I have recently had the opportunity to work with the Monmouth County Historical Association by digitally scanning and documenting glass plate negatives for the organization’s archives. These photo negatives were taken by the Pach Brothers, professional photographers active in the New Jersey and New York area in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. There were a number of Pach Brothers studios in New Jersey; many of the negatives I have handled were produced in Long Branch or Lakewood.
The Monmouth County Historical Association’s Pach Brothers collection includes a wide variety of photographic subjects. Many of the images I have worked with have featured architecture, from hotels and storefronts to churches and homes; these structures are often local to the central New Jersey area. Vehicles such as horse-drawn carriages and early cars also appear regularly. People are sometimes shown posing stoically to have their photo taken, and other times are captured while enjoying activities such as sports. Some more unique subjects can also be found in the collection, including an engine room that provided power for one of the aforementioned hotels, and an architectural office with blueprints and diagrams visible on the desks.
The Pach Brothers collection provides an intriguing in-depth window into local history. One of my personal favorite aspects of these photographs has been the interior decor found in the offices, dining rooms, and hotel interiors captured by the Pach Brothers. The ornate patterned wallpapers and elegantly designed lamps are not only beautiful to look at, but provide a record of the styles of the time in detail. The scanning process maintains the clarity of the images in high resolution, so viewers can pick out minutiae of the photographs, down to framed photos on a desk on the far side of a room. Details become clear that are hard to spot from looking at the glass plate negatives alone; for instance, while scanning an image of two young women standing in front of a stately home, I was delighted to realize upon zooming in digitally that one of the ladies was holding a little terrier in her arms.
This collection represents not only a unique view into New Jersey history, but the tangible preservation of that history. Many of the buildings that often served as subjects for these photographers no longer exist in the present; maintaining this archival collection allows for a record of those sites to continue into the future. In addition, the scanning of the collection, along with the accompanying digital documentation of plate numbers, locations, and other information, will make it easier for research to be conducted on those lost pieces of history. The wide variety of subjects encompassed by this collection also represent a wealth of data for historians, providing insight on topics from fashion and decor to business and transportation. Working up close with this collection has been a rewarding experience, and I am glad to know that the Pach Brothers’ distinctive work will be preserved for the future.
Amanda Keighron is an undergraduate student at Monmouth University. She is currently interning at the Monmouth County Historical Association in Freehold.
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