Unrestricted research access on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Copyright restrictions. Consult the Archives Center at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Paul Ellington, executor, is represented by:
Richard J.J. Scarola, Scarola Ellis LLP, 888 Seventh Avenue, 45th Floor, New York, New York 10106. Telephone (212) 757-0007 x 235; Fax (212) 757-0469; email: rjjs@selaw.com; www.selaw.com; www.ourlawfirm.com.
[Duke Ellington with 7 U.S. Marines standing behind an unknown woman seated at a drum set in Baghdad, Iraq during 1963 State Department Tour : black-and-white photoprint]
Unrestricted research access on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Copyright restrictions. Consult the Archives Center at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Paul Ellington, executor, is represented by:
Richard J.J. Scarola, Scarola Ellis LLP, 888 Seventh Avenue, 45th Floor, New York, New York 10106. Telephone (212) 757-0007 x 235; Fax (212) 757-0469; email: rjjs@selaw.com; www.selaw.com; www.ourlawfirm.com.
"The Shrine was repaired on the order of Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar after his first trip to the site in 1873." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "663."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "734."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "78) Kazemain ??." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 37.1: Kazemain. Mosque (late) (# 78)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 37."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.37.01
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "495."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1189."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "128) Entrance to Kazemain." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 41.3: (P) [black-and-white print on hand]. Entrance to Kazemain. (# 128)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 41."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.41.03
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo manipulation reads, "Black paper on the back and black ink on the front. The top and right edges are rugged. Ink marks all over the image over the imperfections of the negative."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "279."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 48.6: City under construction (peeling) (see 50.8)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 48."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.48.06
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 50.8: City in construction (houses without roofs)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 50."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.50.08
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "All four sides are chopped off."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1159."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "393."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 56.8: Manār." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 56."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.56.08
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- On recto of the print, handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "495."
- On recto of the print, scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1189."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "41.3."
- On verso of the print (lower left corner), original stamp, in French and Persian, reads, "Photographie Sevruguin."
Arrangement:
Gelatin silver prints organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (People; Architecture - Pre-Islamic; Royalty - Residences - Gulistan Palace (Tehran; Architecture; Landscapes). This print is in the following subject category: People.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
[18(A6)]
FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.05
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- On recto of the print, handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "663."
- On recto of the print, scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "734."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "37.1."
- On verso of the print (lower left corner), original stamp, in French and Persian, reads, "Photographie Sevruguin."
- On verso of the print, Myron Bement Smith caption in English reads, "Persia; Kasemain(?) Mosque."
Arrangement:
Gelatin silver prints organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (People; Architecture - Pre-Islamic; Royalty - Residences - Gulistan Palace (Tehran); Architecture; Landscapes). This print is in the following subject category: Architecture.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
[19(B9)]
FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.62
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- On recto of the print, scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "---(?)."
- On verso of the print (lower left corner), original stamp, in French and Persian, reads, "Photographie Sevruguin."
- On verso of the print, Myron Bement Smith caption in English reads, "Irak; Ctesiphon (Taq-E-Kisra)."
Arrangement:
Gelatin silver prints organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (People; Architecture - Pre-Islamic; Royalty - Residences - Gulistan Palace (Tehran); Architecture; Landscapes). This print is in the following subject category: Architecture.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
[19(C4)]
FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.65
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Paper remnants stuck to emulsion, uncancelled frame.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
NOTE! IMAGE REVERSE COPIED ON VIDEODISC! Same as RSN 15161, similar to RSN 15162.
Currently stored in box 3.2.58 [91].
Yellowing slightly.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
NOTE! IMAGE REVERSE COPIED ON VIDEODISC! Same as RSN 15165.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
NOTE! IMAGE REVERSE COPIED ON VIDEODISC! Same as RSN 15166.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Antoin Sevruguin operated a successful commercial photography studio in Tehran and was a court photographer to Nasr ed-Din Shah and succeeding Qajar rulers. Sevruguin's daughter and heir donated his glass negatives to the American Presbyterian Mission in Tehran. The Committee for Islamic Culture, which administered the Islamic Archives, purchased 695 negatives from the Presbyterian Mission in 1951. The collection also includes 164 silver gelatin prints, 98 acquired by Myron Bement Smith(MBS) in 1934 and 66 donated by Joseph Upton in 1953. The glass negatives are numbered but without apparent organization. MBS organized his photoprints into subject categories. Upton's photoprints are numbered according to a handwritten caption list. [Located Bay 7] For specific information on items in the collection search Sevruguin on the Smithsonian Collections Search Center web site http://collections.si.edu .
- 66 black-and-white gelatin silver photoprints, unmounted, were a gift from Joseph Upton, received by the committee for Islamic Culture, as reported in their official minutes of October 24, 1953. The 66 photoprints were initially purchased by Joseph Upton in 1928 from Antoin Sevruguin in Tehran.
- 695 glass negatives were included into the "Islamic Archives," which was administered jontly by the committee for Islamic Culture and the committee for Arabic and Islamic Studies of the American Council of Learned Societies. According to the official minutes, the committee for Islamic Culture reported purchasing the 696 glass plates during their fiscal years 1951-1952 from the American Presbyterian Mission in Tehran. Antoin Sevruguin's daughter gave these plates to the mission with instruction that they be sold for the benefit of the mission.
- 98 gelatin silver photoprints were collected by Myron Bement Smith after he viewed a portion of Sevruguin's negatives in 1934 ( these include recent finds in the Myron Bement Smith collection).
In addition of Antoin Sevruguin's 695 glass negatives and 164 silver gelatin prints in the Myron Bement Smith collection the Archives holds: 18 albumen prints in theJay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs (FSA A.15); 34 photographic prints in the Ernst Herzfeld Papers (FSA A.6); as well as a photograph album and individual albumen prints donated by Stephen Arpee (FSA A2011.03). Finally, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives also own 3 separate gelatin silver prints.
Myron Bement Smith Collection: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs
Arrangement:
- 66 gelatin silver prints are arranged in sequential number following Joseph Upton's handwritten list of captions, and ultimately organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (royalty, people, executions, criminals, punishment, architecture).
- 695 glass negatives, numbered, without any apparent organization, are housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
- 98 gelatin silver prints are organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (people, architecture, royalty, landscape).
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin managed and operated one of the most successful commercial photography studios in Tehran in the late 19th century. Born in the 1840s in Iran, Sevruguin's mother returned with her children to her hometown of Tbilisi after his father Vassil, a Russian diplomat in Iran, died in a horse riding accident. Trained as a painter, Sevruguin returned to Iran in the early 1870s accompanied by his two brothers, establishing a photography studio first in Tabriz and then Tehran. His studio's ties to Tbilisi, however, persisted through the years; many of the early portraits of Dervishes and women have been simultaneously attributed to Antoin Sevruguin and Dimitri Yermakov, the Georgian photographer who is often referred to as Sevruguin's mentor from Tbilisi. Many of Antoin Sevruguin's photographs were published as early as 1885 in travelogues, journals and books indicating that by that time he had a fully established practice in Tehran's Ala al-Dawla street, with ties to the court of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar. Often unacknowledged as the producer of published images in his own time - the 1902 photographic survey of Persepolis being the most glaring of such authorial misrepresentations - he was nevertheless celebrated and acknowledged for his artistic vision and his keen eye for composition, achieving the Medal of Lion and Sun from Nasir al-Din Shah, the 1897 Medal of Honour in the Brussels International Exposition, and the 1900 Medal of Honour in Paris International Exposition. Reflecting a career that spans nearly half a century, Sevruguin's diverse body of work includes studio portraits of families, women and dervishes, survey photographs of archeological sites, objects, landscapes and architecture, and photographs of royalty, high officials and ceremonies of the Qajar court. The range of his output not only demonstrates his own pictorial concerns and artistic abilities but also the divergent interests of his clients. Despite numerous devastating incidents throughout his career - the loss of more than half of his negatives in a 1908 blast and fire, an unsuccessful attempt at diversifying into cinematography in the 1910s, and the confiscation of the remainder of his negatives in the mid-1920s to name a few - his studio remained operational even after his death in 1933. A number of negatives from the Sevruguin studio can be dated to the years after Antoin's death, indicating that the Sevruguin studio continued to be commercially viable. As one of the most prolific early commercial photographers in Iran, Antoin Sevruguin's artistic legacy has since proved far more enduring.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.04 2.12
General:
Titles and summary notes are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
SK--Refers to Herzfeld's Sketchbooks in the Archive
- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers; Cyanotypes File 1", which was arranged by Ernst Herzfeld, provides 220 cyanotype prints (blueprints) of antiquities, prehistoric pottery with painted patterns (geometric ornaments and animal design), bronze and stone objects from the prehistoric mound of Tepe Giyan (Iran) as well as acquired in Baghdad (iraq).
- Additional information from Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive reads, "The prints are from three sources: (1) those from glass negatives; (2) those from cut film; and (3) those for which there are no negatives. The Archive contains Herzfeld's glass negatives, numbered from 1 to 3850. Of most of these he had blueprints made which he had arranged in 16 binders by general categories, irrespective of the number on the negative. These formed the nucleus for the preparation of the Photo Files. The 16 binders of blueprints have been replaced by Photo Files, Nos. 1-16. The prints in each File are arranged in the same order as the blueprints; and the number of the negative is enclosed in parentheses. Following a brief identification, is a reference to the place where the print has been published, if that is the case and such publication has been located."
Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 4: Photographic Files; Prehistoric Pottery, etc., Bronzes, Stone (Cyanotypes File 1)
Arrangement:
- Of most of his 3,890 glass negatives, Herzfeld had blueprints made which he arranged in 16 binders irrespective of the number on the negative. In addition to the 16 blueprint binders, he assembled 5 albums including two from the Samarra series labelled "Paläste und Moscheen-I and -II." The remainder of the photographs, from glass negatives and from cut films, sometimes identified by Herzfeld, were printed en masse for study purpose (labelled by Upton as duplicate prints) and which are, for the most part, unpublished. For his own research, Herzfeld also collected prints from many sources. Of those there are no negatives. Finally, in early 1970s, Joseph Upton reorganized the whole Herzfeld collection of photographic prints into 42 photographic files, assembling 14 additional files in excess of the 21 existing files arranged by Herzfeld himself. The eight remaining files, File 35 to File 42, are made of duplicate prints provided by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
Local Numbers:
Ernst Herzfeld Papers; Cyanotypes File 1
FSA A.6 04.CY.01
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
1 Volume (338 cyanotype prints, b&w, 16 cm. x 21.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Volumes
Cyanotypes
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Iraq
Baghdad (Iraq)
Fīrūzābād (Iran)
Hamadān (Iran)
Iṣfahān (Iran)
Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran)
Pasargadae (Extinct city)
Qum (Iran)
Ray (Iran)
Shīrāz (Iran)
Sīstān va Balūchistān (Iran)
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1904-1934
Scope and Contents:
The abbreviations used in captions of published photos are:
AHI--Archaeological History of Iran, Herzfeld
Browne-- Vol. of Oriental Studies, Presented to Edward G. Browne...on his 60th Birthday, Cambridge, 1922. "Die Gumbadh-i-'Alawiyyān und die Baukunst der Ilkhane in Iran," Herzfeld
SA-I--Ars Islamica, Vol.IX (1942). "Damascus, Studies in Architecture. The Mukarnas Dome. The Madrasa," Herzfeld
- "Ernst Herzfeld Papers; Cyanotypes File 11", which was arranged by Ernst Herzfeld, provides 338 photographic prints which relate to field study of various architectural buildings and archaeological remains at Baghdad (Iraq), Kufa (Iraq), Hamadan (Iran), Sunghur (Iran), Asadabad (Iran), Alamut (Iran), Rayy (Iran), Tehran (Iran), Varamin (Iran), Qum (Iran), Qara Tepe (Iran), Isfahan (Iran), Linjan District (Iran), Pasargadae (Iran), Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran), Band-i Amir (Iran), Firuzabad (Iran), Shiraz (Iran), Island of Kharg (Iran), Na'in (Iran), Kerman (Iran), Sistan (Iran), and Zahedan (Iran).
- Additional information from Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive reads, "The prints are from three sources: (1) those from glass negatives; (2) those from cut film; and (3) those for which there are no negatives. The Archive contains Herzfeld's glass negatives, numbered from 1 to 3850. Of most of these he had blueprints made which he had arranged in 16 binders by general categories, irrespective of the number on the negative. These formed the nucleus for the preparation of the Photo Files. The 16 binders of blueprints have been replaced by Photo Files, Nos. 1-16. The prints in each File are arranged in the same order as the blueprints; and the number of the negative is enclosed in parentheses. Following a brief identification, is a reference to the place where the print has been published, if that is the case and such publication has been located."
Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 4: Photographic Files; Persian Architecture (Cyanotypes File 11)
Arrangement:
- Of most of his 3,890 glass negatives, Herzfeld had blueprints made which he arranged in 16 binders irrespective of the number on the negative. In addition to the 16 blueprint binders, he assembled 5 albums including two from the Samarra series labelled "Paläste und Moscheen-I and -II." The remainder of the photographs, from glass negatives and from cut films, sometimes identified by Herzfeld, were printed en masse for study purpose (labelled by Upton as duplicate prints) and which are, for the most part, unpublished. For his own research, Herzfeld also collected prints from many sources. Of those there are no negatives. Finally, in early 1970s, Joseph Upton reorganized the whole Herzfeld collection of photographic prints into 42 photographic files, assembling 14 additional files in excess of the 21 existing files arranged by Herzfeld himself. The eight remaining files, File 35 to File 42, are made of duplicate prints provided by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
Local Numbers:
Ernst Herzfeld Papers; Cyanotypes File 11
FSA A.6 04.CY.11
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
