William Welling Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

William Welling Papers, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
5.40 Linear Feet
Creator:
Welling, William Blodget, 1924-2006
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

William Welling Papers, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers of William Welling document his career as a photographic historian. Welling worked as a journalist for the Hamden Chronicle from 1949-1950 and several of his articles are included in the collection. Series 2 holds correspondence between Welling and prominent photographic historians Helmut Gernsheim (1913-1995) of Lugano, Switzerland and George R. Rinhart. Series 3 includes Welling's extensive collection of photographic history research primarily on the 19th century for his books A Collector's Guide to Nineteenth Century Photographs (1976) and Photography in America: The Formative Years, 1839-1900 (1978). Series 4 and 5 are papers related to the production, promotion, and sale of these two works, while series 6 includes copies of photographs and negatives used for the books. Series 7 includes several years worth of photographic history journals the majority of which are "Photographica" and "In Focus." Series 8 and 9 include research related to other book projects that Welling aspired to write, but did not complete.

Biographical / historical:

William Blodget Welling of New York City was born February 20, 1924 to Lindsay H. Welling (1892-1975) and Lucy Randolph Blodget (1889-1957). He worked as a journalist for the Hamden Chronicle from 1949-1950. Welling was a photographic historian. William Welling died April 15, 2006.

Custodial history:

The collection was consigned to Swann Auction Gallery in New York City by a family member who was executor of the estate of William Welling. The donor purchased it from Swann Auction Gallery and it was donated to the Special Collections Research Center in 2010, "a few years later."

Processing information:

Processed and finding aid written by Austin William Smith in February and March 2011.