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TRUMAN WARD INGERSOLL
St. Paul, Minnesota
Truman Ward
Ingersoll is undoubtedly one of the greatest enigmas when it comes to not only
his Yellowstone stereoviews but his entire career as a stereoview publisher.
He was born Feb 19,
1862. During his roughly 30 years as a publisher and photographer, Ingersoll
released over 4,000 different United States and World Views. Yet today,
information on this prolific photographer is very scarce indeed. Part of
Ingersoll’s mystery is in the fact that early in his career, he produced
arguably some of the nicest, high quality stereoviews of the 1880’s. His
subjects emphasized the northwest. Not only did he extensively stereoview
Yellowstone, but also had sets of the Pacific Coast and much of his native
Minnesota. During the decade of the 80’s Ingersoll produced a large series of
hunting scenes (more than 300 views), no less than 4 series of Yellowstone
National Park, and other western stereoviews (nearly 300). These views were
Cabinet and Imperial sizes of the highest standard. Yet today they are the
rarest of Ingersoll’s views.
During the
mid-1890’s, Ingersoll expanded his coverage with sets of world scenery, the
Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska and the Chicago Exposition. By the late 1890’s it
seems that Ingersoll realized that competing with the likes of the growing
giants like Underwood
& Underwood, BW
Kilburn, and the Keystone View
Company for high-end stereoviews was a losing proposition. Unable to sustain
the competition with these new major publishers, he began issuing copy views in
about 1898. Unfortunately the quality was low and so were the sales.
In an effort to
revive his struggling business, Ingersoll re-invented himself around 1900 as a
major publisher of half-tone lithoviews. The majority of these views were from
original Ingersoll negatives, although he did buy a few from other
photographers. The color lithos were made in huge quantities and some were given
as premium inserts in Quaker Oats products. He also sold the rights to his
photos to other lithograph publishers for their sets, including Sears, Roebuck
& Co. and the American
Novelty Company. Also during this period, low quality real photo Ingersoll
views were issued in sets by the New
Educational Series and Webster
& Albee.
Striking is the fact
that during Ingersoll’s litho period he still had one love: Yellowstone. During
the years 1905-1910, Ingersoll put out 3 new Yellowstone series of high quality
black and white views under his company monikers, the "Ingersoll View Company"
and "High Grade Original Views." These sets were comprised of all new
photographs of the Park. It is not known if Ingersoll took these himself or
purchased them from other photographers. They were some of the most interesting
views ever produced of Yellowstone, as Ingersoll chose to stereo less common
park scenery.
After selling his
St. Paul photography business, Ingersoll lived in Buffalo, Minnesota. He died in
St. Paul on June 9th, 1922. His negatives passed to the Keystone View Company
and today are housed in the photo archives at the University of
California-Riverside's Keystone Mast
Collection.
It is no understatement
to proclaim T. W. Ingersoll as one of the three most important Yellowstone
stereoviewers ever. Only
William Henry
Jackson and F. Jay
Haynes have had more overall importance. No photographer released more
styles and printings of Yellowstone stereoviews than TW Ingersoll. While Haynes
may have had more individual photos, his dozen or so sets pales in comparison to
the nearly 50 different Yellowstone variations of Ingersoll views.
What has been
deduced so far is a seemingly bottomless pit of variations of Yellowstone views
by Ingersoll. It appears that all of his views and series may be from photos
taken on only three visits to the park. His numbering system is very complicated
and has led to much confusion.
Before we get in the
detail of Ingersoll’s Yellowstone Sets, here are a few examples of his Imperial
sized mounts (4 ½ x 7). These images represent some of the rarest and most
interesting of all of Ingersoll’s views. They are so scarce that it is virtually
certain that they were not part of an organized set, but rather were available
by special order only. They also appear to be very early Ingersoll photographs.
I suspect that all were taken during Ingersoll’s first Yellowstone visit in 1884
or 85.
1214 PLACER MINING, EMIGRANT GULCH.
This early Ingersoll Imperial Mount shows a
mining scene just north of the park near Yankee Jim Canyon. Notice the negative
number "1244" scratched into the photo itself.
ORANGE GEYSER CONE.
Here is a superb Ingersoll view showing tourists
at Orange Geyser Cone (actually a Mammoth Terrace). The title is white over the
photo and the view is unnumbered. This only happened on Ingersoll’s earliest
stereoviews. He was very careful to number his later series.
1130 LONE STAR GEYSER IN ERUPTION
A very early Ingersoll Imperial view from his
"Sporting View, Game Pictures" series. Again the negative number is scratched
into the photo, this time a scene at Lone Star Geyser.
Although labeled on the left side as
being in the "National Park," this photo actually shows a man on the lower
Yellowstone River north of the park.
1117 GRAND CANYON. DISMAL VIEW.
A rare Ingersoll red colored imperial mount.
These appear more scarce than those mounted on yellow backing. This shows a
scene in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Notice the numbering on the title
strip. This probably indicates that this was a later imperial mount issue than
those shown above.
OUR OUTFIT ON THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER.
Another view of the same man on the Yellowstone
River as the photo two above this one. Though this view is correctly labeled as
being in the Yellowstone Valley and not in the National Park.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SERIES - CABINET MOUNT
RED LETTER
SERIES
I believe
this to be the first and most important of TW Ingersoll’s many numbered
Yellowstone series. The views were likely photographed in 1884 or 1885. The
titles are light-colored over the photo on the lower right front of the view.
Nearly all have the number following the title (this is very important in
identifying it as a “first visit Yellowstone photo” ) The series images follow
what would have been the stagecoach trip that one would have taken around
Yellowstone at the time. The series starts north of the park in the Gardiner,
Montana area and ends north of the park again after completing the Grand Loop.
Numbering of this set appears to range from 1100 – 1324. I believe it to be
continuous or nearly continuous for a total of roughly 225 views in the series.
Ingersoll did occasionally have gaps in his numbering system, especially in
later series, yet I believe this first set was complete or nearly complete.
Some of these views
(particularly the ones with higher numbers) have the title contained in a black
stripe instead of the more common light lettering over the photo. And on these
the number comes before the title. I think this may be a subset or perhaps
photos that were added into the series at a later date. In some of these striped
titles, one can still see the old white title peeking out behind the black
stripe. It is likely then that there were multiple printings of this set.
Further evidence is the presence of several styles of obverse and reverse for
this set.
PREACHING PULPIT TERRACES 1126.
Of the many styles of Ingersoll’s Red Letter
series, this is perhaps the most common. Title is white-colored over the photo
and the number follows the title. The gentleman in the photo is unidentifed.
GARDNER RIVER ROAD 1313
This Red-Letter view is from a different printing
than the one above. The lettering style on the right and left side is of a
narrower font. The view shows a coach headed toward Mammoth from Gardiner along
the Gardner River.
1285. THE GREAT FALLS OF THE YELLOWSTONE
Here we see an example of a Red-Letter Series
image with a black title stripe. Why Ingersoll had these different title types
is unknown. These are the only Red-Letter views that have the number before the
view title.
ROAD TO FALLS OF Y.R. 1280.
Yet another printing style of the Red-Letter
Series. Notice the ornate design before and after the photographer credit on the
right side of the view. This image shows a coach alongside the Yellowstone River
near present-day Otter Creek.
Two different Red-Letter Series versos.
There are likely others besides these but at least one can see the variety of
subjects that Ingersoll was already photographing this early in his career.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SERIES - CABINET MOUNT
BROWN LETTER
SERIES
The Brown Letter Set
seems to be a higher quality printing of the red-letter set above. It is also
much more scarce. Most likely not all red-letter views were printed for this
set. I believe that it was a "selected view" type of series and probably does
not include every view. The numbering and photos are identical to the red-letter
set. Again titles nearly always appear before the number. The exception is that
like the red-letter set, there are some views with a Black Title Stripe over the
old title. Some of these have the number first. Views have been recorded ranging
from #1128 – #1301. The overall set size would seem to be about one fourth the
size of the red-letter set.
GOLDEN GATE ROAD SHOWING TRUSTLE 1156.
Ingersoll’s Brown Letter Series was probably a
smaller version of his Red-Letter Series above. It too had multiple printings.
This version has a king’s crown design before and after the side credits.
DEVIL'S PUNCH BOWL 1222
Another Brown-Letter printing has a single
tree-like design after the side credits. Like the Red-Letter series, these views
have the number after the view title. This image shows a coach at Punch Bowl
Spring in the Upper Geyser Basin.
1301. CRYSTAL CASCADE, CASCADE CREEK.
Here is another of those mysterious black title
stripe views. These only seem to be reserved for higher numbered views. This
photo shows Crystal Falls on Cascade Creek near Canyon.
BATH HOUSES 1116.
A rare close-up view of the Bath Houses at
Mammoth. Almost no photos exist of the rare obsolete park building.
A Brown-Letter Series verso.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SERIES - CABINET MOUNT
BLUE LETTER SERIES
["A" SERIES]
Like the brown
letter set above, the blue letter set seems to be a high quality, "selected
view" printing of the red-letter set. I call it the Blue-letter "A" series in
order to differentiate it from the Blue-letter "B" series below. The "A" series
did not print the letter A on the view whereas the "B" series did. It appears
that this may be an identical set to the brown letter set above. It is roughly
one fourth the size of the red-letter set. The timeline would suggest that this
set (and the brown letter version) were issued in 1886 and/or 1887.
KEPPLER'S CASCADES 1270
One of two printings of Ingersoll’s Blue-Letter A
Series. This issue has a bluer ink color and different verso than its
counterpart. Pictured is an odd angle of Kepler Cascades near Old Faithful taken
from its base.
WHITE CREEK FALLS, BOILING WATER 1208
The second Blue-Letter A Series printing has a
darker brown backing and darker blue lettering. The verso credit T.W. Ingersoll
rather than Ingersoll’s Views. This waterfall is located on White Creek just
upstream from Great Fountain Geyser.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SERIES - CABINET MOUNT
BLUE LETTER SERIES
["B" SERIES]
In 1888, Ingersoll
(or photographers for him) visited Yellowstone again for new photos and a second
series. Most views are copyrighted 1888 and say specifically that they are part
of a "New Series." All titles (with one exception that I believe to be a
mis-print) now had the number first followed by the letter B. (The opposite of
had been done previously) This was to indicate a "B" or second series to the
first red-letter one. I have recorded numbers ranging from #1100 - #1283. I
believe the numbering to go slightly higher. Like the red-letter set, this one
follows a stage trip around the Grand Loop. My view list only goes as far as
Virginia Cascades. I suspect there are other views in the northern part of the
park (The Tower-Roosevelt area perhaps) that I don’t have recorded yet. It also
seems that there are some gaps in the numbering of the "B" series.
There are at least
four printings of this series. One style has the line, "Negatives made in 1888
--New Series" on the left front of the view. One style does not show this
information. A third printing has only the inscription; "Yellowstone National
Park -- New Series" on the right front of the view, but does not include the
year 1888. A fourth style shows a white title stripe with a low number (1-100),
pasted over the original title. All of these "B" series printings were probably
issued during the early 1890’s.
1183.B. EXTINCT GEY. CONES, MT. SCHURS.
Ingersoll’s Blue-Letter B Series had many
printing styles. Of all of his Cabinet Sized Mounts, they are the most common
today. This scene of Monument Geyser Basin near Gibbon Meadows is noteworthy.
There is no series credit on the bottom of the view. Most other views from this
series contain either the line "Negatives made in 1888 – New Series" or the line
"Yellowstone National Park," or both.
1162.B. GOLDEN GATE ROAD TRESTLE - CATHEDRAL ROCK
This view of Golden Gate has both bottom credit
lines. It is one of the more common styles of the Blue-Letter B Series.
1246.B. SPLENDID GEYSER.
This view of an erupting Splendid Geyser is
nearly the same as the view above, with the exception of the side credit
lettering style.
1255.B. LONE STAR GEYSER IN ERUPTION
Another printing contains only one credit line on
the bottom. This view of Lone Star Geyser was probably an older negative that
Ingersoll re-used and thus did not need the "New Series 1888" credit line.
1169.B. OBSIDIAN CLIFF ROAD
Yet another printing with different side credit
lettering. This scene shows a coach traveling through the large boulders at
Obsidian Cliff between Mammoth and Norris.
1132.B. DIANA TERRACE M.H.S..
This view of Diana Terrace is identical in style
to the view above of Golden Gate Trestle. The difference is that the side
credits are reversed. Is this a different printing? I do not know.
55 Crater of the Monarch Geyser, N.G.B.
Probably the oddest printing of the Blue-Letter B
Series are the views with low number titles pasted over the original title. This
must have been a much later issue, or it was released by some independent agent
who printed his own titles. The photo shows the crater of Monarch Geyser at
Norris Geyser Basin.
Most, if not all, Blue-Letter B Series
stereoviews have this verso. Unfortunately this was the last of Ingersoll’s
elaborate reverse advertising.
During the mid-1890’s,
Ingersoll re-released select views from his "B" series many times. They appeared
as part of different sets of Yellowstone and the United States. All were issued
on Cabinet sized mounts (4 x 7). The sets include:
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK VIEWS ON LINE OF NORTHERN PACIFIC
R.R.
1114.B. M.H.S. HOTEL, 446 FT. LONG.
Ingersoll’s Northern Pacific Railroad stereoviews
only have one style. This image shows the National Hotel at Mammoth.
1265.B. GRAND FALLS INSTANTANEOUS, 360 FT. HIGH.
Another of Ingersoll’s Northern Pacific Railroad
views, this photo is included because the exact same photograph shows up under
the publisher, New
Educational Series. This further indicates a direct relationship between the
two publishers.
SELECTED YELLOWSTONE PARK VIEWS
1277.B. Y. RIV. CANON FROM LOWER FALLS.
The "Selected Views" set was a small issue of
Blue-Letter B Series views. This image shows the Grand Canyon of the
Yellowstone.
UNTITLED SERIES [Plain Yellow Cabinet Mounts]
1155.B. UPPER PULPIT TERRACES
This plain yellow mount has no credit of any
kind. The titling makes it an obvious Ingersoll Blue-Letter B Series view. It is
not known if this is a pirate view or if Ingersoll released these with no
credit.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - NEW SERIES
[1899 - Regular,
Cream-colored Mounts]
This is the series
for which an Ingersoll stereoview catalog does survive. It was the first set of
Ingersoll Yellowstone views that were produced on regular sized mounts 3 ½ x 7.
They are of generally mediocre quality and have not held up well. The photos are
often faded and titles are hard to read. They all have the title on a white
strip over the photo on the lower right front of the view. Numbering is from
1100-1289 and is NOT sequential! There are 38 numbers missing. They were
probably damaged or duplicate negatives. This is significant. All photos from
this set were taken directly from Ingersoll's red-letter "A" series and
blue-letter "B" series. Also at least one view from this set is actually a
photograph by F. Jay
Haynes. Whether or not this photo was purchased or pirated is not known.
Views from this
series were also available in a poorly tinted form. Probably by special order
only. Not all views exist in this tinted style.
1258 Kepplers Cascades (Instantaneous)
Ingersoll’s New Series. These were issued in
1899. They are of poor quality and often fade. They were re-issues of earlier
Ingersoll negatives on cheaper curved mount stock. This photo shows Kepler
Cascades near Old Faithful.
1192 Gibbon Falls from below.
Another of Ingersoll’s New Series. Aging gives
the illusion of different card stock, but these two images are of the same
style. Here we see Gibbon Falls from its base.
4563. Giant Geyser in Action, Bryant Profile.
An odd photo from the New Series is this one of
Giant Geyser numbered 4563. It does not appear in the Ingersoll catalog. In fact
it may have been taken by F. Jay
Haynes.
1102. Devils Slide - Cinnabar.
Ingersoll did release poor quality tinted views
for the first time in this set. This one is of a rail car near the town of
Cinnabar, Montana. Devil’s Slide can be seen in the distance.
Two other common
Ingersoll sets use photos from the 1899 "New Series."
First is his
"Sporting & Hunting Views" series. This set shows many views from
Ingersoll’s home state of Minnesota. Much of it is devoted to waterfowl hunting.
It does however contain a few Yellowstone scenes.
109 Camp on Yellowstone Lake.
This amazing photo shows the famous Camp on
Yellowstone Lake. It is almost but not exactly the same as the one taken by F. Jay
Haynes. It was definitely taken at the same time. Is this a Haynes photo? Or
were Haynes and Ingersoll at this camp together?
3117. Our Camp near Lake Abundance.
This view shows the same group of men camping at
Lake Abundance near present day Cooke City, Montana.
Second is the "American
Picturesque." set. This group contains views from around the United States
including several of Yellowstone.
1267. Rapids of Yellowstone River.
The American Picturesque set contains views from
around the United States. This image shows the Yellowstone River above Upper
Falls.
INGERSOLL VIEW COMPANY
These views are most
interesting. They represent a renaissance in Ingersoll stereoview production. At
a time when he was only issuing cheap color lithographs, Ingersoll once more
returned to Yellowstone and produced a high quality black and white series on
thick card stock. The series was so successful that it was re-issued several
times in various forms. The views are copyrighted from various years in the
1900’s. They are all pre-1910.
There are three
styles of stereoview as a result of this last Ingersoll trip to Yellowstone They
all have similar photographs but are different in the exact wording of their
photo titles.
HIGH GRADE ORIGINAL VIEWS (both sides) - TAN COLORED MOUNTS
Sold by Canvassers.
This was
most likely a door to door set only. All view titles have two dots preceding the
title. There appears to be only one printing of this style, as no variations
have appeared. However there is a subset (or boxed set) that was available for
purchase, as indicated by the numbers in parenthesis on some views. These
numbers go as high as 72. I suspect a 75 or 100 view boxed set does exist in
some form.
..1172 (28) The Black Growler, Norris Geyser
Basin,
Yellowstone National Park.
One of Ingersoll’s later sets of high quality.
"High Grade Original Views" appears on both sides of the view.
INGERSOLL VIEW COMPANY (left side) HIGH GRADE ORIGINAL VIEWS (right
side)
Cream Colored Mounts
Most titles
from this style start with two dots, but some begin with four or six. Numbers
range from #1100 – #1301. There is a slight color variation on some of these
mounts (an indication of multiple printings).
....1214. Chimney Cones and Firehole River
Bridge.
An Ingersoll View Company tan mount. This view
begins with four periods as opposed to others with one, two or six. This image
shows an obsolete bridge over the Firehole River at Upper Geyser Basin.
..1301 Fishing from Hot Spring Cone, at Thumb,
Yellowstone
Lake, Yellowstone Nat. Park.
Copyrighted 1903 by T. W. Ingersoll.
A higher number Ingersoll View Co. tan mount.
This view only has two periods. It shows a group of tourists at Fishing Cone in
the West Thumb Geyser Basin.
INGERSOLL VIEW COMPANY (left side) HIGH GRADE ORIGINAL VIEWS (right
side)
Gray Mounts – sometimes company titles are reversed.
These are
the gray mounts with silver writing on the view sides. With few exceptions, all
titles start with two dots. Several have no dots. Numbers range from #1100 –
#1364. This set appears directly related to the previous set above, but since it
contains more total views, I am not sure which one was issued first. The titles
of the two sets do not match. There is a subset (or boxed set) to this silver
set, as indicated by the numbers in parenthesis on some views. I have seen
numbers as high as 56 in this subset. This silver set was also available in
high-quality colorized versions. They were likely by special order only.
1313. A Bit of the Gardiner River Canyon Road
Yellowstone
National Park.
A good example of the Ingersoll View Company gray
mount with silver lettering can be seen here. This was Ingersoll’s last original
series of Yellowstone. This view of a coach in Gardner River Canyon has no
copyright date but is from around 1905.
Old Faithful Inn, East End, the Magnificent Hotel at the
Upper Geyser Basin,
Yellowstone National Park.
Copyrighted 1906, by T. W.
Ingersoll.
A second type of view is this one of the Old
Faithful Inn. It does have a copyright date of 1906 on the lower right side.
..1216. Sponge Boiling Spring, Upper Gey. Basin.
Y.N.P.
Some views in the gray mount set were color
tinted. They were far superior in color to those from the New Series. This image
is of Sponge Geyser on Geyser Hill in the Upper Geyser Basin.
AMERICAN AND FOREIGN VIEWS
Beige Mounts.
Yet another
Ingersoll set about which little is known.
......1154 Pulpit Terraces - Southward.
This view of the Pulpit Terrace is on lighter
card stock then its counterpart below. Both types were sold by canvassers only.
......1281. Tower Falls. 150 feet. (From below.)
Another of the American & Foreign Views. This
one of Tower Fall is on darker card stock.
......1264. Grand Falls & Yellowstone River from Point
Lookout.
Like the Ingersoll View Co., these were available
in color tinted form. They were probably by special order only. This one credits
L. Swingle & Co. of Hicksville, Ohio for the color tinting.
1163 Golden Gate and Pillar.
Here wee see a view that on the right side now
credits Liberty Brand rather than T.W. Ingersoll. Clearly this is still an
Ingersoll view. This probably represents the transition over to the New
Educational Series, which were primarily made up of Ingersoll views as well.
THE LITHOGRAPHS
82 Grand Falls of the Yellowstone River, 360 Feet
High
Copyrighted, 1903, by T. W. Ingersoll.
A low number Ingersoll lithograph. This one was
part of a set of United States views. The publisher of the set in uncredited.
247. Grotto Geyser Cone After Eruption, Upper Geyser
Basin,
Yellowstone National Park.
This common Ingersoll lithograph of Grotto Geyser
was issued as part of an 800 view set of world views. It was re-released in many
forms and subsets as well. Two printing types of this view are shown.
247. Grotto Geyser Cone After Eruption, Upper Geyser
Basin,
Yellowstone National Park.
A second printing of the above view.
485. Millions of Trout in Yellowstone River.
Also part of the 800 world view set, this fishing
scene was part of several angling scenes from around the United States.
722. Riverside Geyser in Eruption, Upper Geyser Basin,
Y.N.P.
The 700 numbers from the 800 view world set
comprised mostly parks and nature scenes. This scene shows Riverside Geyser in
eruption.
722. Riverside Geyser in Eruption, Upper Geyser Basin,
Y.N.P.
One of the re-issues of this view was with a
white mount background. These white mounts were not issued for all 800 views,
but only a select few.
1305. Mud Geyser and Mud Volcano in Distance,
Yellowstone
Park.
This view is part of a set issued in 1905 by Sears, Roebuck
& Co. as their "Oleograph" set of educational views of U.S. & World
subjects, with glossy finish cards. Originally it was sold as a boxed set of 200
views. Cards are numbered from 1200 – 1399 and contain many Yellowstone views.
For more Ingersoll images, see also: New
Educational Series, Whiting View
Company, W. R. Cross.
T. W.
INGERSOLL VIEWLIST
Yellowstone
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