The Boudoir Photos

History

These photos mostly date circa 1884-1887. They are approximately 5"x8" in size, and are mounted on heavy cardboard, similar to stereoviews. This format is called a boudoir card photo. It was mostly used for outdoor photography.

The Images

All boudoir photos are available with front scans, and comments about what is written on the front or back, either by the user or by the publisher, are included below.

Pump House and Little Falls

front A view of the pump house and the little waterfall near it and the old wooden arched bridge. Note the picket fence in the background, enclosing what looks like pasture, or an orchard.

back Inscription: "Mt. Holyoke Seminary South Haley [sic] Mass. 1884." Dealer marked: "098266" Publisher marks: "Graphoscope Views. $3.00 per Dozen. 25 Cents Each. Connecticut Valley. Springfield. U. S. Armory. Water Shops. Court Square. Holyoke. Conn. River Dam. Canals and Mills. Public Squares and Buildings. Northampton. Smith College. Insane Retreat. Ox Bow. Mountains. Holyoke. Nonotuck. Tom. Sugar Loaf. Rocky Mountains, 1873. Views made to order $4.00 per dozen. $3.00 per half-dozen. Milan P. Warner, Holyoke, Mass. 38 Lincoln Street, M. G. [1884]"

1870 Library and Seminary Building

front 1870 Library and the Seminary Building. Note the new metal fence is in place; this still exists today. Photo was taken from in front of the Dwight homestead; note the wooden picket fence in the immediate foreground that must have fronted that property. I don't know what the white building in the background is for sure, but I think it might be South Cottage.

back Inscription: "Mt. Holyoke Seminary Main Building & Library South Hadley Mass. 84." Dealer marked: "098268" Publisher marks: "Graphoscope Views. $3.00 per Dozen. 25 Cents Each. Connecticut Valley. Springfield. U. S. Armory. Water Shops. Court Square. Holyoke. Conn. River Dam. Canals and Mills. Public Squares and Buildings. Northampton. Smith College. Insane Retreat. Ox Bow. Mountains. Holyoke. Nonotuck. Tom. Sugar Loaf. Rocky Mountains, 1873. Views made to order $4.00 per dozen. $3.00 per half-dozen. Milan P. Warner, Holyoke, Mass. 38 Lincoln Street, M. G. [1884]"

"The Manse"

front A group of 15 women, four holding tennis rackets and one holding a stringed instrument, standing in front of a home. I think this house may be Lovell House, but I'm not sure, mostly because the chimney visible here does not exist on Lovell House today. Do people really remove chimneys from their houses?

back Inscription: ' "The Manse;" South Hadley Mass.' Dealer marked: "098269" Publisher marks: "Graphoscope Views. $3.00 per Dozen. 25 Cents Each. Connecticut Valley. Springfield. U. S. Armory. Water Shops. Court Square. Holyoke. Conn. River Dam. Canals and Mills. Public Squares and Buildings. Northampton. Smith College. Insane Retreat. Ox Bow. Mountains. Holyoke. Nonotuck. Tom. Sugar Loaf. Rocky Mountains, 1873. Views made to order $4.00 per dozen. $3.00 per half-dozen. Milan P. Warner, Holyoke, Mass. 38 Lincoln Street, M. G. [1884]"

Lower Lake

front "Knowlton Brothers, Photographers. Northampton, Mass. Extra Cabinet Series." A view of four women rowing on Lower Lake in two canoes, with a very barren-looking Prospect Hill in the background.

back Inscription: "Mt. Holyoke Seminary South Hadley Mass. 1884." Dealer marked: "098125"

Williston Hall

front A group of 5 women, one holding an umbrella, standing in front of Williston Hall.

back Inscription: "Williston Hall. Mt. Holyoke Seminary S. Hadley Mass. '84" Dealer marked: "098261" Publisher marks: "Graphoscope Views. $3.00 per Dozen. 25 Cents Each. Connecticut Valley. Springfield. U. S. Armory. Water Shops. Court Square. Holyoke. Conn. River Dam. Canals and Mills. Public Squares and Buildings. Northampton. Smith College. Insane Retreat. Ox Bow. Mountains. Holyoke. Nonotuck. Tom. Sugar Loaf. Rocky Mountains, 1873. Views made to order $4.00 per dozen. $3.00 per half-dozen. Milan P. Warner, Holyoke, Mass. 38 Lincoln Street, M. G. [1884]"

Pump House and Prospect Hill

front Pump house, ten women and one man (I think) on and near the arched wooden bridge, with a barren-looking Prospect Hill in the background. Part of the hill is enclosed by picket fencing; it looks to be pasture land.

back Inscription: "Mt. Holyoke Seminary Grounds South Hadley Mass. June '87." Dealer marked: "098264"

Old Stone Arch

front Old Stone Arch, with at least eight women sitting on or standing near it. Buildings visible in the background, but I don't know what they are yet.

back Inscription: "Mt. Holyoke Seminary South Hadley Mass. June 87" Dealer marked: "098265"

Seminary Hall

front "Knowlton Brothers, Photographers. Northampton, Mass. Extra Cabinet Series." A view of a classroom in the Seminary building, taken from the front of the room looking back. Note the richly patterned floor.

back Inscription: "Seminary Hall Mt. Holyoke Seminary South Hadley Mass. '84" Dealer marked: "098263"

Reception Rooms

front "Knowlton Brothers, Photographers. Northampton, Mass. Extra Cabinet Series." A view of two living rooms decorated in rich Victorian style.

back Inscription: "Reception Rooms Mt. Holyoke Seminary S. Hadley Mass" Dealer marked: "09262"

Old Stone Arch

front Old Stone Arch, with at least eight women sitting on or standing near it. From a group of class of 1887 items. Inscription on the back: "Louise Sykes / Margaret Bidwell / Sallie Wiswall / Anna Smythe / Minnie McKenzie / Mary Monson"

Pepper Box

front The Pepper Box, with at least 35 women standing in or near it. From a group of class of 1887 items. Inscription on the back: "Pepper Box 1886"

Interior of Seminary Hall

front A view of a classroom in the Seminary building, taken from the front of the room looking back. Note the richly patterned floor. From a group of class of 1887 items. Inscription on the back: "Seminary Hall"

Hockanum Ferry

front A view of ferry crossing the Connecticut River heading toward Mount Holyoke (the mountain), carrying a horse-drawn carriage and a person. Photo by Knowlton Brothers of Northampton. Plain beige back.

Seminary Hall Ruins, September 1896

front From a group of class of 1887 items. Inscription on back: "Mt. Holyoke ruins - Sept. 1896" Photo by J. H. Caswell, Holyoke, Mass. "No. 2"

Seminary Hall Ruins, September 1896

front Inscription on back: "Seminary after the fire, from College Street" Photo by H. W. Macy of Northampton, Mass.

Seminary Hall Ruins, September 1896

front Inscription on back: "Seminary after the fire"

Seminary Hall Ruins, September 1896

front Inscription on back: "Mr. Williams, engineer at the time of the Seminary fire, & father of Fred Williams who worked in the grocery division" Photo by H. W. Macy of Northampton, Mass.

Katherine Edwards Parsons Judd

front A boudoir photo of a woman seated on a rock in a stream. Inscription on back: "Katherine E. P. Judd"