Item 38: A Lithograph titled “Bird’s Eye View of the Mauch Chunk,” by James [Fuller] Queen, after an Ambrotype by H. P. Osborne (Removed to Black Box #1) , [ca. 1857-1867]
Item — Box: 21, Folder: 38
Dates
- Created: [ca. 1857-1867]
Creator
- Queen, James 1820 or 1821 - 1886 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Lithograph
Condition Note:
Good.
Measurements:
8 ¾ in. x 5 ⅞ in.
Title:
Bird’s Eye View of the Mauch Chunk
Description:
A colored lithograph after an ambrotype overlooking Jim Thorpe and Mauch Chunk. In the scene, the town has multiple railroads and churches as smoke rises over Mauch Chunk. Referred to as the “Switzerland of America,” Mauch Chunk was known for its mountainous scenic views along the line of the Switchback Railroad and Lehigh Valley Railroad. It is still attracting tourists to see the beautiful, mountainous views. Now referred to as Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania since 1954, Mauch Chunk is located in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. It is known for the burial site of the Native American athlete, Jim Thorpe. It is settled in the Pocono Mountains about 29 miles northwest of Allentown. The lithograph is produced from a previous ambrotype of the valley scene by H.P Osborne, which Queen gives credit for by the phrase, “Ambrotype of H. P. Osborne,” below the image depicted, and published by Duval & Son’s in Philadelphia. James Queen began his trade as a lithographic artist at the age of 15, apprenticing with Lehman & Duval in 1835, where he would quickly rise as one of the country's most influential infographic artists by the words of the latter (Philadelphia Print Shop). It is here that he produced the manuscript in our collection, which depicts a scenic view of Allentown.
H. P. Osborne was a photographer who produced many of the original ambrotypes that Queen produced his lithographs from. An ambrotype is positive photograph on glass made by a variant of the wet plate collodion process, by producing an image when the light reflects off the subject. It replaced the earlier daguerreotype forms.
James Queen, the illustrator, was known for his composition and attention to detail. He was the premier Philadelphia artist, lithographer, and chromolithographer. He was born in Philadelphia in either 1820 or 1821, and was the son of William Queen. William was a cordwainer and apprenticed under George Lehman and P. S. Duval. He later began a career around the age of 14 years old.
Peter Stephen Duval, (also known as P. S. Duval), the lithographer, was born around 1804 or 1805 in France and was the most prominent Philadelphia lithographer in the 19th century. He began his career by accepting a job from the printing firm of Childs & Inman. He established his own lithographic print shop in 1837 and later retired in 1869. The firm was run by Duval’s son for a few years after. On February 9, 1886, Duval died due to an “enlargement of the heart.”
For more information about James Queen’s other works, visit the Library of Congress Website.
Location:
Mauch Chunk, Jim Thorpe; printed in Philadelphia
Transcription:
J. Queen del.[drew] Ambrotype of H. P. Osborn Bethlehem P. S. Duval & Son’s lith. Philad.
BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF MAUCH CHUNK.
5-
Creator
- Queen, James 1820 or 1821 - 1886 (Person)
- Duval, Peter Stephen, 1804 or 1805 - 1886 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu