- unitid
-
{"value"=>"24542", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"JPB 17-12", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b21514611", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1936-1949", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1936/1949"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Otto F. Hess photographs"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"14 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"7 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Music Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Otto F. Hess Photographs consist primarily of images shot by the creator over the course of his career (1936-1949). The photographs depict cultural life of New York City between the 1930s and 1940s, and especially the midtown jazz music scene. The collection includes photographic prints, and negatives, as well as Hess' handwritten notebook inventory of the collection."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Hess, Otto F.", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Born in Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany, Otto Friedrich Hess (1906-1968) immigrated to the United States in 1930 from Bremerhaven, Germany. Upon reaching New York City, Hess moved in with his brother Franz, an advertising photographer, in Brooklyn. Hess's initial occupation was in sales, but during this time he was honing his photography skills so that by 1940, photography had become his primary source of income. Starting in 1942, he spent several years in the U.S. Army. Upon return from the Army, Hess began exhibiting his work, including at galleries such as the Norlyst Gallery.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Otto Hess Photographs include photographic prints, negatives, and a notebook containing Hess's handwritten inventory of photographs taken. The images depict various facets of New York City cultural life in the 1930s and 1940s including musical and theatrical performances, weddings, and sporting events. The bulk of the collection documents jazz performers in New York City from roughly 1937-1947. Musicians include Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Sidney Bechet, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, W.C. Handy, Count Basie, Charlie Christian, Eddie Condon, and Dizzy Gillespie. Also included are photographs of classical and popular musicians, actors, dancers, and athletes at venues including the Hippodrome, Central Plaza, the Savoy Ballroom, the Apollo, and Town Hall. A small section of images depict Coney Island, the 1939 World's Fair, and the Army barracks.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Otto F. Hess photographs are arranged in seven series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1443607'>Series I: Jazz Artists</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1937-1949</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1444050'>Series II: Opera, concert artists, conductors, etc</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1936-1948</div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1444113'>Series III: Pop musicians and actors</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1444131'>Series IV: Dancers</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1444134'>Series V: Various subjects</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series V consists of photographs on a variety of subjects and includes two subseries: Inventoried by Hess and Not inventoried by Hess. Subseries 1 includes images listed by Hess in his notebook. Folder titles were taken from the notebook. Subseries 2 includes images not listed by Hess in his notebook. Folder titles were provided by the archivist. Folders are arranged alphabetically by title.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1444216'>Series VI: Presentation photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1939-1947, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains mounted and large-format photographs likely used by Hess for display purposes. Photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject. Folder titles provided by archivist.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/24542#c1444228'>Series VII: Otto Hess notebook</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>141 pages</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Notebook containing Otto Hess' inventory of photographs in previous series.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is arranged into seven series. Series 1-4 are based on the sections Hess used in his notebook when listing photographs taken. They include Jazz artists; Opera, concert artists, conductors, etc.; Popular musicians and actors, and Dancers. Series 5 includes Various subjects and includes two subseries: Photographs inventoried by Hess, and Photographs not inventoried by Hess. Series 6, Presentation photographs, includes images enlarged, mounted and signed by Hess for display purposes. Series 7 includes Hess's notebook, which lists negative numbers alongside names of subjects, and (in some cases) locations, and dates. Folders in all series are arranged alphabetically by subject. Folder titles for Series 1-4 and Series 5 subseries 1 are taken from Hess's notebook. Folder titles for Series 5 subseries 2 and Series 6-7 are provided by the archivist.</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Ilse M. Reese and Franz C. Hess in 1968 and 1969.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Isaac Maupin in 2017.</p>"}
- altformavail
-
{"value"=>"<p>Many of the folders contain contact sheets created by the Music Division in the early 1970s of the negatives.</p>"}
- originalsloc
-
{"value"=>"<p>Negatives available by appointment only.</p>"}
- revisiondesc
-
{"value"=>"Negative numbers added, additional folders added, additional scope and content added to some folders.", "date"=>"2020 May-2021 January"}
{"value"=>"Additional folders were added to the Jazz Artists series.", "date"=>"2022 January"}
{"value"=>"Additional folders were added to the Jazz Artists series, the Pop Musicians and Artists series and the Various Subjects series.", "date"=>"2026 February"}
- date_start
-
1936
- keydate
-
1936
- date_end
-
1949
- date_inclusive_start
-
1936
- date_inclusive_end
-
1949
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Otto F. Hess photographs, JPB 17-12. Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}