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THBC.O. Smithers & Frank Ward Photographs 1910-40s
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About Auction
LiveJan 18, 2025
Join us for our Photography of the West: D.F. Barry, Huffman & Antique Beadwork—January 18th, 2025 Auction here in Bozeman, Montana. Including 100's of images from the ex-C.M. Russell Museum collection of D.F. Barry Photographs as well as a large Western Antique and Beadwork collection. North American Auction Company tucker@naabid.com
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- Lot Description
Featured in this lot are various photographs taken and collected by C. Owen Smithers and his business partner Frank Ward circa 1910-40s. These photos come from the C. Owen Smithers Photo Collection. C. Owen Smithers was born in 1893. He grew up in Kalispell, where he learned the skill of photography and the usage of a darkroom while working in his father's drugstore. He enrolled in the University of Montana's new School of Journalism in 1914, becoming one of the first press photographer students. During World War I, he served as a mess sergeant in France under General Pershing. During World War II, he returned to active duty as the Army Signal Corps Photography Chief, stationed in New York City, where he oversaw all Army Photography Sections in New York, New Jersey and Delaware. Smithers arrived in Butte in 1921, after serving in World War I. From 1921 to 1923, he was the Chief Photographer for the Anaconda Standard, where he captured the ever-changing panorama of Butte, Montana, on the streets and in the mining yards. Smithers collaborated with Frank Ward and Tom Manning between 1923 and 1924, before establishing his own photography studio in 1926. From the 1930s until his retirement in 1972, Smithers photographed every President of the United States, from Herbert Hoover to Richard Nixon. He passed away in 1973, just a year after retiring. The photos show various scenes such as Bud's Tire Company, a photo looking into the valley of Butte, a teepee near Polson, Montana, a bird's eye view of Anaconda, Main Street in Butte, an ore train on the Butte, Anaconda, and Pacific Railway, Butte Central Catholic High School, wood wagons on Virginia City Main Street, a school building in the middle of no where, men at a 1932 convention, a ferry boat on Flathead Lake, Fourth of July decorations lining the Main Street of Butte, twenty-two photos of ledger books and the customers, a ceremony at Bannack, mining equipment at Butte, the Chinese Joss House in Virginia City and more. Also included is a small pocket book with a red Frank Ward sticker on the front reading, "Frank Ward Silver Bow Block / The Engraver Butte, Mont.". The pocket book features items they sell, domestic postage prices, money order rates, postal distances and time, brief business laws, legal holidays, useful information, 365 day calendar, maps of the world, first aid knowledge and ledger sections. Various photos show a stamp on the back reading, "C. Owen Smithers / The Commercial Photographer", while others have the name "Smithers" or "F. Ward" on the bottom left or right hand side of the photos. The photos show fair condition overall with some fused together and others exhibiting major burn marks, tears and creases throughout. The photos measure from 10" L x 8" W to 3 3/8" L x 5 3/4" W. The pocket book measures 5 7/8" L x 2 7/8" W. They have a collective weight of 14 ounces.
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