09 Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Sarah Leu through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. Last updated on March 25, 2015. Philadelphia History Museum
Table of Contents Summary Information...3 Biography/History...4 Scope and Contents... 4 Administrative Information... 4 Related Materials... 5 Controlled Access Headings...5 - Page 2 -
Summary Information Repository Philadelphia History Museum Creator Lutz, K. F. (Karl F.), 1896-1976 Title Karl F. Lutz photographs and papers Call number 09 Date circa 1920-1973 Extent 5.5 linear feet Language English Abstract Karl F. Lutz (1896-1976) was born in Germany and came to the United States, settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, around 1927. During the 1930s, Lutz began working as a professional photographer. His photographic subjects were mainly Philadelphia buildings and scenery; many of his images were used for postcards. The Karl F. Lutz photographs and papers, circa 1920-1973, consist primarily of photographs in a variety of media (paper prints, postcards, film negatives, glass plate negatives and others), but also include a small number of pamphlets, booklets, maps, scrapbooks, and other materials. Most of the materials in the collection relate to historic sites, buildings, and landmarks in Philadelphia and other nearby areas. - Page 3 -
Biography/History Karl Frederick Lutz was born in Heidelberg, Germany on June 3, 1896. He came to the United States around 1927 and began working professionally as a photographer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the 1930s. Lutz's photographic subjects were mainly Philadelphia buildings and scenery. Many of his photographs were used for postcards. He married Barbara "Betty" Goldbrunner, another German immigrant, in 1935. Barbara died in 1949 from ovarian cancer. Karl passed away in 1976. Scope and Contents This collection consists primarily of photographs in a variety of media - paper prints, postcards, holiday greeting cards, film negatives, glass plate negatives and others - but also includes a small number of pamphlets, booklets, maps, and other materials. The collection mostly relates to historic sites, buildings, landmarks, and other tourist images in Philadelphia and other nearby areas, but general street scenes of no particular historical significance are also captured. Several scrapbooks with photographs, postcards, and some newspaper clippings, as well as a few personal papers are also present in the collection, such as Lutz's and his wife's war rationing coupon books and an emergency medication authorization for alcohol from 1926. An item level inventory of this collection is available on-site. Administrative Information Philadelphia History Museum Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Sarah Leu through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. Sponsor This preliminary finding aid was created as part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. The HCI-PSAR project was made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. - Page 4 -
Access Restrictions Karl F. Lutz photographs and papers Contact Philadelphia History Museum for information about accessing this collection. Immediate Source of Acquisition Note Gifts of Russell C. and Herta B. Spruance, 1988 (accession 88.7), Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 1984 (accession 84.9), and Martha E. Von Rosenstiel and Elliot R. Borgman, 1989 (accession 89.13) Processing Information Note Summary descriptive information on this collection was compiled in 2012-2014 as part of a project conducted by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to make better known and more accessible the largely hidden collections of small, primarily volunteer run repositories in the Philadelphia area. The Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories (HCI-PSAR) was funded by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This is a preliminary finding aid. No physical processing, rehousing, reorganizing, or folder listing was accomplished during the HCI-PSAR project. In some cases, more detailed inventories or finding aids may be available on-site at the repository where this collection is held; please contact Philadelphia History Museum directly for more information. Related Materials Related Archival Materials Note Athenaeum of Philadelphia: Karl Lutz collection. Controlled Access Headings Geographic Name(s) Philadelphia (Pa.) - Page 5 -
Personal Name(s) Lutz, K. F. (Karl F.), 1896-1976 Subject(s) Historic buildings Historic sites Photographs Street photography - Page 6 -