Skip to main content

George W. Hewitt Negatives and Transparencies

 Collection
Identifier: MA.00326

Scope and Contents

Negatives and transparencies of photographs taken by amateur photographer George W. Hewitt between 1896 and 1916. Images are primarily on glass, with a small number on nitrate film base. Hewitt explored various photography techniques, some of which are explicitly noted on the image. Some images are present in multiple copies and formats. Transparencies may have been intended for use as lantern slides, but are mostly unmounted.

The images are primarily taken in Europe, with some taken in the United States and India. Hewitt was an architect and many of the photographs focus on buildings and architectural details.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1896-1916

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There is no restriction on access to the collection for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the collection should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Biographical / Historical

George Watson Hewitt (1841-1916) was an American architect and avid amateur photographer. George Hewitt worked as an architect from 1857 to 1907 and was partner in a variety of firms, including Fraser, Furness & Hewitt; Furness & Hewitt; and G. W. & W. D. Hewitt, which specialized in churches, hotels and large residences. Following his retirement in 1907, George Hewitt continued pursuing his hobbies of astronomy and photography from his home in Burlington, New Jersy and during extensive travels. George Hewitt died on May 12, 1916.

Extent

4 Linear feet (4 archive boxes, 5 photo boxes, 1 negative file box, 1 flat box )

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Negatives and transparencies, primarily on glass, of photographs taken by amateur photographer George W. Hewitt between 1896 and 1916. The images were primarily taken in Europe, with some taken in the United States and India. Hewitt was an architect and many of the photographs focus on buildings and architectural details.

Arrangement

Due to the lack of subject and date information for the majority of the images in this collection, the collection is organized primarily by image type and secondarily by size. In Series 1 and 2, where information about subject matter and date are available they are noted at the sub-series level. In Series 3, images are listed at the item level using original titles.

The collection is organized into three series:

  1. Series 1: Glass Transparencies
  2. Series 2: Glass Negatives
  3. Series 3: Nitrate Negatives

Custodial History

This collection was transferred to Archives and Special Collection from the Mead Art Museum after 1991. The Mead Art Museum has no provenance information but presumes that the collection was inherited from the Amherst College Art Department in the 1940s. It is unclear how this collection came to Amherst College.

Processing Information

The George W. Hewitt Negatives and Transparencies were recieved in the 1990s from the Mead Art Museum. When recieved, most of the images were stored in wooden crates separated by sheets of glassine and had no apparent order. They were rehoused and ordered by size and type between 2016 and 2018.

Status
Completed
Author
Mariah Leavitt, Preservation Specialist
Date
2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299