Edward and William Partridge photographs , circa 1870s-1900s

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Partridge, E. J. (Edward J.), 1856-1891
Title
Edward and William Partridge photographs
Dates
circa 1870s-1900s (inclusive)
Quantity
3.16 linear feet, (4 containers)  :  2 glass plate negative flip top boxes, 1 flat photo box (11"x9"), 1 (21"x17") folder housed with multiple collections
Collection Number
PH 245
Summary
Edward J. Partridge (1856-1891) and his brother, William H. Partridge (1860-1939), were important photographers active in Oregon, Alaska, and San Francisco. The Edward and William Partridge photographs collection consists of fifty-two original images taken by photographers employed by the Partridge Studio sometime between 1870 and 1900.
Repository
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room.

Additional Reference Guides

See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Edward J. Partridge (1856-1891) and his brother, William H. Partridge (1860-1939), were important photographers active in Oregon, Alaska, and San Francisco.

Edward J. Partridge was one of three brothers who followed their father into the photography business. The father, Asa C. Partridge, was a daguerreotyper who owned a photo supply house in West Virginia, and later migrated to Boston.

Born in West Virginia in 1856, young Edward graduated from engineering school at M.I.T. in 1876. By the early 1880s he and brother William were working with their father in Boston at A. C. Partridge and Sons.

By 1884, Edward and William had moved to Portland, where they established their own studio.

Both Edward and William traveled to Alaska and brought back photos -- William in 1886 and Edward in 1887. When William moved back to Boston in 1887, Edward took over the Portland studio, though he then sold it near the end of 1888 to move to San Francisco, where he worked with the third brother, Sam, learning Sam's photo supply business.

Edward later returned to Portland to open "the only house north of San Francisco dealing exclusively in photographic supplies".Being in the supply business, the Partridges were on the leading edge of photographic technology.

Edward contracted Brights disease and returned to San Francisco for treatment in 1890. He died in June of 1891.

Source: "Edward J. Partridge," Old Oregon: The Art of Historic Photos. https://www.oldoregonphotos.com/photographers/ejpartridge.html# (accessed 2021 August 10)

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Commercial photography
  • Indians of North America--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Alaska--Photographs
  • Oregon--Photographs