 1953 March 28

Box 10: Negatives 16-720 to 18-512B, 1953 March 28 - 1953 October 9

Box 11: Negatives 18-575 to 19-857, 1953 October 16 - 1954 February 18

Box 12: Negatives 19-858 to 22-137, 1954 February 18 - 1954 September 14

Box 13: Negatives 22-137 to 24-875, 1954 September 14 - 1955 May 26

Box 14: Negatives 24-899 to 27-415, 1955 May 26 - 1956 January 23

Box 15: Negatives 27-416 to 29-423, 1956 January 23 - 1956 July 5

Box 16: Negatives 29-449 to 32-325, 1956 July 12 - 1957 April 11

Box 17: Negatives 32-666 to 37-383, 1957 April 11 - 1958 March 18

Box 18: Negatives 37-385 to 40-673, 1958 March 18 - 1959 February 25

Box 19: Negatives 40-674 to 44-598, 1959 February 25 - 1960 August 10

Box 20: Negatives 44-599 to 48-010, 1960 August 10 - 1961 October 27

Box 21: Negatives 48-011 to 51-883, 1961 October 27 - 1963 July 3

Box 22: Negatives 51-912 to 53-879, 1963 July 3 - 1964 July 16

Box 23: Negatives 53-889 to 55-181, 1964 July 16 - 1965 May 1

Box 24: Negatives 55-181A to 56-057, 1965 May 1 - 1966 June 1

Box 25: Negatives 56-058 to 56-856, 1966 May 9 - 1967 November 11

Box 26: Negatives 56-865 to 57-282, 1967 November 11 - undated

Box 27: Negatives 57-283 to 57-504, 1968 July 20 - 1968 December 10

Box 28: Negatives 57-505 to 58-807, 1968 December 10 - 1970 August 8

Box 29: Negatives 58-808 to 59-279, 1970 August 15 - 1971 June 15

Box 30: Negatives 59-280 to 59-564, 1971 June 15 - 1971 October 20

Box 31: Negatives 59-565 to 61-516, 1971 October 20 - 1973 October 10

Box 32: Negatives 61-532 to unnumbered; 1 to 49 (Mid-size aerials), 1973 October 10 - 1973 November 5; 1948 January 15 - 1949 April 9

The mid-size aerials (negatives 1-49) are series of low-level aerial photos over select areas (as opposed to "point" shot aerials found in the main negative collection (Boxes 1-32).

Box 33: Project series negatives, 1955 May 16 to 1976 September 22

Includes series of negatives of the Ford Plant, Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, Norfolk & Western coal piers, and Plasser rail equipment.

Box 34: Original negative sleeves 129 to 22-533, undated

Box 35: Original negative sleeves 22-534 to 53-630, undated

Box 36: Original negative sleeves 53-631 to 64-154, undated

Box 37: Large format negatives; various negatives and prints

Folder 1: Large format negatives 5-213 to 31-193, undated to 1956 December 20
Folder 2: Large format negatives 7-657 to 41-465, 1950 March 11 - 1959 May 28
Folder 3: Various negatives 1-11 to 65-398, undated to 1979 November 27

Box 38: Various negatives and prints

Folder 1: Negatives 65-365 to 65-602, 1979 December 3 - 1980 June 27: Mostly aerials in 2.25" format.
Folder 2: Negatives 65-604 to 65-726, 1980 July 7 - 1980 November 13: Mostly aerials in 2.25" format
Folder 3: Negatives 65-731 to 66-470, 1980 November 20 - 1983 November 8: Mostly aerials in 2.25" format.
Folder 4: Negatives 65-895 to 67-215, 1983 November 6 - 1987 July 8: Mostly aerials in 2.25" format.

Box 39: Various negatives and prints

Folder 1: Negatives 67-495 to 67-935, 1989 June 25
Folder 2: Negatives 68-197 to unnumbered, 1946 September 17 to 1999 December 14
Folder 3: Unnumbered negatives, 1947 February 10 to 1983 November 8

Box 40: Aerial prints from main negative sub-collection, 55-703 to 64-795, 1965 October 30 - 1978 May 11

Box 41: Larger-area aerial missions (prints)

Folder 1: BCM mission (Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach), circa 1955: Organized by 15 flight lines.
Folder 2: Multi-mission aerials, Newport News, circa 1955: Organized by three flight lines.
Folder 3: Multi-mission aerials, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, circa 1955: Organized by six flight lines.
Folder 4: Multi-mission aerials, Oceanfront, circa 1955: Single flight line.
Folder 5: Multi-mission aerials, Lynnhaven/eastern Virginia Beach, circa 1955: Single flight line.

Box 42: BCM aerial mission, extra prints

Box 43: BCM aerial mission, extra prints

Box 44: Large-area aerial mission BCF, northern Virginia Beach (negatives), 1956 May

Organized by nine flight lines. Flown for the Norfolk City Planning Commission, for annexation planning.

Box 45: Miscellaneous photos and materials

Folder 1: Miscellaneous photos and materials, circa 1910-1950

Item 1: Photo of group at table., circa 1950: With card from the Windsor House on Hampton Boulevard. Includes inscriptions.
Item 2: Booklet "The Great August Storm", 1933 August 23: Includes note. The hurricane of 1933.
Item 3: Photos of naval ships and ferry in harbor, circa 1910: Includes five small prints.
Item 4: Photos of people at parties and social gatherings, circa 1950: Includes approximately 20 prints.
Item 5: Miscellaneous photos of botanical gardens, other scenes, circa 1950: Includes approximately 20 prints. Some home interiors, possibly the Hermitage.

Folder 2: Miscellaneous prints, downtown Norfolk, circa 1870-1970

Approximately 25 prints. Many are labled with parent negative number on back.

Folder 3: Miscellaneous contact prints of local places, people at social events and work sites, circa 1950-1965

Includes approximately 20 prints.

Folder 4: Miscellaneous aerial prints of Norfolk and Virginia Beach, circa 1946-1970

Approximately 50 prints. Most have parent negative number on back.

Folder 5: Miscellaneous prints, circa 1950-1960

Item 1: Azalea Gardens, undated: Five prints.
Item 2: People at social events, circa 1950-1960: Includes crowning king and queen. Approximately 15 prints. Many have parent negative number on back.
Item 3: People at work, circa 1950: Seven prints.
Item 4: Photo prints of historical events posters, undated: Approximately 10 prints.

Folder 6: Miscellaneous news articles, 1953-1970

Item 1: Moon landing, New York TImes and Virginian-Pilot, 1969
Item 2: Magazine article, Earth Day, 1970
Item 3: Photo Craftsmen photo map of Norfolk County, Ledger-Dispatch, 1953
Item 4: Virginian-Pilot Centennial, 1965

Folder 7: Miscellaneous historical vignettes, undated

Approximately 20 prints.

Item 1: Photo and card from the Windsor House, Norfolk, 1946: Small group at table. Card is inscribed.
Item 2: Booklet, The Great August Storm (the 1933 hurricane), circa 1933: Includes personal note.
Item 3: Photos of naval ships, circa 1900: Includes five prints.
Item 4: Prints of people at social events, circa 1950: Approximately 12 prints.
Item 5: Prints of buildings and outdoor scenes, circa 1950: Approximately 20 prints.

Box 46: Prints and Negatives

Stored in Box 4 of the NRHA photo collection (RG 06-2017-005).

Item 1: Aerial prints, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, circa 1946-1970: Stored in Box 4 of the NRHA photo collection (RG 06-2017-005). Includes downtown Norfolk, waterfront, suburbs and Virginia Beach sites. Approximately 25 prints. Many have parent negative numbers on back.
Item 2: Prints of Norfolk waterfront and Southern Branch, circa 1960: Stored in Box 4 of the NRHA photo collection (RG 06-2017-005). Includes scenes along Norfolk, waterfront, and industry and shipping along the Southern Branch. Approximately 25 prints. Many have parent negative numbers on back.
Item 3: Prints of miscellaneous buildings in Norfolk, circa 1950-1970: Stored in Box 4 of the NRHA photo collection (RG 06-2017-005). Approximately 25 prints. Many have parent negative numbers on back.
Item 4: Color aerial prints and negatives, downtown Norfolk, circa 1980-1990: Stored in Box 4 of the NRHA photo collection (RG 06-2017-005). Approximately 20 prints and 16 negatives. Many have parent negative numbers on back.

Box 47: Ledger 1, 1946-1950

Item 1: Ledger 1, Negative File Log, 1946 - 1950 December 29

Negatives 125 to 9-899.