Saul Brown Photograph Collection
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Saul Brown Photograph Collection Memphis Public Library and Information Center Memphis and Shelby County Room Collection processed by Emily Baker with special thanks to Wayne Dowdy and Gina Cordell 2010 1 Saul Brown Biography 3 Scope and Provenance 3 Contents Summary 4 Detailed Finding Aid 6 Name Index 109 2 Saul Brown Biography Saul Brown was born in 1910 in New York to Russian immigrants. As a young adult, Brown attended Tech High School in Memphis and graduated from the Memphis Academy of Fine Arts with a degree in Fine Art. Brown served in the Air Force during World War II. After graduation, he found work with Loew’s Theaters, where he created publicity displays. Brown worked as a staff photographer for the Memphis Press-Scimitar for twenty years, retiring in April of 1980 as the newspaper’s chief photographer. After retirement, Brown continued taking publicity photographs for various Memphis theaters as well as images of public figures, personal friends, and Memphis and its residents. He received the Freedom Foundation Award in 1972. In 1986, Brown donated $5,000 to Memphis State University to establish the Saul Brown/Memphis Press Scimitar Award, awarded to students in news journalism and news photography beginning in the 1987-1988 academic year. In 1987, due to his financial support of the school’s academic fund, Brown was granted membership in the school’s Presidents Club. Saul Brown passed away in Memphis on March 13, 1992 at the home of Myron Taylor, the brother of Mildred, his late wife. Scope and Provenance The Saul Brown Photograph Collection was donated to the Memphis Public Library and Information Center in 2007. The collection includes 33 boxes of color and black and white prints, color and black and white negative and positive film, and color slides. Dated photographs range from the 1950s to the early 1990s; the bulk of the material dates to the 1970s and 1980s. Original order has been maintained where possible and is noted in the detailed finding aid where applicable; elsewhere, the items are sorted by subject and year. A majority of the photographs in the collection were taken in Europe and Asia during Saul Brown’s extensive travels. Researchers will also find visual documentation of local Memphis theater in the 1980s in the form of publicity photographs, Graceland at the time of Elvis Presley’s death, people in the news, and many Memphis businesses, including King Cotton, Burkle’s Bakery, Stroh Brewery, and others. Throughout the collection are images which contain insights into Brown’s personal life. Friends and colleagues (including “Saul’s Harem,” a group of close female acquaintances) appear repeatedly throughout the years, as do locations throughout Memphis and the surrounding areas. Overton Square, Graceland, and Brown’s home are some common subjects. Many photographs are dedicated to documenting Brown’s many Memphis-area photography exhibits. These picture some prints not included in the donated collection. The collection also includes color film of a selection of Brown’s paintings and works by other artists. 3 Content Summary Prints Box Folders Items Description Box 1 11 88 Portraits of Saul Brown; personal documents; newspaper clippings exhibit photographs; drawings Box 2 10 62 Memphis, Tennessee. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 3 16 95 Memphis Theater. Black and white prints with one color print, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 4 15 147 Memphis Theater. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 5 16 129 Memphis Theater. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 6 19 115 Memphis Theater. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 7 9 109 People, surnames “A” to “S.” Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 8 13 144 People, surnames “T” to “W;” Nichols and Perlman families; Jesse Jackson and Geraldine A. Ferraro; Unidentified. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 9 12 86 Austria; Czechoslovakia; Denmark; England; France; Germany; Hong Kong; Italy; Japan. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 10 8 69 Japan; Mexico; Netherlands. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 11 11 57 Singapore; Spain; Sweden; Taiwan; Thailand; U.S.A. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 12 14 122 U.S.A.; Miscellaneous Travel; Miscellaneous Animals; Art; Sports; Miscellaneous Photographs. Black and white prints, 8” x 10” and smaller. Box 13 8 57 People. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 14 7 41 People. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 15 4 37 People. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 16 9 35 Austria; Canada; Denmark; France. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 17 7 45 England. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. 4 Box 18 5 32 England. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 19 7 35 Germany. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 20 6 30 Italy. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 21 6 42 Italy; Japan. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 22 9 35 Netherlands; Scotland; Spain; Switzerland; Thailand. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 23 6 41 Miscellaneous Travel. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 24 7 39 U.S.A. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 25 5 35 Memphis. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Box 26 4 48 Miscellaneous U.S.A.; Ballet; Sports. Black and white prints, 11” x 14” and smaller. Slides Box Trays Items Description Box 27 6 1,016 Primarily 35mm color slides. Box 28 6 1,077 Primarily 35mm color slides. Film Box Folders Items Description Box 29 60 1,026 Film, various types and sizes. Box 30 53 972 Film, various types and sizes. Box 31 144 3,819 Film, various types and sizes. Box 32 63 1,068 Film, various types and sizes. Oversize Box Box Folders Items Description Box 33 2 12 Oversize and miscellaneous items. Total: 10,765 items 5 Finding Aid Box Folder Items Description 1 1 22 Portraits of Saul Brown - 1968, 1977, 1980, 1984 and undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 1 2 7 Brown, Saul – Personal Documents - Letter from Memphis State University to Saul Brown – November 26, 1986 - Saul Brown/Memphis Press-Scimitar Award - Saul Brown/Memphis Press-Scimitar Award Foundation Restricted Agreement – December 16, 1986 - Copy 1 of Saul Brown/Memphis Press-Scimitar Award Foundation Restricted Agreement - Copy 2 of Saul Brown/Memphis Press-Scimitar Award Foundation Restricted Agreement - Letter from Memphis State University to Saul Brown – January 6, 1987 – Establishment of Saul Brown/Memphis Press-Scimitar Award - Letter from Memphis State University to Saul Brown – November 13, 1987 – Presidents Club Membership - Certificate from Memphis State University Presidents Club 1 3 3 Brown, Saul – Newspaper Clippings - Copy of Oct 31, 1983 edition of Memphis Press-Scimitar – 8 pages - Copy of information from December 1987 Memphis Press- Scimitar Newsletter - 4 pages of newspaper (November 19, 1987 and undated) clippings relating to Memphis Press-Scimitar and staff. 1 4 8 Brown, Saul – Index cards describing photography equipment - undated 1 5 8 Brown, Saul – Drawings and Sketch - undated - Various size drawings on transparent film and sketch on 8.5’ x 11” paper 1 6 3 Brown, Saul – Miscellaneous Personal - Memphis Press-Scimitar business card – Saul Brown (partial) - Short typewritten article about Saul Brown (undated, unknown source) - Letter from Tennessee Department of Conservation to Saul Brown – December 8, 1980 – Tennessee State Parks Photo Contest 6 Box Folder Items Description 1 7 6 Brown, Saul – Exhibit Photos – Memphis State University Graphic Arts Department - September 1972 - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 1 8 4 Brown, Saul – Exhibit Photos – Memphis Publishing Company Press-Scimitar Lobby - August 1979 - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 1 9 5 Brown, Saul – Exhibit Photos - Memphis Publishing Company Press-Scimitar Lobby - February 1980 - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 1 10 10 Brown, Saul – Exhibit Photos – location unknown - undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 1 11 12 Brown, Saul – Miscellaneous Exhibit and Studio Photos - undated - 1 10½” x 13½”, 2 2¼” x 2 ¼”, and 9 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 2 1 6 Memphis – Graceland - January 1978, October 1978, and undated Memphis – Elvis Presley souvenir store - October 1978 - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 2 2 9 Memphis – Memphis Academy of Arts - April 1988 and undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 7 Box Folder Items Description 2 3 5 Memphis – Memphis Botanic Garden - April 1978 and undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 2 4 4 Memphis – Overton Park - February 1987 and undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 2 5 2 Memphis – Memphis State University - February 11, 1973 and July 31, 1978 - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 2 6 9 Memphis – Miscellaneous Audubon Park – undated First Tennessee Bank – “Ted” Faires’ Heritage Mural Opening – possibly 1987 Golden Fleece Art Gallery – August 10, 1974 Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Avenue – February 1987 King Cotton – September 27, 1978 King Cotton – September 27, 1978 Burkle’s Bakery – undated Burkle’s Bakery – undated Burkle’s Bakery – undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 2 7 6 Memphis – Miscellaneous Madonna Circle – March 8, 1978 Memphis International Airport – July 3, 1978 Memphis International Airport - undated Pink Palace Museum – Craft Show – October 1986 Pink Palace Museum – Murals by Burton Callicott – October 2, 1978 Racquet Club – Indoor Tennis Competition – undated - 8” x 10” (approx.) black and white prints 8 Box Folder Items Description 2 8 8 Memphis – Miscellaneous Sessel’s – 1986 Shelby State Community College – Basketball – November 7, 1978 Stroh Brewery – 1986 Stroh Brewery – 1986 Tennessee Brewing Company Building (A.