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Savage, C. R. (Charles Roscoe), 1832-1909

 Person

Biographical History

C. R. Savage (1832-1909) was a photographer of the American West in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Charles Roscoe Savage, born August 16, 1832, in England, became one of the foremost 19th century landscape photographers of the western United States, as well as a renowned studio portrait photographer, with his studio in Salt Lake City, Utah. The idea to emigrate from England to Utah undoubtedly began shortly after his 1848 baptism and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Savage's immigration in 1856 to New York marked the beginning of his known interest in establishing a photography business. On assignment from the Church he traveled to Florence, Nebraska. His family subsequently joined him in 1860 and Savage established a primitive studio in Council Bluffs, Nebraska. Finally, the family made their way across the country arriving in Salt Lake City on August 29, 1860. The next day he made business arrangements with Marsena Cannon, a daguerreotype photographer and owner of a studio on East Temple. In 1862, with Cannon's departure to St. George, Utah, Savage formed a partnership with George Martin Ottinger. Savage & Ottinger legally dissolved their firm in 1870, and that same year Savage formed the Pioneer Art Gallery, and in 1875, needing more space, he replaced it with the Art Bazaar.

On June 26, 1883, his Art Bazaar burned to the ground, with all of his negatives. After his death on February 3, 1909, another fire in 1911 destroyed all of the negatives from the last twenty-five years of his career. Although his sons continued to operate the business, the Art Bazaar closed its doors permanently on December 31, 1926.

Citation:
Harold B. Lee Library Website, website viewed Oct. 14, 2010: C.R. Savage Biography (born Aug. 16, 1832 in England; studio in Salt Lake City, Utah; baptized LDS Church 1848; immigrated to USA 1856; studio in Council Bluffs, Neb.; arrived in Salt Lake Aug. 29, 1860; worked with Marsena Cannon, 1860-1862; worked with Ottinger until 1870; replaced Pioneer Art Gallery with Art Bazaar, 1875; gallery burned June 26, 1883; died Feb. 3, 1909; fire in the workshop in 1911; Art Bazaar closed Dec. 31, 1926)

Bradley W. Richards, His The Savage view, 1995.

Found in 41 Collections and/or Records:

George Alley papers

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197231217040]
Identifier: MSS SC 727
Abstract Account and receipt books, family correspondence, diary of Stephen Webb Alley, genealogy, family history materials, and memorabilia of the George Alley family. Photographs include studio portraits of Lydia Ann Alley and Susan Hannah Alley Wells, polygamist wives of Mormon Church leader, Daniel H. Wells, and a portrait of George Alley's wife, Mary Symond Alley. A majority of the photos were taken by Salt Lake City photographer Charles R. Savage. The photographs are albumen and matte collodion...
Dates: 1834-1891
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / George Alley papers

John F. Bennett photograph album of Church history

 Collection — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197225540480]
Identifier: MSS P 801
Scope and Contents This collection contains one small black photo album. The album was made by John F. Bennett for Mr. and Mrs. George Albert Smith in the 1930s. It is similar to other albums put together by Bennett but is uniquely arranged with the Smiths in mind. Bennett used images created by several notable pioneer photographers such as William H. Jackson, C. R. Savage, George E. Anderson, C. W. Carter etc. The photographs selected should be considered some of the most notable images depicting the pioneer...
Dates: 1847-1930
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / John F. Bennett photograph album of Church history

C. R. Savage photographs

 Collection — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197227643464]
Identifier: MSS 3678
Scope and Contents

This collection contains one stereo card of the rapids of the Colorado River below Hite. Also included is one cabinet photograph of a posed couple. The woman in the photograph is pregnant.

Dates: approximately 1890-1899
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / C. R. Savage photographs

Zina Presendia Young Williams Card photographs

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS P 105
Scope and Contents

Collection includes photographs of Zina Presendia Young Williams Card, Brigham Young's wives and family, Joseph F. Smith, George Albert Smith, Eliza R. Snow, Zina D.H. Young, Susa Young Gates, and the Card family. C.R. Savage is the photographer of many of the photographs. Materials dated approximately 1830-1949.

Dates: approximately 1830-1949
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Zina Presendia Young Williams Card photographs

Collection of portraits of early Provo residents

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 8455
Scope and Contents

Materials include 19 photographs of early residents of Provo, Utah, dating from between approximately 1850 and 1900. The photographs are individual portraits from a variety of photographic studios, including those of George Edward Anderson, C. R. Savage, Fox & Symons, and T. E. Daniels.

Dates: approximately 1850-1900
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Collection of portraits of early Provo residents

Early Mormon Church leaders

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2729
Scope and Contents Collection includes five oversize photographs of early church leaders: two of Brigham Young, one of Joseph Smith, Jr., one of Joseph F. Smith, and one of Albert Ricks Smith, and a family photo album containing forty-eight slots for photographs, three of which are empty. The photographs were taken by: C.E. Rees, Monte Vista, Colorado; Granert, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kurtz, Traveling Artist; Mac Lucas & Co. Llanelly, Wales; Young and Evens, Columbia, Tenn; Thomas Studios, Ogden, Utah;...
Dates: approximately 1888
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Early Mormon Church leaders

Alice Evans music box photo album

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 9044
Scope and contents

19 silver print photographs taken by photographers in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah. Photographs are of Alice Hazel Stallings Evans and members of her family at different ages throughout their lives. Dated approximately 1880-1910.

Dates: approximately 1880-1910
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Alice Evans music box photo album

Stuart and Carita Kadison collection of C. R. Savage photographs

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2943
Scope and Contents Contains 105 photographs, taken mainly by C.R. Savage, of scenes around Utah, especially Salt Lake City. There are also a few photographs in the collection of nature scenes in Colorado, Wyoming, and California. Several photographs of Brigham Young and his residences are in the collection, as well as important buildings pertaining to the history of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including the Salt Lake Temple and Tabernacle, the Assembly Hall, and the Lion, Beehive, and Gardo...
Dates: approximately 1860-1900
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Stuart and Carita Kadison collection of C. R. Savage photographs

KBYU interview with Thomas R. Wells

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197225546586]
Identifier: MSS 3786
Scope and Contents KBYU broadcast report on L. Tom Perry Special Collections Photo Archives projects designed to make photographs, many of which from Church Archives, available on the Internet. Interviewee Tom Wells explains the process (i.e., preservation, description, access, and Internet folksonomy) used in preparing the digital collections. Report discusses some photographers in the collection, including: Walter Mason Camp, photographer of the Indian Wars of North America; Edith Irvine, photographer of San...
Dates: 2006
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / KBYU interview with Thomas R. Wells

Reinhard Maeser photograph collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 4209
Scope and Contents

This collection contains 33 original black and white photographs and 8 identifying photocopies of the Reinhard Maeser family.

Dates: 1855-1926
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Reinhard Maeser photograph collection

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