Austin Photo Supply Photograph Collection

The Austin Photo Supply Photograph Collection is comprised of 52 photographs taken by Alanson D. Boone from 1900-1920 . There are several photographs of community gatherings such as a large crowd at the Texas State Capitol and a Bastille Day parade on Congress Avenue, trains and railways, landscapes, and interiors, but human subjects make up the vast majority of the photographs. Most of the photographs are groups posed outdoors - on porches, under trees, or by the river. Also included are group portraits of a military corps and school classes, formal portraits of children and adults, shots of people at work in offices or on the factory floor, and groups posing in front of buildings or on horseback.

Alanson D. Boone was a prolific Austin photographer in the early 20th century. He was born in Boerne, Texas and moved to Austin around 1900 where he took photographs as part of the Jordan Photo Company, then opened Boone-Holden Photo Company at 1000 E Congress Avenue in 1926. He photographed many prominent Austin families, including the Pease family, Hart family, and Hirshfeld family among others.

Austin Photo Supply was owned by L.D. and Marie Creswell from 1951 to 1963. The Creswells purchased the store from the Boone family who had inherited it from Alanson D. Boone. This collection of photographs was discovered in their original format, on glass plate negatives, by the Creswells when they took over the store in 1951. It is assumed they were taken by Alanson D. Boone.

Many examples of Boone's work found in other collections are formal studio portraits, but this early work, perhaps even before his time at Jordan Photo Co., showcases a young Alanson Boone taking photos around Austin and having fun with the camera. In several photos, you can see Boone in the photograph with the trigger release cord, and in one of them, where he and another man are pretending to read while the photo was taken, you can even see Boone "break character," unable to keep a straight face as he takes the photo.