Introduction to the description of Cromer papers

GUIDE TO THE GABRIEL CROMER

MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION

Introduction

The papers in this collection document the inventions, writings, correspondence, and collecting activities of Gabriel Cromer, as well as the subsequent history of his collection.

Michel-Alexandre-Edmond-Joseph-Gabriel Cromer was born in Rethel (Ardennes) in 1873. He received Bachelor degrees in secondary education (1892) and law (1894). However, he soon gave up these professions in favor of the chief interest of his life, photography. He developed a passion for many aspects of photography. Cromer’s specialty was carbon printing, which he practiced commercially. His portraits and landscapes in the pictorialist style appeared in exhibitions in various countries and won competition medals. Cromer’s inventions for pseudo-stereoscopy, sharper focus, and better lighting of photographic objects earned him numerous patents in France, England, and Germany. His articles on his innovations were published in various journals, as were his writings on the history of photography, including his papers on Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, the Daguerre-Nièpce controversy, and François Willème, the inventor of photosculpture.

Fascinated by the origins and development of photography, Cromer collected daguerreotypes, photographs, photo-equipment, and old documents that could shed light on its history. Possessing a remarkable taste and knowledge, he amassed a collection of primary importance.

In 1912 Gabriel Cromer became a member of the Société Française de la Photographie, and in 1927 was elected to its administrative council. He was a very active member of the Société, delivering numerous addresses at its meetings on historical and technical subjects, which were subsequently published in the Société’s Bulletins. Cromer also played a central role in organizing the exhibition dedicated to the centenary of photography in 1926, which was sponsored by the Société Française de la Photographie, and which included many of the finest items from Cromer’s own collection.

It was Cromer’s dream that some day his collection would serve as the core of a French national museum dedicated to photography. He wrote an article on this subject and explained his proposals at a meeting of the Société Française de la Photographie in January of 1925, which accepted them. However, the French government was not interested in this idea at first, and later Cromer’s sudden death in 1934 and the impending war in Europe prevented his vision from being realized in his home country. Later, Eastman Kodak Company (EKC) in Rochester, New York expressed interest in acquiring the collection for a photography museum of its own. In 1939, following negotiations with Cromer’s widow, Kodak purchased most of the collection for $18,000 (500,000fr.). By 1949 it was transferred to the newly formed photographic museum at George Eastman House (GEH). One of Eastman House’s core collections, the Cromer collection was the foundation of GEH’s outstanding strength in nineteenth century European photography.

Scope of the Collection and Arrangement of the Material

Ten boxes of papers constitute the bulk of the Menschel Library’s Cromer manuscript holdings. Of these, six boxes (92, 93, 94, 94a, 94b, 94c) are described in detail in this guide.

Box 94a contains Cromer family documents, including birth and death certificates, college diplomas, and the award letter naming Cromer a Knight of the Legion of Honor, as well as original patents with complete specifications and Cromer’s handmade drawings of nine of his inventions. Box 94b contains issues of the Bulletin de la Société Française de la Photographie with Cromer’s articles, and his typed manuscripts with his corrections. Box 94c is dedicated to the correspondence of M. Cromer and his widow with such photographic notables as Louis Lumière, P. H. Emerson, René Hennequin, etc., as well as letters of various historic figures, including Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon, Alphonse Giroux, Jules Janin, and others. It also contains documents concerning the history of the collection after Cromer’s death, such as sales, gifts, and inheritances.

Boxes 92, 93, and 94 house correspondence concerning the sale of the collection to EKC (Box # 92), Cromer’s original photographs, file cards, notes, and correspondence (Box #93), and fragments of his manuscript on the important dates in the history of photography (Box # 94).

There is an index to all important names mentioned in these six boxes.

Other Cromer holdings are housed in boxes 12, 51, 95, and 96. The Cromer material in box 12 is dedicated to Nicèphore Nièpce. It includes various photographs, photocopies of Nièpce’s letters, and a facsimile of the Nièpce’s letter on which Cromer based his assumptions that Nièpce was the inventor of photography. Box 51, which is dedicated to Daguerre and his partner Bouton, contains correspondence, notes, and ephemera collected by Cromer. Boxes 95 and 96 contain additional ephemera from the Cromer collection related to J. L. M. Daguerre. Still other material, such as autograph letters collected by Cromer, is scattered throughout the manuscript collection. These holdings will be described in a future collection guide.

Provenance

Most of the Cromer papers in the Menschel Library came to Rochester with the Cromer collection as part of the EKC purchase of 1939. They were placed on deposit by Kodak in the newly founded GEH museum in 1949, and in 1972 they were gifted to GEH.

The contents of boxes 94a, 94b, and 94c are a recent purchase. They were acquired by the Library’s director Rachel Stuhlman in 2001 for $4,160 from the dealer Serge Plantureux, who had bought them at an auction at the Drouot on June 16, 2000. These documents, which had belonged to the Cromer family, were added to some 6,500 Cromer-related items already in the Museum’s collection.

The papers in the six boxes were organized, and the index and this guide were created in 2002 by Zinaida Tsemel, a volunteer at the Menschel Library. She worked under the supervision of Becky Simmons, Associate Librarian of the Menschel Library, and Rachel Stuhlman, Librarian of the Menschel Library. The introduction to the guide was written by Zinaida Tsemel and edited by Rachel Stuhlman.

Box 94a: Cromer’s Family Documents and Inventions

I. Family birth and death certificates

1. A birth certificate of Michel Cromer (Cromer’s paternal grandfather), Sept. 29, 1814.

2. Two copies of a birth certificate of Michel Alexandre Cromer (Cromer’s father), March 19, 1842.

3. A death certificate of Michel Cromer (Cromer’s paternal grandfather), April 23, 1869.

4. A death certificate of Remiette Alexandrine Barreaux (Cromer’s paternal grandmother), March 9, 1876.

5. A genealogical list of the Cromer family with four handwritten notes enclosed.

II. Other family papers

1. A certificate for a medal for the Italian campaign belonging to Jules Michel Cromer, 1859.

2. A BA degree in literature belonging to Michel Alexandre Cromer (Cromer’s father), 1860.

3. A BA degree in law belonging to Michel Alexandre Cromer (Cromer’s father), 1862.

4. A law license belonging to Michel Alexandre Cromer (Cromer’s father), August 21, 1863.

5. Certificate from Ministère de la Justice et des Cultes designating Michel Alexandre Cromer (Cromer’s father) an attorney (avoué), 1869.

6. A BA degree in secondary education belonging to Michel Alexandre Edmond Joseph Gabriel Cromer, Oct. 8, 1892.

7. A BA degree in law belonging to Michel Alexandre Edmond Joseph Gabriel Cromer, Oct. 19, 1894.

8. A letter informing Michel Alexandre Edmond Joseph Gabriel Cromer that he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor (Feb. 3, 1929) with handwritten correspondence on the matter between the Minister of Culture and the Honorable Director of the Minister of War’s Civil Cabinet.

III. Papers pertaining to Cromer’s inventions

1. “Ditir” (a term coined by Cromer from the words “diaphragme” and “tirage” which describes “an auxiliary device which indicates the diaphragm and the camera extension to be used in order to obtain the sharpest focus”).

a. A drawing of the device and two copies of the patent drawing.

b. A one-page printed description of the device.

c. Two typescripts by Cromer (one in 3 versions) explaining the advantage of this device in comparison with others currently in use, with Cromer’s corrections (1912).

d. Typed letter from the Office Nationale de la Propriété Industrielle dated Feb. 28, 1912.

See also an article on the device printed in the Bulletin de la Société Française de Photographie in April, 1912 contained in Box 94b, IV:1.

2. “Ecran-parasol” [“Umbrella-screen”].

a. A patent and two other related documents, all dated Dec. 24, 1901.

b. Cromer’s annotated drawings and two photographs of the device.

c. Letters from the Patent Office (6 letters, 1901-1906), one regarding the description of the device, the others concerning Cromer’s annuities.

d. Two copies of each of the three contracts with the maker of photographic equipment Emile Gilles (1905) and Gilles’ letter (Dec. 11, 1906) in which he renounces the partnership.

3. “Chassis pour le tirage de positifs pseudo-stereoscopiques sur verre” [“Frame for the printing of pseudo-stereoscopic pictures on glass”].

a. Patent (Feb. 27, 1919) and two accompanying documents (Sept. 17, 1919) from the patent office.

b. Cromer’s drawing of the device.

c. Two copies of a contract with Albert Mattey which gave him exclusive manufacturing and selling rights, dated May 22, 1920.

d. Earlier version of the patent description (incomplete typescript, pp. 2-6).

4. “Ecran grillagé” [“Screen with grid”].

a. The French patent with description, design, and a printed drawing of the device (May 4, 1901).

b. Another printed drawing of the device (Nov. 19, 1901).

c. An agreement by which Cromer cedes the rights to exhibit or sell the device in Paris on the right side of the Seine to Mr. Martin (March, 1905).

d. The English patent with provisional and complete specifications (Nov. 18, 1901).

e. The German patent with specifications (Nov. 24, 1901).

f. Two printed photos of the device.

g. Cromer’s drawings of the device (Nov. 1902).

h. A letter from A. Paullussen to Cromer admiring the device (1901).

i. A letter from the patent office regarding a US patent (Oct. 18, 1902).

5. “Curseurs donnant directement le tirage et le diaphragme exacts pour la mise au point” [“Cursors which indicate the exact focus and the diaphragm adjustment”].

a. A receipt for documentation on patent specifications.

b. Three French patents with Cromer’s specifications (1911-1912).

c. Refusal of the German patent (April 12, 1913).

e. Cromer’s drawing and a print from drawing of the device (July 30, 1912).

6. “Commande automatique de diaphragmes” [“Automatic diaphragm drive”].

a. A French patent promulgated on July 6, 1912 with an engraving after Cromer’s original drawing of the device.

b. An addition to the above patent submitted on Jan. 27, 1912 with an engraving after Cromer’s original drawing of the device.

7. “Montures pour l’application de photographies sur la maroquinerie” [“Mounts for the printing of photographs on Moroccan leather”].

a. Cromer’s drawings of the device.

b. A statement of the French origin of the invention.

c. A letter from Cromer to the optician M. Duplorinle(?) about the making of two models of the device (Jan. 1, 1912).

d. Letters from the Office Nationale de la Propriété Industrielle pertaining to the exhibition of two models of the mounts at the Conservatoire Nationale des Arts et Métiers on Sept. 28, 1915.

e. Cromer’s receipts for the 4fr. he paid for two additional negatives of the models and the 60fr. he paid as tax for the exhibition (Oct. 1, 1915).

f. A handwritten note describing the models.

8. “Dispositif applicable aux phares d’automobiles en vue d’éviter la projection latérale des rayons lumineux” [“A device applied to the lights of cars to avoid the horizontal projection of luminous rays”]

a. Patent with specifications (no date).

b. Five drawings and notes related to the invention.

9. “Appareil pour l’éclairage des sujets à photographier” [“A device for lighting the objects to be photographed”]

A patent (April 19, 1923).

10. Four engraved drawings of a device for adjusting the aperture or the focus of a stereoscopic camera, two of them intended for application for a German patent.

11. Cromer’s receipt for the taxes he paid on the income derived from his inventions (Jan. 22, 1913).

Box 94b: Cromer’s Publications and Manuscripts

IV. Issues of Bulletin de la Société Française de Photographie containing articles by Cromer (1912-1933)

1. April, 1912. “Les ‘Ditirs’ – appareils indiquant le diaphragme et le tirage à employer pour obtenir dans chaque cas une mise au point exacte du sujet à photographier” [“The ‘Ditirs’ – a device that indicates the diaphragm adjustment of the aperture and the camera extension to be used in order to obtain the sharpest focus”] (pp. 136-148). Two offprints of Cromer’s article, one with a handwritten address on it, another with a handwritten dedication. See also patents and descriptions of the device in Box 94a, III:1.

2. May, 1913. “Réglage automatique du tirage des appareils photographiques à main de façon que ce tirage corresponde toujours à distance hyperfocale résultant du diaphragme employé” [“Automatic regulation of the camera’s extension, so that it always corresponds with the hyper-focal distance of the chosen aperture”] (pp. 167-171). An offprint of Cromer’s article with a handwritten dedication.

3. June, 1913. An offprint of Cromer’s article “L’Effet de Neige en Stéréoscopie: son origine et moyen d’y remédier” [“The effect of snow in stereoscopy: its origin and means of its reduction”] with a handwritten dedication.

4. July, 1914. An offprint of Cromer’s article “L’unification de temps de pose dans l’aggrandissement” [“Unification of the exposure time in enlargement”].

5. March, 1919.

a. A list of members newly admitted into the Société including M. Paul Payen, introduced by Cromer and Cousin (pp. 114).

b. “Tirage pseudo-stéréoscopique des clichés non stéréoscopiques de petit format” [“Pseudo-stereoscopic printing from non-stereoscopic negatives of small size”] (pp.152-158) with a hand-written note on p.158 by Cromer’s nephew that he was helping his uncle and M. Lumière with the organization of the centenary of photography. Two copies of a separately published extract of the issue, one with Cromer’s handwritten dedication. See also Cromer’s typed manuscript of this article in VI:2.

6. Sept., 1923. “Deux détails historiques sur la photographie. La découverte du daguerréotype annoncé par un journal dès 1835. Les tableaux mécaniques en projections de Bourbouze vers 1871.” [“Two details of the history of photography – Discovery of the Daguerrotype announced by a journal in 1835 – Bourbouze’s projection of mechanical engines in motion in 1871”] (pp. 259-261). Communicated to the general session on June 22, 1923.

7. March, 1924. “L’Histoire de la Photographie et de ses précurseurs enseignée par l’image et l’objet d’époque. Première exposition: Daguerre artiste, et son Diorama.” [“The History of photography and its originators demonstrated by the images and objects of the epoch. The first exhibition: Daguerre, the artist and his diorama.”] (pp. 52-65). See also a typed manuscript of this article with Cromer’s handwritten corrections in VI:4.

8. Jan., 1925.

a. “Il faut créer un musée de la photographie. Où doit-il être? Que doit-il être? Quelles pourraient être ses premières richesses?” [“It’s necessary to create a museum of photography. Where should it be? What should it be? What should be its first treasures?”] (pp. 14-19).

b. A short notice that following Cromer’s presentation it was decided to found the museum and to choose a committee to study how to realize the proposal (p.3). See also a typed manuscript of this article with Cromer’s handwritten corrections in VI:5.

V. Other publications related to Cromer and/or his collection and inventions

1. An article by Dr. Raoul Blondel cut from Echos de Paris (date 1919 written in pen) on an outbreak of tuberculosis, which mentions “radiographic stereoscopic vision” as useful in combating the disease.

2. Pages from La Revue Française de Photographie et Cinématographie containing Cromer’s article “François Willème, Inventor of Photosculpture” (Oct. 1, 1924, pp. 261-264) and its continuation (Oct. 15, 1924, pp. 267-270).

3. An article by Raymond Cogniat cut from an unknown newspaper (date 1931 written in pencil) about the idea of the museum of photography, which mentions that such a museum already exists in Bièvres founded by Jean Fage; it consists of two halls and doesn’t have enough space.

4. A notice about a meeting of the Société Française de Photographie in October, 1957.

5. A notice about a meeting of the Vieux Papier, a historical, archeological and artistic society, on Dec. 27, 1927.

6. Two reproductions of Cromer’s prints: “Daguerreotypomania” and “The Daguerreotrappe,” the later reproduced in La Mode of Oct. 26, 1889.

7. An extract of a publication of the Société Française de Photographie on the centenary of color photography.

VI. Cromer’s typed articles with handwritten corrections

1. “Proposal to the government on the collection of the history of photography, its precursors and applications”

2. “The pseudo-stereoscopia” [name given to a camera] Dec., 1918. See also the published version of this article in IV:5.

3. “The three sources of illumination. Essay on the method of lighting the object to be photographed. Presentation of some devices to put it into practice.” Nov. 1924.

4. “The History of photography and its precursors demonstrated by the images and objects of the epoch. The first exhibition: Daguerre, the artist and his diorama.” Jan. 25, 1924. There is also a handwritten version of this article on 18 sheets and another typed manuscript with proofs (pp. 2-20). See also the published version of this article in IV:7.

5. “It’s necessary to create a museum of photography. Where should it be? What should it be? What should be its first treasures?” Dec., 1924. See also the published version of this article in IV:8.

6. Cromer’s typed manuscript on focusing with his corrections. He intended to include this in the brochure on a “stereospido métallique” [metallic stereospido] (a camera) (1914).

7. A typed extract of an unidentified article (pp. 2-20) largely concerned with Daguerre.

Box 94c: Correspondence and the History of the Collection

VII. Letters to Cromer

1. Letters from J. Demaria (the General Commissioner) about the Fourth Exposition of Photography.

a. Dec. 3, 1925, asking him to assist at the reunion of the committee and thanking him for help with organizing the exhibition.

b. Jan. 27, 1926, about a meeting that he wishes Cromer to attend.

2. Letter from M. Dignimont (Oct. 15, 1934) thanking Cromer for an album he had brought the writer and asking to see Cromer.

3. Letters from l’École Proféssionale de Photographie et Cinématographie.

a. July 2, 1924, written at Louis Lumière’s request to thank Cromer for giving cast of Willem’s [sic] statuette as a gift to l’École [Willème].

b. Oct. 5, 1927, informed of Cromer’s decision, Louis Lumière has told the writer to insist on Cromer’s collaboration since he is the only one qualified to teach the art of portraiture to future French photographers. Wouldn’t Cromer agree to fill up the post at least till they’ve found a professor?

c. Apr. 10, 1934, an invitation and agenda for a meeting at l’École.

4. Letter from Paul Flobert, President of the society Le Vieux Papier (June 7, 1927) who’d like to know more about the physionotrace and “the forty works of Daguerre.”

5. Letters from Paul Fort.

a. 1903, a calling card with his best wishes.

b. 1909, a letter thanking him for making three portraits of “our little Jeanne.”

6. Letter with an undecipherable signature from the bookshop of J. de Francia (Feb. 2, 1926) asking Cromer to write an article for Photo-Revue on the photo exhibition they are mounting.

7. Letter from M. Gaumont (?) (March 9, 1930) thanking Comer for the paper he has sent him and telling Cromer that a while ago someone invited him [the writer] to a gala in honor of M. Méliès; he agreed, but when he learned the names of the other guests – “the same who are against Lumière” – he declined, although he did sent 1000 fr.; he’ll talk to his successor about finding a position for Méliès, although it won’t be easy considering “his age and his friends (at the gala).”

8. Letter from Gilles-Faller, camera-makers, (Jan. 30, 1926) asking him to help in the reconstruction of a Daguerreotype apparatus for an exhibition of photography.

9. Letter from M. Gosselin (Feb. 22, 1929) who wishes to show him a portrait made with the aid of a “tibscope” [sic] and his own moonlight effect.

10. Letter from René Hennequin (Feb. 26, 1928) about a presentation at a meeting of Le Vieux Papier, compliments Cromer and writes about a catalog.

11. Letter from M. Hugou-Roydon (?) (great-nephew of Daguerre) on the letterhead of the Ministry of Education and Fine Arts in response to Cromer’s invitation to an exhibition on Jan. 25, 1924, that he can’t attend due to a previous engagement.

12. Letter on a stationary of Daniel Jacomet & Co. (May 3, year unknown) about an appointment to make a photocopy of some document.

13. Letter from the French President Albert Lebrun (May 30, 1932) thanking him for his congratulations.

14. Letter from M. Larief on the letterhead of the Société Lumière (June 24, 1929) on his father-in-law’s condition.

15. Letters from Louis Lumière.

a. Jan. 28, 1927, to thank him for a lithograph by (?) Daguerre and “two very rare works that I found in the packet which you brought me yesterday.”

b. Nov. 22, 1927, concerning a visit.

c. June 2, 1928, setting a visit date.

d. Apr. 22, 1929, that he’d be happy to visit Cromer on May 2, but would it be all right if he came a little late because of a family gathering on the occasion of his granddaughter’s first communion?

e. Jan. 7, 1930, thanking him for his good wishes and wishing him the same (calling card).

f. Nov. 14, 1930, praising Cromer’s article on panoramic photography in the Bulletin de la Société Française de Photographie.

g. Jan. 4, 1931, thanking him for his good wishes on the New Year and wishing him the same; congratulates him on the discovery of some precious objects for his collection and hopes to admire them when he returns to Paris in February.

h. (no date), a thank you and best wishes on Lumière’s calling card.