photographer: Bradley & Rulofson
Entrance, 14 Dupont Street
over city of Paris
Between Market and Geary
San Francisco
reverse of the card at the left
Many examples of
Bradley and Rulofson work
can be found at Wikimedia Commons
There are extensive and detailed biographies available on line
describing the lives of Henry William Bradley and William Herman
Rulofson. LOST GALLERY will concentrate here on a timeline of events
to locate where they worked and when. Again, not all the accountings
of the lives of these two men agree. There are some minor differences
in dates and events. The following timeline combines the best version
available.
During their studio days Bradley and Rulofson photographed hundreds of
celebrities and notable Californians. These included such people as
Bret Hart, Susan B Anthony, Queen Emma of Hawaii and Emperor Joshua A
Norton.
Visit some of these fine sources:
From Broadway Photographs
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Prologue: Guilty Secrets
an extensive review
From Rogue Scholar by Richard W. Bailey
Photograph examples
Calisphere
Cabinet Card Gallery examples
Timeline
Henry William Bradley
(1813-1891)
William Herman Rulofson
(1826-1878)
1813 Nov 02
Henry William Bradley born in Wilmington, North Carolina
1826 Sep 27
William Herman Rulofson born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
1846
Bradley returns to North Carolina from New Orleans, LA, where he was
studying photography
1847
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, Rulofson establishes a studio
1848 Dec 27
The Weekly Herald and Conception Bay General Advertiser, advertisement for W H Rulofson and Daguerotype Miniatures
1849
Stockton, CA, Rulofson leaves wife and daughter to move to California
and establishes a daguerreotype studio
- continued in next row -
1850 Feb
Bradley leaves North Carolina and opens a photography studio in San
Francisco, CA, on west side of Montgomery st between Washington and
Jackson sts; this was variously advertised as “over the Pacific Baths”
and in July, “Opposite Delmonico’s” and in September “271 Montgomery
st, upstairs”
1851 May 04
Bradley’s first studio burns down and he opens a new studio within two
weeks over Jack’s and Blake’s Jewelry Store, opposite the post office
on Clay Street; also begins selling photographic materials; He
advertises his location from June 19 through August as “Moffats
Building, opposite post office” and in January, 1852 as ”Clay st corner
of Kearney”
1851
John B Cameron and William Herman Rulofson were in partnership as
Rulofson & Cameron in Sonora. They conducted business in a car.
1853
Bradley establishes a branch studio in Sacramento, CA, at 68 and 70
”I“ street, between Third and Fourth streets
1856
Bradley wins prize for photography at California State Fair
1857 January 18
Rulofson buys Cameron's remaining interest in the Sonora
gallery.
1858
Bradley closes his gallery at the corner of Clay and Kerney
1859 Sep 21
Wilmington, NC, Bradley marries Betsy Euphemia Cutlar
1861
Bradley moves his wholesale photograph materials business to 622 Clay,
San Francisco, CA
1861 or 1863
Rulofson leases out his Sonora Gallery gallery and moves to moves to
San Francisco, CA
1863
Bradley and Rulofson join forces in San Francisco, CA, buying out the
portrait gallery of daguerreotypist Robert H Vance to establish
the photographic art gallery of Bradley & Rulofson at 429 Montgomery
st, San Francisco, CA
1864
Bradley and Rolofson win the contract to photograph San Francisco’s
defense facilities at Fort Alcatraz and Fort Point; the pair became
embroiled in a dispute and resulting scandal in which they were
accused of being Confederate spies because they claimed ownership to
the nearly 2000 negatives and sold prints in their gallery; the
military seized the negatives citing violation of War Department
orders against publishing photographs of military installations; the
negatives were returned after settlement of the dispute
1866
Bradely and Rulofson begin offering patent enameled card photographs
1867
Rulofson’s wife Amelia dies
1871
W H Rulofson’s brother Edward H Rulloff is hanged for murder
1871
The Chicago, IL, fire causes significant losses to Bradley and his
photography supply business leading to bankruptcy in 1877
1872
Bradley and Rulofson install an elevator to their second floor
studio at 429 Montgomery
1873
Rulofson wins gold medal in Vienna
1874
Rulofson wins gold medal in Philadelphia, PA,
1874
Rulofson is elected president of the National Photographic
Association
1875
Bradley and Rulofson employ Louis Thors at the gallery
1875
The photographers publish “Bradly & Rulofson’s Catalogue of
Celebrities"
1876
Rulofson wins second gold medal in Philadelphia, PA, Centennial
Exhibition
1877 Oct
Bradley files for bankruptcy
1878
after bankruptcy, Bradley retires, his interest in the
Bradley-Rulofson partnership had been assigned to
John H Dall and the studio continues in San Francisco, CA.
Still under the name Bradley and Rolofson
1878
the Gallery issues a Celebrity Catalogue listing their inventory which
ran 51 pages
1878 Nov 02
William Rulofson died after falling from the roof of the Bradley &
Rulofson studio in San Francisco. According to a report by The New
York Times, he was heard to have exclaimed, "I am killed" during the
descent
1878
Bradley closes his wholesale photographic supply business and
retires
1878-1883
Studio operates as Rulofson and Bradley managed by John Dall and a staff of photographers
1879,1880, 1881, 1882 (only years available)
San Francisco, CA, city directory, Bradley and Rulofson at 429 Montgomery
1878-1883
studio continues operation as Bradley and Rulofson, managed by
Dall and a staff of photographers
1883
Bradley and Rulofson Studio operates under Dall’s sole ownership but
at several locations
1883
San Francisco, CA, city directory, Bradley and Rulofson at 14 DuPont
1887
San Francisco, CA, city directory, Bradley and Rulofson at 14 Grant Av
1888 Jan 28
San Francisco (CA) Argonaut news item says the studio has re-opened again at the S E Corner of Geary and Dupont st
1889 September (about twelve times)
San Francisco (CA) Examiner, several ads say Bradley and Rulofson gallery at 14 Grant Av is for sale
1889 September 24
San Francisco (CA) Crhonical, small ad for sale of Bradley and Rulofson negatives; note that the ad lists 60 thousand 8X10 negatives
1891 Apr 27
Alameda, CA, Bradley dies at home suffering from crippling rheumatism;
he was 77
The cabinet card at the top was probably done between 1878 and 1887
when it was operated by Dall and a staff and changed locations
often.
Go to the
CABINET CARD GALLERY
site for more excellent examples of Bradly and Rulofson.
27 Dec 1848
From contriburot J Ward
Feather River Bulletin (Quincy, CA) - 28 Feb 1874
The Petaluma (CA) Courier - 03 Jan 1878
Oakland (CA) Tribune - 28 Apr 1891
Example of one of the "Celebrity" photographs found on an auction site
Here is a rare and excellent find! This appears to be a portrait of William Rulofson's daughter, Carrie Rulofson (1870-1900). She looks like she might be about 7 years old here so that would date this photo at 1877.
429 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA
example from J Johnston
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
San Francisco, CA
example from auction site
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
429 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
Finished sometime after 1863
reverse of card at left
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco, CA
example from facebook
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
429 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco, CA
example from auction site
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco, CA
example from auction site
photographer Bradley and Rulofson
San Francisco, CA
example from auction site
Backing example from 1863-1877
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
backing probably from after 1873
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
CDV back
imprint probably used around 1864 or after
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
CDV example from Marshall on facebook
photographer: Bradley & Rulofson
example from an auction site
reverse of the card at the left
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson429 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSF Cal
poor scan from fb
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson
SF Cal
example from auction site
(note this imprint differs from all the rest on this page)
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson429 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA
example conributed by Warfield family members (So far, Bradley and Rulofson can be documented at this address from 1863 to 1872. )
reverse of card at left(reverse inscribed: Dennis B. Warfield
Past Master
Oakdale Lodge: 275
Oakdale )
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco,CA
example contributed by Warfield family members
reverse of CdV at left(handwritten on card: "Major Warfield")
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco
example from British Museum
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco
example from British Museum
No imprintcredited to: Bradley and Rulofson
example from British Museum
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco
example from the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco
example from Broadway Photographs
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco
example from the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco
photographer: Bradley and RullofsonSan Francisco, CA
example from Cabinet Card Gallery
photographer: Bradley and RullofsonSan Francisco, CA
example from Cabinet Card Gallery
photographer: Bradley and RulofsonSan Francisco
example from the Broadway photographs
At the right is an example sent in by contributor J Johnston. It was apparently made at the time of the transition from the old location at 429 Montdomery Street to the South East corner of Geary and DuPont streets, about 1888.
Geary and DuPont streets, San Francisco, CA
example from contributor J Johnston
photographer: Bradley and Rulofson429 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA
reverse of card at left
The card at the left is from the Herbert Andrews family. It was contributed by a close friend of the family, Robin Potrzebowski.
While there is no date on the card itself, it was probably finished between 1872 abd 1887.
The card was made after the elevator was installed in 1872 and probably before Bradley sold the studio in 1877. But possibly as late as 1887, as John Hall continued to operate the studio under the original name until about then.
Additional information is always welcome.
Here is an example from J Johnston. It is a CDV from the 1863-1864 period just after Bradley and Ruloffson bought out the Vance Gallery in San Francisco. It shows a completely different imprint on the reverse than any other on this page.
Corner of Montomery and Sacramento Sts,
San Francisco, CA
example from contributor J Jhonston
Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's
INDEX by name.
All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th
century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.
This is a work always in progress.
Aditional information and new examples are always welcome. Any
additional information will help narrow the time that these precious
antiques were made.
All submissions should be free of glare and
shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are
sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.
Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity
and presentation here.
This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as
always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the
use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately
removed.
What years were Rulofson Photographic Studios at 14 Dupont Street, between Market & Geary, San Francisco?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your question. There are more than a couple accounts of the business life of William H Rulofson. No document has surfaced so far with the address you mention. A time frame guess would be between his arrival in San Francisco and before his partnership with Bradley or about 1861 to 1863. The Bradley and Rulofson partnership/studio operated until 1887.
DeleteHowever, some accounts describe Rulofson as a bit of a wild card, to say the least. It would not be hard to imagine a short break in the partnership with Bradley, while Rulofson ran his own studio for a few months or even weeks. But that is only speculation.
The best bet is still between 1861 and 1863.
Hello. I am from Mallorca, Spain. I have a photo made by Bradley & Rulofson. It is a picture of Joan Bou Roig (aka Giovanni Roig). He was an opera singer and he was my great grandmother's brother. In the photo he is dressed for the opera Don Giovanni.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment! You have a real treasure there. If you could send me a scan or a clear photograph including the edges, I would be happy to add it to this page with your comments and credit. Thanks again
DeleteI have 2 old photos of relatives done at this studio.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. If you would like to add your examples to the page send a clear photograph or a good scan to the address in the profile (bottom of page). Submissions must include edges, no cropping, as shown by the examples on this page. The edges are sometimes helpful in establishing the age of the card. Add any identifying information you would like included in the caption. Also let me know how you would like your credit line to read: "Submitted by ..."
DeleteI will send photos of them, but didn’t find the address.
ReplyDeleteAddress in profile is phase65 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com; profile is beside picture at lower left at bottom of the page.
DeleteI think I have one of these pictures. How would I find out the value?
ReplyDelete