324

Extensive stereoview collection of T.R. Clapham from travels in Utah, California and elsewhere.

Various places, collected 1862-1870 and undated
239 stereoviews, numbered in manuscript from 1 to 275 with 36 numbers not present, most on photographer's mounts, many dated and initialed  "TRC" or signed, some with manuscript notes or captions; generally minor wear. In original wooden case, 12½ x 7¾ x 6 inches, minor wear, with notes on inner lid.

This collection was compiled by English tourist Thomas Richard Clapham (1839-1909) of Austwick Hall in North Yorkshire, near Lancaster. The case describes the contents as "Foreign views, numbered 1 to 266, foreign views of places visited by T.R.C." It is dated 17 July 1869 (though most of the views are earlier). A later note from 1895 counts the views by continent, indicating that a few were later removed for use in his journal or his "Manuscript notes on France."

Cards 1-112 are from 1862 and 1865 travels in Europe (including 7 from Iceland and the Faroe Islands at the end). They are followed by 4 cards from Egypt. 

Clapham's first trip to the United States and Canada was from June to August 1864 (cards 120-185), with cards from New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Quebec, and St. Paul, Minnesota. The St. Paul views by Martin and Upton (177-185) include one of a buffalo sauntering through a downtown street, and another titled "Red-River Half-Breeds (in Camp). 

Clapham's trip to the American West in 1870 is of particular interest. Several of the views are from Utah. Two are Indian portraits by Carter's View Emporium of Salt Lake City, showing "Pah, Utes Chief," and "The Pretty Braves" (189 and 190). 3 are by Savage & Ottinger (195-197), including a portrait of Brigham Young which Clapham annotated: "Bought this photo in Salt Lake City during my visit there from 29th Sept to 1 Oct 1870. Called upon him at his own house, Frid. 30th Sept." The other two are views of Salt Lake City. Weber Canyon is shown on 6 cards (217-223). 

The 1870 trip also includes views of San Francisco and California scenery, most by Houseworth (cards 198-216), plus many of the Yosemite Valley (224-266); and 3 Colorado views by Duhem and Watkins. Two views of Indians and tipis were produced by O.C. Smith, "Snake Chiefs" and "Lick Squaw & Medicine Man" (269-270). 

Newspapers sometimes mention the collector Clapham in the hotel arrivals on the same dates as these photographs are inscribed, such as the 30 September 1870 Deseret News in Salt Lake City, and the 16 October 1870 issue of the San Francisco Daily Morning Call. At the same time as views of Minnesota were annotated, the St. Paul Pioneer & Democrat of 12 August 1864 was reporting on the visit of T.R. Clapham of England and his two hunting dogs to the St. Paul area. An exhibition of other portions of Clapham's photo collection at the Austwick Historical Society in England was announced in the Craven Herald and Pioneer of 29 September 2000.

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