Photography at the AYPE

The AYPE's official photographer was Frank H. Nowell, who had operated a studio in Nome. Together with a professional staff of at least sixteen he created a large body of beautiful photography. Architecture interiors or exteriors, informational and commercial displays, important persons, and performing groups were documented in great detail. Prints were sold directly and are the primary source of photo images for newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and postcards. These are usually found as 8x10s but other sizes, sometimes very large, were produced. Many of Nowell's Alaskan images were used for color postcards sold at small booths on the grounds.

The University of Washington has many prints, Seattle's Museum of History has over a hundred prints and glass negatives, but the majority of images produced apparently are scattered in institutions across the country, in private hands, or are lost. Nowell images can often be identified by their four digit "X number", as in "X1234". Period 8x10 images bearing numbers like these are quite possibly from the AYPE. Nowell Image

In this photo postcard Pay Streak image published by an unknown photographer, Nowell's studio is the two-story building in the background, to the right of the Ferris Wheel. The Chinese Village is in the left foreground, with the Swedish building in the right foreground. This image was taken from approximately the middle of the present Astronomy-Physics building on the UW campus, looking north.

The University of Washington has very nice close image of the Official Photographer's studio on its web site, showing the staff and their large cameras. Ref  As you view this image, note the row of glass positives around the top of the first floor. I have been told that some of these survive today; the last information I have is that they are installed into a house in Eastern Washington.

Also note the building to the right of Nowell's studio. This is the Electric Studio operated by A. J. Park, who also had a studio in downtown Seattle. The glass display frames hold examples of the studio-prop portraits that are commonly found today. (Note that studio-prop portraits were done by other studios and also by Park's downtown studio, even with AYPE markings on the back). Possibly the Park studio was also responsible for a large series of conventional (but rather nice) fairground views, the mysterious series signed "S", but the Park studio definitely published very interesting individual scenes, including activities, on the grounds. These are stamped "MADE BY A.J. PARK, SEATTLE WASH." on the back and are sometimes unusual and desirable. A. J. Park Examples

There are a number of other publishers of photographic postcards and prints, including the Romans Studio, M.L. Oakes, O.T. Frasch, and O.D. Goetze. Some Oakes photo postcards, often of unusual material, are unsigned but usually identified as AYPE and can be identified through title-font comparison to other examples. Goetze's postcard-sized images are found on a variety of paper stocks, often of card weight but with a plain back.

A great deal of personal photography, and possibly some professional photography as well, was done with an AYPE Camera Permit .

The Smithsonian Institution provided a display on the history of Photography in the Government Building. This continued a tradition of photographic history displays at American world's fairs and included "the earliest permanent photographs and.. examples of nearly all the important discoveries and inventions up to the present time.. The collections of color photographs are especially fine.." Ref

Many photographic images were printed lithographically on postcards.

Postcards are just one of many graphic windows into the world of the AYPE. Photographic or lithographed they present wide and detailed views, advertising, people, events, structures. They were produced in huge numbers, such that any individual can easily obtain some. Others are rare, and give glimpses into to the visitor experience that do not exist in other forms. They were important at the AYPE - the fair took place during the peak of postcard collecting enthusiasm before World War One, and millions of cards were printed. They were sold as souvenirs, used to advertise the fair, and given away at many display booths to promote products and regions. Thousands remain in circulation today.

There are several 'Official' series. Robert Reid, involved in many fairs, published a series of nearly 100 black-and-white litho, numbered cards. These are in plentiful supply, are of fairly good quality and include some interesting Pay Streak and event views. The Portland Post Card Company published many litho views of the Fair grounds, and hundreds of Alaskan scenics, portraits of Alaskan natives, and views throughout Washington and the Pacific Coast. Hopf Bros/Rhodes Dept. Store also published hundreds of litho view cards of this type. The supply of these is also very large, offering many oportunities for the collector.

Collecting the entire PPCC set is a challenge worthy of a lifetime. Many collectors work on getting a nice set of the first 107 cards, giving a basic overview of the exposition. Life Saving Station The PPCC 9000 and 90000 series, Alaskan scenic and portraits are worthy of special note. The 9000 series are monochrome ( brown ) lithos, and the 90000 series are attractive, high quality color, cards printed in Germany. The latter are especially noteworthy for their beautiful close-up portraits of Alaskan natives, taken and signed by the Fair's official photographer, Frank Nowell. Walrus Hunter

The hundreds of other collectible cards run the gamut of advertising, comic, promotional, and photographic views that are found in all World's Fairs. It is interesting to compare them to cards from other fairs of the era, and other cards produced at the same time. The Jamestown Exposition of 1907 is the fair whose cards fall most closely into the same postcard-stylistic period. However, there are many Jamestown cards that are more refined, elegant, and artistically sophisticated . Indeed, many cards of Hudson-Fulton celebration of 1909 are more artistic and complex, than those of the AYPE. In my opinion, the appeal of many AYPE cards lies in their home-grown, innocent honesty Renton Day  Uncle Sam . They reflect the entrepreneurism, practicality, and optimism that prevailed in the city at the time and still characterize it today.