Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries
John Henry Steen photographs
Steen, John Henry
PH1437
4 boxes
132 photographs ; various sizes; 4 boxes, 2 folders
approximately 1920-1959
Photographs of Mt. Rainier and other mountains in the Pacific Northwest (mainly Washington state and British Columbia), the Seattle skyline, and wilderness in the Pacific Northwest.
Collection materials are in English.
John Henry Steen was born in 1877 and died in Seattle in 1969. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1903 and settled in Seattle after being stationed at Bremerton's Naval base. He is said to be one of the first people to photograph the Puget Sound Navy Yard. He worked with Asahel Curtis and briefly had a studio in Everett (prior to 1913). He became a professional photographer for the U.S. Navy during WWI. For his photographs of the Puget Sound and U.S. Navy, contact the Puget Sound Navy Museum.
The majority of photographs capture Mt. Rainier, mainly from Lake Washington where the current Mt. Baker Tunnel stands overlooking I-90 floating bridge or Mt. Rainier National Park. There are photographs of other mountains in Washington such as Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, Mt. Adams, and Mount St. Helens, as well as various wilderness views (i.e. waterfalls, hiking trails, etc.). Photographs of the Seattle skyline, looking southeast toward Mt. Rainier, UW campus, and views on a lake are also included.
John Henry Steen produced hand-colored and hand-painted copies of many black and white photographs for artistic purposes, attempting to provide varying representations of his images. These versions are in this collection. Much of the collection consists of variations in printing of the mountain photographs. He would print using different papers and different variations of hand-coloring. Sometimes he painted in trees or ships.
View the digital version of the collection
Steen hand-colored and hand-painted many of the Mt. Rainier photographs.
One of the photographs is an orotone. Orotones were, in most instances, produced by projecting a negative onto a dry gelatin plate of sensitized glass. The result was a positive image. A gold-colored varnish was then either directly painted onto the dried emulsion side of the glass plate, or the metallic coating was brushed onto to a piece of cardstock or metal and subsequently affixed to the back. In some instances, the wet collodion direct positive process was utilized.
Access restricted. Entire collection available on digital site. For terms of access, contact Special Collections.
Steen hand-colored and hand-painted many of the Mt. Rainier photographs.
One of the photographs is an orotone. Orotones were, in most instances, produced by projecting a negative onto a dry gelatin plate of sensitized glass. The result was a positive image. A gold-colored varnish was then either directly painted onto the dried emulsion side of the glass plate, or the metallic coating was brushed onto to a piece of cardstock or metal and subsequently affixed to the back. In some instances, the wet collodion direct positive process was utilized.
Request at UW
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
The collection was originally donated to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington due to Steen's association with the U.S. Navy in Bremerton. The photographs that the Naval Shipyard did not want were donated to Mt. Rainier National Park due to Steen's obsession with photographing Mt. Rainier. The photographs that Mt. Rainier National Park did not want were then donated to the UW Special Collections.
Brooke Childrey, Mount Rainier National Park, September 2, 2016. The collection was given to the National Park by the Bremerton Naval Shipyard archives. It was originally donated to the shipyard by Joanne Lee, September 2, 2016.
Processed by Michelle A. Shannon, July 2018
15 glass negatives, 1 orotone photograph
Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
Photographs
Mt. Rainier
There are 12 versions of item 1 because Steen was experimenting with different representations of the same image.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
1
1a-1b
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
1
1c-1d
Enlarged version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
1
1e-1g
Hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
1
1h-1j
Enlarged hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
1
1k
Hand-colored version with trees, birds, and ships drawn in.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
1
1L
Enlarged hand-painted version with trees and ships drawn in.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
3
1m
Orotone in pie crust frame.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
1
1n
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
1
1p
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
2
2a-2b
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
2
3a-3b
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
2
3c
Enlarged version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
2
3d
Hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
2
3e
Enlarged hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
2
3f
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
3
4
Hand-painted.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
3
5
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
3
6
Hand-painted.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
Tuesday, June 9, 1925
PH1437 Box 1
3
7
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
3
8
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
November 21, 1925
PH1437 Box 1
3
9
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
3
10
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
4
11a
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
4
11b-11e
Enlarged and hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
2
12a
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
XC3
12b
Hand-painted version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
3
13
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
4
14a-14b
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
4
15a-15b
Item 15b is an enlargement.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
4
15c
Hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 1
4
16
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
PH1437 Box 2
3
17
Hand-painted.
Mt. Rainier from Lake Washington
1925?
4
18
Hand-colored in frame.
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
5
19a -19f
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 2
3
19g
Enlarged hand-colored version.
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
5
20
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
5
21a-21b
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 2
4
21c
Enlarged version.
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
22a-22b
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
23
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
24
Hand-colored.
West-face of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
25
Probably Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
26
Probably Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 2
4
27a-27b
Mountain
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 2
5
28
Panorama of mountain
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 2
5
29a-29c
Hand-painted.
Mt. Rainier, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
30
Possibly Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
31-32
Item 31 is scanned from a negative.
Person sledding on toboggan in Longmire, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 1
6
33
Narada Falls, Mt. Rainier National Park
between 1920 and 1930?
PH1437 Box 2
6
34
Written on verso: Eagle Peak.
Mt. Rainier from Halverson house, Green Lake
April 1, 1927
PH1437 Box 1
6
35
Written on verso: Sun markings morning shot in Mr. Halversons yard.
Mt. Rainier from house
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 2
6
36
Mountains in Washington other than Mt. Rainier
Big Four Mountain, Snohomish County, Washington
July 17, 1955
PH1437 Box 1
7
37
Scanned from negative.
Silvertip Mountain, Washington
July 17, 1955
PH1437 Box 1
11
37a
Scanned from negative.
Mt. Baker from Baker Lake
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
7
38-42
Mt. Shuksan probably from Picture Lake
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
7
43
Mt. Adams
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
7
44a
Mt. Adams
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
7
44b
Hand-colored version.
Whitehorse Mountain
1923
PH1437 Box 1
7
45
Mountain range
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 2
6
46
Hand-painted.
Road through mountains
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 2
7
47
Seattle and Washington scenes
Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier from Queen Anne Hill
1923
PH1437 Box 1
8
48a-48c
Shows large Frederick & Nelson sign, Times Square building, Smith Tower.
Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier from Queen Anne Hill
1923
XH8
48d
Panorama.
Shows large Frederick & Nelson sign, Times Square building, Smith Tower.
Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier from Queen Anne Hill
1923
PH1437 Box 1
8
48e-48f
Hand-colored version.
Shows large Frederick & Nelson sign, Times Square building, Smith Tower.
Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier from Queen Anne Hill
April 20, 1952
PH1437 Box 1
8
49
Red Square, University of Washington
July 16, 1953
PH1437 Box 1
9
50
Scanned from negative. Written on sleeve: A.M.
Red Square, University of Washington
July 16, 1953
PH1437 Box 1
9
51
Scanned from negative. Written on sleeve: P.M.
Red Square, University of Washington
1950s
PH1437 Box 1
9
52-54
Transparency.
Drumheller Fountain, University of Washington
1950s?
PH1437 Box 1
9
55
Transparency.
Canadian geese at Green Lake, Washington
November, 1959
PH1437 Box 1
9
56
Written on verso: Canadian Honkers Green Lake-looking south.
Naval ship in bay, possibly Seattle
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
10
57
Seaplane on lake, possibly Seattle
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
10
58-60
Scanned from negative.
People swimming and jumping off dock in lake, possibly Seattle
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
10
61-65
Scanned from negatives.
People standing near lake, possibly Seattle
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
10
66
Scanned from negative.
Possibly Franklin Falls in Snoqualmie, Washington
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
10
67
Written on verso: [Franklin Falls?] Mt. Baker. Narada Falls? [Not Narada Falls].
Sailboat in Olympia Harbor
July 21, 1930
PH1437 Box 1
10
68
Daffodil field and Mt. Rainier, Puyallup
April 10, 1954
PH1437 Box 1
10
69
Daffodil field formerly known as the Van Lierop Bulb Farm.
Building and cars near boat launch
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
10
70
Scanned from negative.
Marjory carrying people and car across water, probably Lake CrescentFerry Marjory carrying people and car across water, probably Lake Crescent
between 1910 and 1920?
PH1437 Box 1
10
71-72
Scanned from negative.
Number not used
PH1437 Box 1
10
73
Landscapes
Person looking through telescope in wilderness
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
11
74
Car driving through mountain range
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
11
75
Burnt trees and mountains
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
11
76
Snowy trail
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
11
77a-77b
Snowy trail
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
11
77c
Hand colored. Version of 77a-b. Written on photo: The First Snow.
Man in flower field throwing something
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
11
78
Scanned from negative.
Wooden bridge in forest
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 2
7
79
Ocean shore
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
12
80-81
Lake possibly in Canada
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
12
82
River dam
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
12
83
Scanned from negative.
Four dogs
between 1920 and 1950?
PH1437 Box 1
12
84