The Collected Library, Including Americana and Early Photography

16 x 12 1/2 in. album containing 91 photographs, including Yale faculty members and administrators, students, full and half-page views of the university's buildings and grounds, and one photograph of an African American employee. Albumen photographs, most cabinet cards (5 1/2 x 4 in.), housed recto/verso in an album page. Many cabinet cards with the studio imprint of William Notman (1826-1891). Full and half-page views of the buildings and grounds mounted recto/verso directly on album pages. (Scuffing and heavy wear to album covers; occasional spotting and toning to photos throughout the album.)

Amongst the notable portraits in the album is a photograph of one of Yale University's African American staff members taken in New Haven, CT, by William Notman's company for the 1872 yearbook. The image features a full-length portrait of a fruit merchant wearing knee-length boots next to his vendor’s basket (few light smudges on the print and mount, otherwise good).

William Notman (1826-1891) was a Scottish-Canadian photographer with an international reputation. Though based in Montreal, Notman expanded his reach opening additional studios and seeking business opportunities throughout Canada and the US. In 1869 Notman garnered a commission to produce student and faculty portraits at Vassar College in New York State. He developed this line of business quickly and eventually set up seasonal branches at Harvard and Yale. 

While Notman was a prolific photographer, examples with people of color are exceedingly scarce.