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Underwood & Underwood

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1882 - 1941

administrative history

Underwood & Underwood was a stereograph and photography producer and distributor. The company was established in Ottawa, Kansas in 1882, moved to New York in 1887, and ceased operations in the 1940s.

Underwood & Underwood was established in 1882 by Elmer and Ben Underwood in Ottawa, Kansas. The company originally focused on distributing Eastern photographers' stereographs in the West through a network of door-to-door salesmen. In 1887 the headquarters of the company were moved to New York, though manufacturing continued to take place in Ottawa with the building of a plant in 1891 to manufacture stereographic cameras, stereoviews and stereoscopes. By 1901 Underwood & Underwood was a leader in stereographic image production and distribution. In 1920 the company divested itself of its stereograph productions, selling their stock and rights to the Keystone View Company. Underwood & Underwood ceased operations in the 1940s.

Citation:
Its Maps and plans accompanying Washington through the stereoscope, c1903-c1904: map recto (Underwood & Underwood, publishers, N.Y. & London)

Journal of Mormon History, Fall 1992: p. (est. 1882 by Elmer and Ben Underwood in Ottawa, Kan.; distributed Eastern photographers' stereographs to the Western market with door-to-door salesmen; est. plant in Ottawa by 1891 to manufature stereo photographic cameras, stereoviews and stereoscopes; moved their headquarters to New York City, opened branch offices in Baltimore, New York, and Liverpool; by 1901, Underwood & Underwood was manufacturing packaged sets of stereo views--25,000 a day (more than seven million a a year), and 300,000 stereoscopes a year)

Wikipedia, Mar. 9, 2012: Underwood & Underwood (early producer and distributor of stereoscopic and photographic images; early news bureau photography; company moved to New York, N.Y. in 1887; stereograph production stopped in 1920, stock and rights sold to Keystone View Company; ceased business in the 1940s)

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Underwood & Underwood stereo views and stereoscope of Palestine

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 9232
Scope and Contents Stereoscope and stereo views taken by Underwood & Underwood that depict mainly scenes from Palestine. Many of the images are landscapes of biblical or other historical sites. Many photographs contain images of landscapes and local people, most of which are mentioned specifically in the Bible. Several photographs provide images of local people and actors dressed in contemporary and historical costumes in order to reenact Biblical stories. Stereo views accompanied by an...
Dates: 1896-1905
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Underwood & Underwood stereo views and stereoscope of Palestine

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