Del Rae Studio-Ralph Stanley Photograph Collection
Scope and Contents
Most images in this collection are identified with the Del Rae Studio, Davenport Iowa embossed seal or stamped with the name Photographer Ralph Stanley. Subject matter is airplanes, airports, construction projects and aerial shots of Davenport and area. Estimated dates 1930-1940's.
16 x 20” Aerial Photographs - 10 total
Unidentified airport
Unidentified factory along river (IL side? Campbell’s Island?)
Unidentified factory with quarry beside and bridge in distance (Buffalo? Linwood?)
Unidentified farm, possibly dairy
Centennial Bridge with both Davenport and Rock Island Shorelines (3 views)
A 2008 QCT article by Dustin Lemmon states Del Rae Studio was hired to take black and white pictures from 1938 to 1940 while the Centennial Bridge was under construction.
Perhaps??
Unidentified Football Stadium and School (2 views)
Fire! Kay Furniture store 115 West Second Street. Can see fire hoses laying in street, throngs of people. Can see many of the buildings along Brady, Second and Third Streets including many that are no longer extant. Old Masonic Temple is in the image – it was torn down in 1941 so must be before then.
8 x 10” Photographs – 20 total
Interiors of factory with men working; exterior of building or factory
Labeled 5-30.42 and numbered 1,2,7,8,9,10 so perhaps May 30, 1942
2 Airplanes – labeled 39#1
Plane/smoke trail – labeled 39#13
Parachute landing – labeled 39#19
Construction Equipment and Site – visible billboard or sign “LeClaire Hotel”
5 x 7” and photo postcards
Airplane on ground NC 22091
According to Civil Aircraft Registry this is a Luscombe 8A built circa 1939
United Airlines hangar
Bi-Planes
Texaco Station
Airplane United “Mainliner” NC 18939
Car race? Demonstration?
Dates
- Creation: 1930-1942
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Materials are available for use in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center only.
Request permission before copying materials.
Personal digital cameras and scanners are allowed in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center on a case-by-case basis. The items that a researcher may want to scan or photograph must be examined and evaluated for physical condition, copyright issues, and donor restrictions by staff.
Copyright restrictions may apply; please consult Special Collections staff for further information.
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of reproductions of copyrighted material.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
Biographical / Historical
Ralph Stanley is never listed as a “photographer” in local city directories, but his name is stamped on several of the images. His wife, Eva, appears at a variety of studios in a variety of positions: receptionist, treasurer, helper. Ralph is listed as a mechanic, building superintendent, and in 1956 “Stanley’s Garage”. He died Jan. 16, 1968.
Del Rae Studio is listed in the Davenport, IA City Directory from 1932-1941 at 230 Brady Street. The 1942 directory lists Stanley Studios at that address.
Extent
43 Photographic Prints (oversized flat box) : aerial photographs, prints, photo postcards ; 16 x 20"; 8 x 10"; 5 x 7"; 3 x 5"
Language of Materials
English
Physical Location
Range 33 Section 2
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift
Physical Description
Good. Some 16 x 20" prints were mounted to cardstock at some point and have residual glue on back. Large prints also have pin holes in corners from previous display. Aerials were removed from a leather enclosure.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center Repository
321 Main Street
Davenport IA 52801-1490 United States
specialcollections@davenportlibrary.com