Arthur M. Ellis Collection of Photographic Negatives

This collection contains photographs, negatives, positives, and lantern slides depicting Southern California, primarily in the late 19th century, that were compiled by Los Angeles lawyer and writer Arthur M. Ellis (1875-1932), often for use in his research and lectures on California history. The images focus mainly on Los Angeles and nearby communities and provide quite a comprehensive picture of the growth and development of the region at the turn of the twentieth century. The collection dates from the years ca. 1850 to the 1920s and consists of 1366 photographic prints (mostly copy prints from 8 x 10 inch glass-plate and film negatives), 1520 4 x 5 inch and smaller glass negatives, glass positives, film negatives and lantern slides, 203 8 x 10 inch glass plate negatives, and 734 8 x10 inch film negatives. There are no prints or other viewing surrogates for the smaller format glass negatives and lantern slides; viewing must be arranged through the Curator of Photographs. These smaller format items are mostly copy negatives (not originals) taken by Ellis of images in other collections, apparently for reference purposes or to document already existing collections. Ellis copied the photographic holdings of, among others, Bancroft, Behrendt, Tyler, Hill, Ingersoll, Forman, Rowan, Foxley, Guinn, Fryer, A.W. Francisco, McPherson, Charles Prudhomme and William Burton.

The collection is particularly strong in images of central Los Angeles from the 1880s to the 1910s and Los Angeles County beach communities in the 1900s and 1910s. Also of note are images of sites and themes of historic or cultural significance, and portraits. In addition to images of central Los Angeles, the collection includes images of Los Angeles County beach communities; Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley; and Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. The historic and cultural sites include photographs of missions and churches; commercial, municipal and residential buildings, including historic adobes; schools and parks; railroads, emigration, and stagecoach routes; Campo de Cahuenga; Busch Gardens in Pasadena; the Modjeska home in Santa Ana; the Lake Vineyard, Sunnyslope, and the Rowland properties in the San Gabriel Valley; and images of Native Americans and Native American culture. Portraits include those of California pioneers, prominent Angelenos and San Diegans, including J. Lancaster Brent, George Horatio Derby, Hillard Dorsey, the Ellis Family, Judge A.J. King and family, Vicente Lugo, Charles Prudhomme, Truman H. Rose, William Rubottom, Abel Stearns, 1st Worshipful Master of the California Masonic Lodge Levi Stowall, and the Workman family.

Some of the 4 x 5 inch and smaller glass negatives and lantern slides depict historic sites of Northern California, including mining camps of the California Gold Rush. There are also miscellaneous images pertaining to themes with no direct relationship to California or the American West. These images depict a number of unrelated themes including Freemasonry (with a few documents and images depicting early Californian Masonic Temples and the Alexandria Temple in Virginia) and general United States history. The United States history images include copies of Abraham Lincoln portraits and the Lincoln home in Kentucky as well as early American figures including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Many of the 8 x 10 inch glass negatives are bythe Graham Photo Company. There are also a number of photographs by William H. Fletcher. Among the 4 x 5 inch and smaller glass negatives are a significant number of images by William H. Godfrey depicting central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. There are also photographs by F.H. Rogers, Parker, W.A. Vale and Carleton Watkins in addition to photographs of a number of Edward Vischer illustrations. Ellis also took photographs of land surveys by George Hansen, Edward Otho Cresap Ord and Frank Lecouvreur.

Many of the copy prints exist in duplicate and all prints are annotated with location information and description on the reverse, when known. Some of the 4 x 5 inch and smaller glass negatives and lantern slides depict the same image two or more times, but as they appeared in the albums or collections of different individuals. Details and enlargements are also present. Description and location information are noted on the envelope of the negatives when known.