Stereoviews of the Bierstadt Brothers

View of (Albert Bierstadt,) the artist on Emerald Pool by John P. Soule.

[ glass views ] [ see imprint ] [ see other early imprint ]

Albert Bierstadt 1830 - 1902. Artist and a leading member of the Hudson River, White Mountain, Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain schools of art. Government Service 1859 and 1863 surveying in the west. War photographer with brother Edward. Painter in oils and pioneer to the art of photography. Innovates practical uses for the medium of stereoscopy to help record more accurate geographic and mapping surveys, sketches, light and life details for his paintings. Taught his brothers the stereoscopic trade while at the White Mountains, NH from 1860 onward.

Studios and sites in New Hampshire include locations at the Glen House, Waumbek House, Dixville Notch and Flume House for several successive seasons. Sought out river spots and isolated pools for fishing and reflection. [ E Muybridge 1871 ] [ see family detail at Brooklyn Museum ] [ see art inventory at Smithsonian use keyword = Bierstadt ]

[ Alpine House Atlantic & St. Lawrence Railroad] [ Gorham ] [ More like this ]

[ White Mountain Notch ] [ 2 ] [ Tip Top ] [ 2 ]

Early Bierstadt view format found in the NYPL collections.

Edward Bierstadt 1824 - 1906. Cabinetmaker until their woodworking shop burns about 1859. He patents an improvement for the Stereoscope in 1876. Portrait and landscape photographer, engraver and printer. Operates Bierstadt Brothers New Bedford, MA. [ see view samples Source: NYPL ] Early business succeeded by S. F. Adams

Studio New York City 1860. War photography 1861. During brother Albert's two year European artistic honey-moon, Albert secured for Edward and their business a new process for printing photographs developed by Josef Albert, the court photographer of the Bavarian Court. This so-called "Albert-type" process allowed surface to surface mass production printing. It greatly enhanced the Bierstadt Brothers view output. Never-the-less the views take on the look of mass produced copies, but this process actually propels them to a leading position in the stereoscopic view market. Between 1875 - 1878 they would also publish Gems of American Scenery, a fine art view book of stereographs. Several similar view books for places of interest follow this style. A fire destroyed the New York studio about 1874.

Studio Adirondacks, NY 1879 - 1885 worked for William West Durant, from age 24, son of vice-president Dr. Thomas C. Durant of the Union Pacific railroad. They promote and develop the Adirondack Great Camps system and Saratoga Springs. Studio St. Augustine Florida 1891. [ sample ]

Charles Bierstadt 1819 - 1903. Stereoscopic Photographer and view publisher. C. Bierstadt. Studio Niagara Falls, NY 1863 - 1903. Portrait and landscape photographer. At Niagara in 1867 became successor of the Platt D. Babbitt photography business, with specialty in wedding photography. He offers curios and operates a bazaar for the public.

A White Mountain vacation with brother Albert and the family in 1869 inspires Charles' travels. He went to Yosemite during the spring of 1870, also San Francisco, Utah, Yellowstone, then on to Tripoli, Egypt, and Palestine for a period of five months in 1873. Charles adopted dry plate photography about 1874.

Charles talent in photography allowed him to ascend nationally to the top of his photographic trade. He arranged for the publishing and distribution of views from several outlets in Boston, New York, and Niagara and eventually made distribution arrangements with the new Underwood and Underwood firm to sell in markets beyond his capabilities. This same Underwood firm eventually acquires his business in 1897 along with several other aligned and competitive firms. At that time Underwood & Underwood was well on its way to surpassing the production record volume set by the B. W. Kilburn view business. The record was eventually achieved a bit after 1905. By 1920, however, the Keystone View Company, which began by a former B. W. Kilburn salesman B. L. Singley of Meadville, PA would absorb all of them.

Washington Street, Boston [ More like this ] [ Yosemite ] [ Yellowstone ]

[ Stephen F. Adams 1844 - 1876 ] [ Underwood & Underwood ]



[ Bierstadt Stereoview Catalog ]