Eugene L. Armbruster photograph collection
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
New York photographer and local historian born in Baden-Baden, Germany; emigrated to the United States 1882 and lived in Brooklyn, New York. Armbruster photographed historic houses, churches, streetscapes, and buildings throughout New York City, and some of the images he created served to illustrate pamphlets he wrote on the local history of the area.
Prints and negatives related to New York from the Eugene L. Armbruster Photograph Collection have been digitized and are available in the Shelby White and Leon Levy Digital Library.
Biographical Note
Eugene L. Armbruster (1865 - 1943) was born in Baden-Baden, Germany, and came to the United States in 1882. His first job was with H. Henkel Cigar Box Manufacturing Company, where he continued to work until his retirement in 1920. He lived in Bushwick, Brooklyn, with his wife and two children, Julia and Eugene Jr.
Armbruster took photographs beginning in the late 19th century, but the majority of his work is from the 1910s and 1920s. Around the time of his retirement, Armbruster became interested in local history and began to photograph his environs in earnest, specifically the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. He took thousands of photographs of historic houses, churches, streetscapes, and buildings throughout New York City and Long Island.
Beginning around 1915, Armbruster wrote for the "Old-Timer" column of the Brooklyn Eagle. He honed his knowledge of local history through reading and extensive walking throughout the streets he was documenting. A majority of his photographs are annotated with historical information. He sought the rural environments linked to the past, turning to the rural counties of Long Island after the towns and neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens started growing and modernizing in the early 1920s. From 1914 to 1929, Armbruster published several pamphlets about local history, which he illustrated with his own line drawings, copy photos, and original photographs. In the 1930s, he published three pamphlets on language and its origins, seemingly a new interest.
He was forced to give up photography around 1940 after he developed cataracts on his eyes. He died on September 21, 1943.
Arrangement
This collection is organized in two series:
Series I: Prints
Series II: Negatives
Within each series, materials are divided by format and by size.
Scope and Contents
The Eugene L. Armbruster Photograph Collection includes approximately 5,000 black and white gelatin silver prints, approximately 3,500 acetate film negatives; approximately 1,400 nitrate film negatives; four 4 x 5" glass negatives; 235 5 x 7" glass negatives; 230 6.5 x 8.5" glass negatives; and 48 8 x 10" glass negatives.
The collection spans the period from 1894-1939 and contains photographic views of New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New England, and Canada. Most of the photographs show New York City, especially Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. These images document many structures that no longer exist, and in some cases may be the only extant photographic record. The collection is arranged into two series based on format: Prints and Negatives. The prints and negatives have not been matched to each other, although there are most likely many corresponding positives and negatives in the collection. Within each series, subseries are arranged by size or material, and thereunder alphabetically by state, and then by. Within New York State, the photos of New York City and Long Island are divided into county and then by neighborhood.
Series I. Prints is divided into the following subseries: Prints: 3.5 x 4.5" (and smaller); Prints: 5 x 7"; and Mounted Prints. Most prints are annotated in some manner on the verso. Some prints have Armbruster's map on the verso, showing the exact location of the building/house. Often he has included historical information on the house or building and in some cases he has added notes such as "still standing 1929."
The majority of photographs were taken after Armbruster's retirement in 1920. Earlier photographs are generally of New York City or nearby counties in New Jersey. With time on his hands, Armbruster traveled out of New York City, and those trips are well documented here. In July, 1925, for example, Armbruster traveled throughout New York State, New England, and Canada. It is notable that these photographs reflect only historic buildings and sites, not family or leisure shots.
Many of the Brooklyn and Queens photos (and all of the 5 x 7" prints) date from 1922. Most of the subjects no longer exist, mainly due to a building boom in the boroughs in the late 1920s. In some cases Armbruster seems to have been aware of demolition plans, and photographed houses for just that reason. The views of Brooklyn are also notable for their almost exclusive focus on historical sites and subjects. Other photographs of the borough from a similar time period often show modern improvements, such as elevated rail tracks, automobiles, industry and skyscrapers. Armbruster organized his Brooklyn photos in groups according to the six original towns in the county: Brooklyn, Bushwick, Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend and New Utrecht.
Notable Brooklyn structures pictured include Holland School, Lefferts Farm, and Packer Collegiate Institute. Other commercial buildings shown are grocery stores, engine houses, gymnasiums, banks, hotels, cigar stores, a tollhouse on Flatbush Avenue, florists, and a blacksmith and wheelwright shop.
Brooklyn residences include the homes of the following notable Brooklyn residents: Treadwell Abrams, Wynant Bennett, Fenwick Bergen, Jeremiah Bergen, John L. Bergen; Horace B. Claflin, Samuel Coland, Charles Ekoch, Joseph Fleming, John Franklin, Joseph Golden, Joseph Herrings, John F. James, Horatio King, Johannes Lott, Judge Ganet L. Martense, Henry Evelyn Pierrepont (1808-1888), W. A. Putnam, Derick Remsen, Johannes Remsen, James S. Rockwell, John J. Ryder, John F. Ryerson, John Schenk, Moses Snydaw, David D. Stillwell, Colonel David M. Stone (1817-1895), Charles Strohm, Spencer Trask, Rutgert Joosten Van Brunt, John H. Van Cleef, John L. Van Pelt, John J. Vanderbilt (d. 1842), Daniel D. Whitney, Lionel Wilbur, and Garrett Williams.
Churches in Brooklyn shown include: Central Presbyterian Church, Church of the New Jerusalem, Emanuel Protestant Episcopal Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Unitarian Church of Our Savior, Grace Church, Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, New Utrecht Reformed Dutch Church, Plymouth Church, Reform Church on the Heights, St. John's Lutheran Church, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
Series II. Negatives is arranged in five subseries: Acetate Film Negatives: 4 x 5"; Nitrate Film Negatives: 5 x 7"; Glass Plate Negatives: 5 x 7" (and smaller); Glass Plate Negatives: 6.5 x 8.5"; and Glass Plate Negatives: 8 x 10".
Negatives are arranged by geographic location, if known, as described above. Subject terms found in the Thesaurus for Graphic Material (Library of Congress: 1995) have been utilized to further organize negatives beyond geographical divisions. Photograph topics fall into the following categories: architectural elements, automobiles, barns, boats, buildings, churches, dams, farmhouses, interiors, landscapes, people, row houses, streets, and windmills.
Featured buildings in Subseries IV: Glass Plate Negatives: 6.5 x 8.5," include: the Abbey Pub, the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Waterworks, the Bushwick Hospital, Federal Courts Building, Fort Greene Tobacco Works, Mansion House, the Packer Collegiate Institute, and Underhill's Colonnade Buildings (on edge of Brooklyn Heights). Other commercial buildings shown are hotels, a horse-shoeing shop, ferry terminals, flour mills, printing offices, public school, race courses, a saw manufacturer, and several theaters. Among the churches shown are: Bushwick Church, First Reformed Church, Grace Church, New Utrecht Church, Old Assumption Church, Old St. Ann's Protestant Episcopal Church, Plymouth Church, St. James Roman Catholic Church, and St. Mark's Episcopal Church.
Houses shown in Subseries IV include those of: Thomas Bennett; Dewitt Clinton; Seth Low, mayor of Brooklyn and New York City; the Schermerhorn family; the Van Brunt family; and Mayor (of Williamsburgh) William Wall. Other views of interest are: a circular, dated October 1, 1869, announcing the opening of Wechsler and Abraham Clothing Store; the City of Williamsburgh Seal; and an October 3, 1860 Brooklyn survey map.
Subjects
Places
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as: Eugene L. Armbruster Photograph Collection, PR 81, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase, October 21, 1944, November 20, 1944, and February 28, 1945.
Separated Materials
Subseries II, Nitrate Film Negatives: 5 x 7", has been separated from the rest of the Eugene L. Armbruster Collection. Nitrate negatives are not housed in the Print Room due to potential storage hazards; all nitrate negatives are stored on Floor 14 of the N-YHS Library stacks. Please ask a staff member for assistance with these negatives.
About this Guide
Edition of this Guide
Repository
Series I: Prints
Scope and Contents note
Series I is divided into the following subseries: Prints: 3.5 x 4.5" (and smaller); Prints: 5 x 7"; and Mounted Prints. Each subseries has been arranged by state, and thereunder by county and town.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital copies of prints related to New York are available in the Shelby White and Leon Levy Digital Library.
Subseries I: Prints: 3.5 x 4.5" (and smaller)
Scope and Contents note
Subseries I is about evenly split between scenes of New England and those of New York. Most of these prints are annotated by Armbruster. Some annotations include supplementary information, such as the population of Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Two small postcard sets ("tour cards") of Philadelphia and Williamsport, Pennsylvania are included.
Connecticut--Fairfield County, 1927 Jul.
Connecticut--Hartford County, 1926-1927, inclusive
Connecticut--New Haven County, 1927 Jul.
Connecticut--New London County, 1923-1927, inclusive
Maine--Androscan County, 1926 Aug.
Maine--Cumberland County, 1926 Aug.
Maine--Hancock County, 1923, inclusive
Maine--Knox County, 1923, inclusive
Maine--York County, 1926 Aug.
Maine--Unidentified, undated
Massachusetts--Barnstable County, 1925 Oct.
Massachusetts--Berkshire County, 1925 Jul.
Massachusetts--Essex County, 1925-1926, inclusive
Massachusetts--Franklin County, 1928-1935, inclusive
Massachusetts--Hampton County, 1926-1930, inclusive
Massachusetts--Hampshire County, 1925-1929, inclusive
Massachusetts--Middlesex County, 1926-1928, inclusive
Massachusetts--Suffolk County, 1925-1930, inclusive
Massachusetts--Worcester County, 1927-1928, inclusive
New Hampshire--Belknap County, 1929 May
New Hampshire--Carroll County, 1926 Aug.
New Hampshire--Cheshire County, 1925-1927, inclusive
New Hampshire--Coos County, 1926-1929, inclusive
New Hampshire--Hillsborough County, 1928-1930, inclusive
New Hampshire--Merrimack County, 1926-1929, inclusive
New Hampshire--Rockingham County, 1928-1929, inclusive
New Hampshire--Strafford County, 1929 May
New Hampshire--Sullivan County, 1926-1929, inclusive
New Hampshire--Unidentified, 1926-1930, inclusive
Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Vermont (unidentified), undated
New Jersey--Bergen County, 1894-1925, inclusive
New Jersey--Essex County, 1929 Aug.
New Jersey--Hudson County, 1897, inclusive
New Jersey--Middlesex County, 1923 Aug.
New Jersey--Monmouth County, 1925 Aug.
New Jersey--Morris County, 1929 Aug.
New Jersey--Warren County, 1925-1929, inclusive
New York--Albany County, 1926 Jul.
New York--Broome County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Bronx County, 1923-1924, inclusive
New York--Clinton County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Columbia County, 1925 Oct., inclusive
New York--Delaware County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Dutchess County, 1926-1927, inclusive
New York--Essex County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Greene County, 1923 Apr.
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Bushwick, 1897-1924, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatbush, 1895-1926, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatlands, 1915-1925, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Gravesend, 1922-1928, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Lots, 1895-1923, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Utrecht, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Williamsburg, 1907-1924, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Unidentified, 1922-1925, inclusive
New York--Livingston County, 1925 Jul.
New York--New York County (Manhattan)--Lower East Side and Greenwich Village, 1909-1924
New York--New York County (Manhattan)--Unidentified views, 1923-1929
New York--Nassau County--Hempstead, 1922-1924, inclusive
New York--Nassau County--North Hempstead, 1922, inclusive
New York--Nassau County--Oyster Bay, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Niagara County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Otsego County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Onandaga County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Orleans County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Orange County, 1916-1929, inclusive
New York--Queens County--Flushing, 1922-1924, inclusive
New York--Queens County--Jamaica, 1895-1935, inclusive
New York--Queens County--Newtown, 1922-1925, inclusive
New York--Queens County--Rockaway, 1923, inclusive
New York--Richmond County (Staten Island), 1895-1925, inclusive
New York--Rockland County, 1925-1926, inclusive
New York--Schuyler County, 1925 Jul.
New York--St. Lawrence County, 1925 Jul.
New York--Suffolk County--Amagansett, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Babylon, 1924, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Bridgehampton, 1923-1924, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Brookhaven, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--East Hampton, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Huntington, 1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Islip, 1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Montauk, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Sagaponick, 1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Shelter Island, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Smithtown, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Southampton, 1922-1924, inclusive
New York--Suffolk County--Southold, 1922-1924, inclusive
New York--Ulster County, 1925, inclusive
New York--Warren County, 1925, inclusive
New York--Westchester County, 1925, inclusive
New York--Wyoming County, 1925, inclusive
New York--Unidentified, 1925, inclusive
Pennsylvania--Berks County, 1926 Oct.
Pennsylvania--Carbon County, 1925 Oct.
Pennsylvania--Dauphin County, 1925 Oct.
Pennsylvania--Lehigh County, 1926 Oct.
Pennsylvania--Lycoming County, 1925 Oct.
Pennsylvania--Monroe County, 1925-1929, inclusive
Pennsylvania--Northampton County, 1925-1929, inclusive
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia County: Philadelphia Tour Cards, undated
Pennsylvania--Schuylkill County, 1925 Oct.
Pennsylvania--Washington County: Williamsport Tour Cards, undated
Vermont--Bennington County, 1927 Jul.
Vermont--Rutland County, 1925 Jul.
Vermont--Windham County, 1925-1930, inclusive
Vermont--Windsor County, 1926-1927, inclusive
Vermont--Unidentified, undated
Canada--Greenville-Welland, 1925 Jul.
Canada--Jacques Cartier, 1925 Jul.
Canada--La Prairie, 1925 Jul.
Canada--Lavel, 1925 Jul.
Canada--Quebec, 1925 Jul.
Canada--St. Johns, 1925 Jul.
Canada--Stormant, 1925 Jul.
Canada--Welland, 1925 Jul.
Subseries II: Prints: 5 x 7"
Scope and Contents note
Subseries II is made up primarily of Brooklyn scenes. The prints are almost all labeled by Armbruster with the names of the original owner of the house, and of the notable people who lived in it; often the exact street address is noted. Armbruster sometimes noted on the back of prints when structures were torn down; most of these semi-rural houses have since been demolished. Neighborhoods (formerly separate towns) are noted, other prints marked "Brooklyn" mainly correspond to downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights. These prints generally correspond to the 5 x 7" Glass Plate Negatives in Series II, Subseries III, although there are unmatched prints and negatives.
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Brooklyn, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Bushwick, undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatbush, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatlands, 1898-1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Gravesend, 1922-1924, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Lots, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Utrecht, 1922, inclusive
New York--Nassau County--Hempstead, 1922, inclusive
New York--Nassau County--Oyster Bay, 1922, inclusive
New York--New York County (Manhattan), undated
New York--Queens County--Flushing, 1922-1923, inclusive
New York--Queens County--Newtown, 1922-1924, inclusive
New York--Richmond County (Staten Island), 1925 May
New York--Westchester County, 1925 May
Unidentified, undated
Subseries III: Mounted Prints
Scope and Contents note
Box 8 consists of several of the above 5 x 7" prints mounted on board with typed titles. Box 8A contains assorted mounted photographs, including an image of boaters in Prospect Park, a shot of Pierrepont Street in downtown Brooklyn covered in snow, a photo of Midland Beach in Staten Island, Lenox Avenue Bridge, Central Bridge, New York and Putnam Railroad Bridge, and others.
Brooklyn, 1921-1923, inclusive
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, undated
Series II: Negatives
Scope and Contents note
Series II. Negatives is arranged in five subseries: Acetate Film Negatives: 4 x 5"; Nitrate Film Negatives: 5 x 7"; Glass Plate Negatives: 5 x 7" (and smaller); Glass Plate Negatives: 6.5 x 8.5"; and Glass Plate Negatives: 8 x 10".
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital copies of negatives related to New York are available in the Shelby White and Leon Levy Digital Library.
Subseries I, Acetate Film Negatives: 4 x 5"
Scope and Contents note
Subseries I is housed in envelopes, which are grouped by geographic region. The number of negatives in each grouping is listed in parentheses after the geographical location. These negatives seem to correspond, however roughly, to groupings of prints in Series I. It is probable that the geographic names found on each envelope were transferred from titles on the original film boxes. These envelopes are numbered; the number seems to correspond to their original physical placement in a cabinet in the N-YHS library stacks.
Connecticut (18), undated
Maine (72), undated
Massachusetts (128), undated
Massachusetts and New Hampshire (174), undated
New England (419), undated
New England (54), undated
New Hampshire (211), undated
New Jersey (48), undated
New York (31), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Brooklyn (146), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Bushwick (108), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatbush (88), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatbush (53), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatlands (355), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Gravesend (207), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Lots (73), undated
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Utrecht (77), undated
New York--Lake Mohegan (50), undated
New York--Long Island (mixed) (15), undated
New York--Nassau County--Hempstead (32), undated
New York--Nassau County--Oyster Bay (1), undated
New York--New York County (Manhattan) (144), undated
New York--Orange County--Newburgh (27), undated
New York--Suffolk County--Brookhaven (347), undated
New York--Suffolk County--East Hampton (107), undated
New York--Suffolk County--East Hampton (204)
New York--Suffolk County--Hamptons (86), undated
New York--Suffolk County--Huntington (16), undated
New York--Suffolk County--Islip (8), undated
New York--Suffolk County--Montauk (452), undated
New York--Suffolk County--Shelter Island (1)
New York--Suffolk County--Southampton (341), undated
New York--Suffolk County--Southold (21), undated
New York--Richmond County (Staten Island) (16), undated
New York--Queens County--Far Rockaway (38), undated
New York--Queens County--Flushing (324), undated
New York--Queens County--Flushing (129), undated
New York--Queens County--Jamaica (407), undated
New York--Queens County--Long Island City (245), undated
New York--Queens County--Newtown (840), undated
New York--Queens County--Newtown (423), undated
New York--Queens County--Rockaway Peninsula (19), undated
New York--Westchester County (75), undated
Pennsylvania (102), undated
Vermont (47), undated
Vermont, New Hampshire (41), undated
Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts (60), undated
Canada (287), undated
Unidentified (340), undated
Unidentified (448), undated
Deteriorated negatives, undated
Subseries II, Nitrate Film Negatives: 5 x 7"
Scope and Contents note
Subseries II is composed mainly of views of residential houses, including some of Brooklyn row houses. Most of these photographs appear to be on Long Island; many shots show wooden, farm-like houses. The same scene is often shown in several negatives. A churchyard in East Hampton is pictured with an elaborate sepulchre. Windmills are shown for many of the Long Island towns. Several of the negative boxes had Armbruster's notation on the geographical location of negative subjects. The negatives in the boxes which lacked any notation have been arranged by general subject category.
Nitrate negatives were interleaved with acid free paper and stored five to a negative sleeve. Several of the negative boxes had Armbruster's notation on geographical place of negatives. These negatives are grouped by geography after Armbruster's titles (which appear in quotation marks) and then further divided by subject. Many other boxes had no notation. These negatives were arranged by general subject category. Nitrate negatives were assigned box numbers in coordination with other nitrate negatives held by the New-York Historical Society. These negatives are located on Floor 14 in the N-YHS Library Stacks. (See also, Separated Material)
"Amaganset, Wainscott "--Farms, undated
"Amaganset, Wainscott "--Houses, undated
"Amaganset, Wainscott "--Landscapes, undated
"Amaganset, Wainscott "--Windmills
"East Hampton"--Churches/churchyards, undated
"East Hampton"--Farms, undated
"East Hampton"--Houses, undated
"East Hampton"--Windmills, undated
"Gravesend, New Utrecht, New Lots, Canarsie", undated
"Huntington-Old House", undated
"Manhasset -- Roslyn, Little Neck, Dougleston, Alley Road"--Houses, undated
"Manhasset -- Roslyn, Little Neck, Dougleston, Alley Road"--Landscapes, undated
"Manhasset -- Roslyn, Little Neck, Dougleston, Alley Road"--Other, undated
"Melville Alley, Moriches"--Buildings, undated
"Melville Alley, Moriches"--Farmhouses, undated
"Melville Alley, Moriches"--Houses, undated
"Melville Alley, Moriches"--Landscapes, undated
"New York-Brooklyn"--Buildings, undated
"New York-Brooklyn"--Other, undated
"New York-Brooklyn"--Rowhouses, undated
"New York-Brooklyn"--Streets, undated
"New York-Skyline", undated
"Patchogue, Bell Port, Yaphank, Brookhaven, Middle Is., Selden, Corem"--Architectural elements, undated
"Patchogue, Bell Port, Yaphank, Brookhaven, Middle Is., Selden, Corem"--Houses, undated
"Patchogue, Bell Port, Yaphank, Brookhaven, Middle Is., Selden, Corem"--Landscapes, undated
"Patchogue, Bell Port, Yaphank, Brookhaven, Middle Is., Selden, Corem"--People, undated
"Ryerson"--Houses, undated
"Ryerson"--Interiors, undated
"Stony-Brook, South-Haven, Happauge"--Barns, undated
"Stony-Brook, South-Haven, Happauge"--Houses, undated
"Stony-Brook, South-Haven, Happauge"--Landscapes, undated
"Stony-Brook, South-Haven, Happauge"--Other, undated
Unidentified location---Architectural elements, undated
Unidentified location--Barns, undated
Unidentified location--Boats, undated
Unidentified location--Buildings, undated
Unidentified location--Cars, undated
Unidentified location--Churches, undated
Unidentified location--Dams, undated
Unidentified location--Farmhouses, undated
Unidentified location--Houses, undated
Unidentified location--Houses, undated
Unidentified location--Houses, undated
Unidentified location--Houses, undated
Unidentified location--Interiors, undated
Unidentified location--Landscapes, undated
Unidentified location--Other, undated
Unidentified location--People, undated
Unidentified location--Row houses, undated
Unidentified location--Windmills, undated
Copy negatives of other Armbruster prints, undated
Copy negatives of drawings, newspapers, undated
Subseries III, Glass Plate Negatives: 5 x 7" (and smaller)
Scope and Contents note
Subseries III generally corresponds to prints found in Series I, Subseries II. All were taken in Brooklyn in 1922. When possible, negatives have been matched to prints and titled accordingly. When no print was available, a bracketed descriptive title was assigned to each negative. Negatives are not numbered, but are ordered geographically. Within each geographic designation, negatives are arranged loosely by subject: Buildings, Churches, Houses, and Other.
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn), 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn), 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn), 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatbush, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatbush, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatlands, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Flatlands, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--Gravesend, 1922, inclusive
New York--Kings County (Brooklyn)--New Utrecht, 1922, inclusive
Subseries IV, Glass Plate Negatives: 6.5 x 8.5"
Scope and Contents note
Subseries IV includes copy negatives from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, the Brooklyn Eagle, engravings, oil paintings, pen and ink drawings; mainly of historic houses or buildings in Brooklyn. Many of these look as if Armbruster had pinned them to a board for enlarging purposes. The pins and board are visible in some of the negatives. There are also enlargements in this same manner of several of Armbruster's own prints. Copy negatives carry either Armbruster's or the original captions (and sometimes both). In cases where no caption was written on the negative, a bracketed descriptive title was assigned to each negative. Original negatives are grouped together and organized by subject. Copy negatives are also grouped together and organized by subject.
Original negatives: Aerial views, undated
Original negatives: Architectural Elements, undated
Original negatives: Barns, undated
Original negatives: Boats, undated
Original negatives: Churches, undated
Original negatives: Churches, undated
Original negatives: Farmhouses, undated
Original negatives: Houses, undated
Original negatives: Houses
Original negatives: Other, undated
Original negatives: People, undated
Original negatives: Rowhouses, undated
Original negatives: Street Scenes, undated
Copy Negatives: Aerial views, undated
Copy Negatives: Boats, undated
Copy Negatives: Buildings, undated
Copy Negatives: Buildings, undated
Copy Negatives: Buildings, undated
Copy Negatives: Churches, undated
Copy Negatives: Farmhouses, undated
Copy Negatives: Houses, undated
Copy Negatives: Houses, undated
Copy Negatives: Landscapes, undated
Copy Negatives: Other, undated
Copy Negatives: People, undated
Copy Negatives: Rowhouses, undated
Copy Negatives: Streets, undated
Copy Negatives: Views, undated
2 Negative boxes with Armbruster's handwriting, undated
Subseries V, Glass Plate Negatives: 8 x 10"
Scope and Contents note
Subseries V contains mainly copy negatives. These consist of drawings of historic houses (some from newspapers or magazines.) and other views such as: Long Island Rail Road Tunnel; a map of the City of Williamsburgh; Old James Street Market, Brooklyn; View of Astoria, L.I. (printed by Currier and Ives); and Rutgers University. Original negatives show Ebbets field, the Manhattan skyline, Union Cemetary, and Armbruster's family tree. When no title was available, a bracketed descriptive title was assigned to each negative. Negatives are not numbered. Original negatives are grouped together and organized by subject. Copy negatives are also grouped together and organized by subject. Some broken negatives are in Box 35.