Just Got This Back From PSA

[gnaz01]

And was pleased to see it is a Type 1 Christy Mathewson dated "circa 1900's" and the size is 5" by 7"

Has anyone seen this photo or know the photographer?? It looks "Bain-ish" but there is some paper on the back and I don't feel competent removing it :)

Thanks,
Greg

[ethicsprof]

great photo, greg.
congrats!

I don't know the photographer.

all the best,
barry

[prewarsports]

Greg

Awesome photo! I am positive it is not a Bain image. The flat toned silver gelatin style of photography is one I have never seen Bain use, his style of developing the images was more gloss based gelatin. Possibly Brown Brothers (early New York stock photo service, even earlier than Bain) as it is stylistically more in line with some of their early photography but even they switched to a glossier gelatin later as it held up to the rigors of newsrooms better and provided a better surface for editorializing the images (painting them). My guess is that it was a staff photographer who was sent to the ballpark from an unknown newspaper or magazine and the photo became property of the paper so no need to credit it.

Rhys

[Michael B]

It could be Thompson. I will go through my archives when I get home. I have quite a few of these 5x7 contact prints of various U.S. Olympians. Some are Bain, some are Thompson and some unmarked.

[gnaz01]

Thanks Rhys and Michael, I truly appreciate it!!

[Michael B]

I checked some of the photos in my archive. I have Bain, Paul Thompson, Brown Brothers, Gilliams Press Syndicate and Edward R. Bushnell (Philly) all circa 1908 with the glossy paper. I have one, dated June, 1908 and one from 1903 that both use the matte finish paper. Neither one has a back stamp. The 1903 one has all of the Culver stickers and stamps on the back. The other one has period fountain pen identification and dating. That blue numbered stamp is very common on the Culver News Service photos as a stock identification number. I have both blue and black with up to 5 numbers, but there are usually Culver ink or paper stamps on the back also.

[GrayGhost]

Another awesome Matty for Greg:)