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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-01-25, Page 2020 Signal Star • Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Local authors' new book on postcards looks to renew interest in Reuben R. Sallows' photography Submitted After a year and a half of research, writing and editing, "The Reuben R. Sallows Picture Postcard Handbook 1900-1925: Gems from 'A Canadian Photographic Genius' made its way from the printer in December 2016, and is now availa- ble for purchase in Goderich at the Book Peddler on West Street and at the Huron County Museum. Reuben R. Sallows (1855-1937) was much admired in his lifetime in Goderich and Huron County. However, he is little known outside of the region today. This book should be one step forward in creating more aware- ness of the man and his work. The genesis of the book was a visit by Mike Smith to the Sallows Gallery a number of years ago. An avid, long-time collector of Canadi- ana, Smith was struck by the fact that he recognized many of the gal- lery's display photos as postcard images, even though he had never heard of Reuben Sallows until moving to Goderich. A year or so later, Smith had a call from Connie Keyser, an active member of the Sallows Gallery Board, who had found his contact information from a postcard web- site ebsite and realized that they were neighbours. With their mutual interest in Sal - lows, Smith indicated, "it was about time that someone compiled a handbook of postcards that are actually Sallows photos!" As it happened, Smith had a timely and fortuitous conversation with Larry Mohring in mid 2015, and the trio soon came together with their diverse skills in pursuit of a common goal. Smith was able to apply his knowledge and experience in the assembly of a postcard handbook (this is his 12th postcard book) as well as his cross -Canada contacts with postcard dealers and collec- tors of Canadiana. Mohring was able to apply his internet sleuthing enthusiasm, as well as on site visits to archives and libraries in Ontario. And Keyser was willing and able to search the Sallows Gallery archives for photo -to -postcard verifications. And there were literally thousands of Sallows photos to cross check, and thousands of postcards to cross check! Keyser was and continues to be critical as Reuben Sallows' name is on very few postcards because (or it has been inferred) Sallows was under commission during his pro- lific years to the Grand Trunk Rail= road, the CPR, the Ontario Depart- ment of Agriculture, the Federal Department of Immigration and others. As with many projects, particu- larly a postcard handbook, the, authors note that it is extremely dif- ficult for one individual, no matter how extensive their collection, to put together a comprehensive handbook. The Acknowledgements page lists the various institutions, societies and individuals whose input contributed to the book's contents. In addition, the front and back covers of the book were designed by Valerie Cooke, Reuben Sallows' granddaughter. As a graphic designer with U of'T Press, artistic talent still runs in the Sallows' lineage. The 36 -page introduction to the book provides an extensive and lavishly illustrated biography of "the Great Photographer.' In the 1880s, Reuben Sallows' career was not unlike other small town photographers, specializing in formal portraits, both from his studio at the corner of Montreal Street and the Square, Goderich, as well asat homes and farms in Huron. The Introduction follows Sal - lows' career locally, and describes his breakthrough in 1897 when a photo of his daughter and a young woman taken on the August Civic Holiday weekend at Point Farms (north of Goderich) was submitted, and accepted, by a Rochester, New York firm, and subsequently sold to the Buffalo Express, Toronto Globe, and the St. Louis and Canadian Photographer. In 1903, Sallows sent 12 different prints to an American printing trade journal, for which they paid him $50 for 10 of the prints. In Sallows' own words: "For the same work at home my regular cus- tomers were paying me $6 per dozen. This was the first money I had ever received for any commercial work and it certainly woke me up' Sallows soon became a master at photographing men, women and children at work and play in their natural surroundings. He stood out from other photographers of the day OFFICE HOURS The office hours for the Goderich Signal Star are as follows Monday 8 am - 5 pm Tuesday — 8 am - 5 pm Wednesday — 8 am - 5 pm Thursday -- 8 am - 5 pm Friday 8 am - 4 pm Goderich ,Signal -Star 120 Huckins Street., Goderich, ON N7A 3X8 519-524-2614 www.goderichsignalstar.com 0 ccs cv a .v Local authors, from left, Mike Smith, -Connie Keyser and Larry Mohring pose for a photo with their new book "The Reuben R. Sallows Picture Postcard Handbook 1900-1925: Gems from 'A Canadian Photographic Genius'." Darryl CooteiEditor From left, Mike Smith'Larry Mohring and Connie Keyser discuss the editorial process behind their new book from a room in Keyser's Goderich home. when he took his camera outdoors, as few others of his time did this. The May 1909 issue of "Busy Man's Magazine" carried an article on Sallows, with a selection of his photos, with the title "Canada's Photographic Genius." Under commission from railway companies, the Ontario Depart- ment of Agriculture and the federal Department of Immigration, Sal - lows had the opportunity to travel and photograph not just scenes in Goderich and farms in Huron County and South Western Ontario, but to the Eastern Town- ships of Quebec, Algonquin Park, Northern Ontario, and the Prairie Provinces. His photos were reproduced in countless newspapers, magazines and periodicals (both in Canada and the US) and several books, and were the basis for many emigration booklets and pamphlets to Britain and Europe, as well as on postcards issued by numerous publishers. Canadian publications carrying Sallows photos (more often than not on the covers) included: "Rod & Gun," "Canadian Pictorial, "The Grain Growers Guide," "The Farm- ers Advocate," "Canadian Life" and "Resources." American publica- tions included: "The Inland Printer" (Chicago), "Outing Maga-. zine" (New York) and "National Geographic," to name just a few. The authors' research for this book was also enabled by the incredible amount of historical material that has been digitized in conjunction with archives, libraries and other institutions across North America, without which our knowl- edge of the length and®oreadth of Sallows' reach and prominence would still lay uncovered. The man seems to have been everywhere over many years. For collectors, it is a wonderful coincidence that Sallows took some of his most iconic photo- graphs during the postcard's golden age (1900-1914), which helps explain why so much of his work was reproduced by postcard publishers in Canada, the United States and Britain. Indeed, some of the larger firms even made lengthy and specially numbered series of cards from his photos! The book also includes a "Brief History of the Postcard in Canada," before documenting all of the Sal - lows postcards found to date (as well as a number that are very likely candidates) from Canadian, American, British and Anonymous publishers. The book's bibliography also provides an extensive reference for anyone interested in further read- ing on Sallows. "The Reuben R. Sallows Picture Postcard Handbook" is not just for postcard collectors, as it provides a wonderful overview of local history and with over 1,300 images in full colour, it contains a pictorial his- tory and visual view of life in the early 1900s in Canada, which should appeal to many readers.