Like most other photography establishments, the Rose Studio offered the family treasured objects–records of those most dearly loved. Photographic portraiture was a serious event. The images served as an “aid to memory” and, in some cases, a record of deceased family members. They were also used to show far-away relatives up-to-date photos of the family, the new baby, or even the home. Families dressed in their best outfits for the sitting, and smiling was not considered appropriate behavior for portraiture.

Young children were especially hard to photograph, mostly because they would not sit still. Photographers employed all sorts of tricks to amuse child-subjects, including the famed “birdie.” Heaps of blankets often concealed restraining parents from the camera’s view.

Girl and Boy c. 1890s Many years ago, picture taking was a special occasion. Do you get dressed up for every photo?

Family Group c. 1940s

Contracts with schools were an important part of the Rose Studio’s income. The Roses did work for local public and private. They recorded occasions such as sporting events, graduation ceremonies, building dedications, alumni activities, visits from well-known guests, and theatrical performances. The studio also photographed dormitory rooms, clubs, and student activities. These photographs provided lasting momentos of important friendships, places, and events.

Triangle Club Dancer c. 1905-06 The Triangle Club, Princeton University’s all male theatrical club, used this studio photo to publicize “Tabasco Land.”

Young Students c. 1900 This early 20th century classroom may have been in the Model School, the original building at the Nassau Street School site, now 185 Nassau Street. What do you think these children are doing?

Like most professional photographers, the Roses chronicled the important milestones in peoples lives, complete with symbol-rich imagery. In doing so, defining moments were preserved for reflection and remembrance. In the 19th and early 20th century, most rites of passage were observed in the home–births, marriages, and deaths. However, a formal portrait was frequently done in a commercial photographic studio. By the 1930s and ‘40s, wedding pictures were made wherever marriages took place–in hotels, restaurants, or at the bride’s home. Funerary images were not unusual and are, in fact, still done today. Some of these images were made in the studio as obituary notices to inform distant family and friends of a death, or as a “momento mori,” remembrance of the deceased.

Image of Deceased Woman In Memorial Flower Arrangement 1890s-1900s This memorial arrangement was photographed in the Rose Studio (note the familiar backdrop). It was unusual for a family to produce such an image in a professional studio rather than the home. The resulting photograph may have been sent to distant family members to inform them of the death.

Wedding Picture: John and Ossie Courts? Printed from a film negative, c. 1940s

Although some of these street scenes look deserted, quite the opposite is true. More than likely, there are people on the streets moving too quickly to show up in the image. Princeton was an active commercial center in the late 1800s. Carriages brought passengers and goods, and a busy boat traffic was conducted on the canal. Hotels with stables and eating establishments met the needs of visitors. Stores and services lined Nassau Street and the adjoining roads. Shortly before 1920, Nassau Street was paved, forever altering the look of the business district. Due to the University’s expansion and the low cost of moving a house relative to the cost of new construction, house-moving was a fairly frequent activity in Princeton. Large buildings were moved on Nassau Street along with other traffic.

Priest’s Pharmacy Being Moved October 1914 The building is now the current home of The Town Topics.

Church congregations and activities, American Legion Post band members, and volunteer firemen all posed for the Roses’ camera. Community organizations, such as Dorothea’s House which served the needs of the local Italian American population, were also recorded for posterity. Photographs like these help historians to learn about clothing, hairstyles, social organizations, and life styles of the past. Are there any people in these pictures that you recognize? If so, please fill out an Identification Form and leave it in the box in the hall.

Children's Pageant, St. Paul's Church

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The exhibition text and all photographs are not for reproduction or publication. Permission to use excerpts may be obtained from Gail F. Stern, Director, the Historical Society of Princeton