Harry Stein photographs
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
This collection consists of 106 nitrate negatives taken by amateur photographer Harry Stein (1891-1964). These snapshots were taken in and around New York City between 1919 and 1922. They include portraits, scenic views and street scenes.
Biographical / Historical
Harry Stein (1891-1964) was born in Odessa, Ukraine in 1891, and as a child immigrated with his family to the U.S. The family appears in the 1900 census, living at 82 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Stein served in the army during WWI and was discharged in 1919. In 1922, Stein married Rose Englander (1894-1986), the daughter of Hungarian immigrants who settled in Brooklyn, NY. Stein and his brothers owned a chain of stores that sold sporting goods and camera equipment. The Steins lived briefly in the Bronx, then moved to Mount Vernon, NY in the early 1930s, and raised two sons. Harry Stein died in 1964, while Rose Englander Stein lived until 1986.
*This biographical note is based on information provided by the donor.
Arrangement
This collection was originally arranged in two albums, with the negatives in individual sleeves, with no captions or identification. The negatives have been removed from the albums and rehoused, but their original order has been preserved, and each negative has been given a number. The negatives in Volume 1 are numbered 1-66, and those in Volume 2 are numbered 67-106. The captions for the negatives were created by the archivist.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 106 nitrate negatives taken by amateur photographer Harry Stein (1891-1964). These snapshots were taken in and around New York City between 1919 and 1922.
Most of the negatives are approximately 4"x5", though some are smaller. Originally housed in two albums, the negatives include images taken in parks, beaches and other scenic outdoor settings, as well as portraits and street scenes. According to the donor, the subjects of the photos are Stein's friends and family members, including his wife Rose Englander Stein, but they are not individually identified.
Some scenic views include people picnicking, ice skating, boating, or posing for the camera. A few of these photos are clearly identifiable as Central Park, but most are not. Street scenes and cityscapes include people posing in front of homes and cars, including a number of photos at a house with the address "1461," though it's not clear where the house is located.
There are also a good number of individual and group portraits of men, women and children, both indoors and out. Some are formally posed, while others are more informal with people lounging on the grass or sunbathing at the beach. Also included are views of the East River, the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges, and the Manhattan skyline.
These negatives are on possibly unstable, nitrate base film and have been transferred to cold storage in the N-YHS Conservation Lab.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Open to qualified researchers by appointment only. Advance notice is required to access these negatives. They are on possibly unstable, nitrate base film and have been transferred to cold storage in the N-YHS Conservation Lab.
Use Restrictions
Permission to reproduce any Department of Prints, Photographs and Architectural Collections holdings through publication must be obtained from: Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 270. Fax: (212) 579-8794.
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Harry Stein Photographs, PR 399, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, New-York Historical Society.
Credit line should read: Gift of Andrew Stein in memory of Harry Stein
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Andrew Stein, 2018.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Processed by archivist Marybeth Kavanagh, 2019