Arts and Sciences, Volume 5, 1941. Dedicated to the American Museum of Photography.

Pennsylvania Arts & Sciences Society, 1941. Edited by Louis Walton Sipley, assisted by Margaret L. Brady. Clothbound, 100 pages. An excellent overview of Philadelphia's American Museum of Photography directed by Sipley, including descriptions of 19th and 20th century collections, most of which are now at the George Eastman Museum, and interesting facts about the history of photography. Illustrations by Elias Goldensky, Harold E. Edgerton, J.W. Black, Martin Hyman, William N. Jennings, Paul Arno Mann, William Henry Jackson, et al. Group portrait of museum board members, including Goldensky and Sipley. Photograph of William Henry Jackson visiting museum with Caspar Briggs, et al. Photograph of Goldensky pretending to take a daguerreotype of Elizabeth Williams. Includes directory of Philadelphia professional photographers in 1941, with notes about their practice. Fine, with just a trace of wear at bottom of spine. Summary:

Published in 1941, this specific volume of Arts and Sciences serves as a vital historical prospectus for the American Museum of Photography (AMP) in Philadelphia, which opened its doors the year prior. It marks the formal debut of the first institution in the United States solely dedicated to the history and practice of photography.

The Mission of the American Museum of Photography

The volume outlines the museum’s primary objective: to preserve the rapid evolution of the photographic medium. Under the leadership of its first director, Louis Walton Sipley, the museum sought to bridge the gap between photography as a technical science and photography as a fine art.

Key Sections and Features

• A Historical Overview: The publication details the museum’s collection of early photographic apparatus, including rare Daguerreotype equipment, early cameras, and the transition into "modern" motion picture technology.

• The "Philadelphia Connection": It emphasizes Philadelphia’s role as the cradle of American photography, highlighting local pioneers like Robert Cornelius (who took the first light-picture self-portrait) and the Langenheim brothers (pioneers of the talbotype in America).

• Commercial and Graphic Arts: Unlike other art institutions of the time, this volume shows that the AMP was deeply interested in the graphic arts. It provides an overview of photo-engraving processes, color printing, and the commercial applications of photography that shaped the 20th-century media landscape.

• Tribute to Pioneers: The text functions as a dedication to the collectors and scientists who donated their "physical history"—actual equipment and glass plates—to ensure the medium's pedigree was not lost.

Significance

At the time of this publication in 1941, photography was still fighting for legitimacy within traditional art circles. Arts and Sciences, Volume 5 documented the museum’s attempt to professionalize the field. While the AMP's physical collections were eventually dispersed (largely to the International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House), this volume remains a primary source for understanding the first organized effort to curate the American photographic legacy.