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Collection Photo, Print, Drawing Photographs selected from the Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt collection (Library of Congress)

About this Item

Title

  • Photographs selected from the Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt

Other Title

  • Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt collection (Library of Congress)

Summary

  • The Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt (Royal Prussian Photogrammetric Institute) created architectural photographs as part of an early historic preservation program to document exteriors and interiors of cathedrals and churches, castles and palaces, town halls and half-timbered buildings, and other cultural heritage sites as they appeared around 1900. The buildings are primarily in Germany, with approximately 100 views in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, France, Poland, and Russia. Institute director and architect Albrecht Meydenbauer developed the special camera and precise measurement system used to create these sharply focused, large-format, photogrammetric (measurement) images in order to provide for the study and restoration of landmark buildings.

Names

  • Staatliche Bildstelle (Prussia, Germany), collector

Created / Published

  • [between 1885 and 1928, bulk 1885-1913]

Headings

  • -  Cathedrals--Germany--1880-1910
  • -  Churches--Germany--1880-1910
  • -  City & town halls--Germany--1880-1910
  • -  Castles & palaces--Germany--1880-1910
  • -  Photogrammetric pictures--Catalogs
  • -  Royal Prussian Photogrammetric Institute

Headings

  • Architectural photographs--1880-1910.
  • Photographic prints--1880-1910.

Genre

  • Architectural photographs--1880-1910
  • Photographic prints--1880-1910

Notes

  • -  Arrangement: The collection is organized by country and then alphabetically by city name. Geographical locations represent political boundaries circa 1906.
  • -  Title devised by Library staff. (Source: Vanderbilt, Guide to the special collections of prints & photographs in the Library of Congress, 1955)
  • -  Captions in English and German.
  • -  Purchase; 1914; (DLC/PP-1914:44722) (Inventory control number was PR 06 CN 002).
  • -  The Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt, also known as the Messbild-Anstalt, the Royal Prussian Photogrammetric Institute, and the Königlich Preussische Messbildanstalt, was founded by Albrecht Meydenbauer in 1885 as part of the Prussian Ministry of Culture. This institution was one of the first to focus on photogrammetry, precisely documenting architectural elements for preservation purposes through photography. Meydenbauer acted as the director for most of the agency's operation; he retired in 1909. In 1921, the agency was closed and the archive was transferred to the newly created Staatliche Bildstelle Berlin.
  • -  Finding aid available online https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/eadpnp.pp021024

Medium

  • whole collection 737 items.
  • 732 photographs : prints on board mounts ; sheets 49 x 49 cm.
  • 5 volumes : illustrations ; 28 x 35 cm and smaller.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • LOT 15198 (FM -- AA size, B size) [P&P]

Repository

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2010649727

Rights Advisory

  • No known restrictions on publication.

Access Advisory

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress generally does not own rights to material in its collections and, therefore, cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material. For information about assessing rights, see the Rights and Restrictions Information page.

  • Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
  • Reproduction Number: ---
  • Call Number: LOT 15198 (FM -- AA size, B size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: Materials are stored offsite. Please contact us at least 5 working days in advance of your visit in order to view the material https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.access_request

Obtaining Copies

If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. (Some images display only as thumbnails outside the Library of Congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site.)

Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through Library of Congress Duplication Services.

  1. If a digital image is displaying: The qualities of the digital image partially depend on whether it was made from the original or an intermediate such as a copy negative or transparency. If the Reproduction Number field above includes a reproduction number that starts with LC-DIG..., then there is a digital image that was made directly from the original and is of sufficient resolution for most publication purposes.
  2. If there is information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can use the reproduction number to purchase a copy from Duplication Services. It will be made from the source listed in the parentheses after the number.

    If only black-and-white ("b&w") sources are listed and you desire a copy showing color or tint (assuming the original has any), you can generally purchase a quality copy of the original in color by citing the Call Number listed above and including the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

  3. If there is no information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can generally purchase a quality copy through Duplication Services. Cite the Call Number listed above and include the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

Price lists, contact information, and order forms are available on the Duplication Services Web site.

Access to Originals

Please use the following steps to determine whether you need to fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room to view the original item(s). In some cases, a surrogate (substitute image) is available, often in the form of a digital image, a copy print, or microfilm.

  1. Is the item digitized? (A thumbnail (small) image will be visible on the left.)

    • Yes, the item is digitized. Please use the digital image in preference to requesting the original. All images can be viewed at a large size when you are in any reading room at the Library of Congress. In some cases, only thumbnail (small) images are available when you are outside the Library of Congress because the item is rights restricted or has not been evaluated for rights restrictions.
      As a preservation measure, we generally do not serve an original item when a digital image is available. If you have a compelling reason to see the original, consult with a reference librarian. (Sometimes, the original is simply too fragile to serve. For example, glass and film photographic negatives are particularly subject to damage. They are also easier to see online where they are presented as positive images.)
    • No, the item is not digitized. Please go to #2.
  2. Do the Access Advisory or Call Number fields above indicate that a non-digital surrogate exists, such as microfilm or copy prints?

    • Yes, another surrogate exists. Reference staff can direct you to this surrogate.
    • No, another surrogate does not exist. Please go to #3.
  3. If you do not see a thumbnail image or a reference to another surrogate, please fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. In many cases, the originals can be served in a few minutes. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. Reference staff can advise you in both how to fill out a call slip and when the item can be served.

To contact Reference staff in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, please use our Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Staatliche Bildstelle , Collector. Photographs selected from the Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt. Germany, None. [Between 1885 and 1928, bulk 1885 to 1913] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010649727/.

APA citation style:

Staatliche Bildstelle, C. Photographs selected from the Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt. Germany, None. [Between 1885 and 1928, bulk 1885 to 1913] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2010649727/.

MLA citation style:

Staatliche Bildstelle , Collector. Photographs selected from the Königliche Preussische Messbildanstalt. [Between 1885 and 1928, bulk 1885 to 1913] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2010649727/>.