MS-398: Wright Company Glass Plate Negative Collection
Collection Number: MS- 398
Title: The Wright Company Glass Plate Negative Collection
Dates: 1901-1911 (bulk 1910-1911)
Creator: Unknown
Summary/Abstract:
The Wright Company Glass Plate Negative collection consists of 87 glass plate negatives, and 10
negatives relating to the Wright Company, the Wright School of Aviation, flights at Kitty Hawk,
N.C., celebrations and aviation events, and a series of unidentified children.
Quantity/Physical Description:
2.5 linear feet. The majority of the plates are 5x7 inch glass plates; however, there are ten
negatives and five 3x4 inch plates scattered throughout.
Language(s): English
Repository: (Required)
Special Collections and Archives, Paul Laurence Dunbar Library, Wright State University,
Dayton, OH 45435-001, (937) 775-2092
Restrictions on Access: There are no restrictions on accessing material in this collection.
Restrictions on Use:
Copyright restriction may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright.
Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright
holder.
Preferred Citation:
(Box Number), (Folder Number), MS-398, The Wright Company Glass Plate Negative
Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University,
Dayton, Ohio
Acquisition: Purchased at auction from Cowan’s of Cincinnati in June 2009.
Related Material:
MS-1 Wright Brothers Collection
MS-152 Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Collection
Note: Many of the images are photographs of other photographs. In these instances, the phrase
“copy of image” is used to identify these images.
1
Processing Information: These images were identified by comparing the images to images in
the Wright Brothers Collection. If the image is a duplicate of an image already in the Wright
Brothers Collection, the repository number for the image in the Wright Brothers Collection (Box,
File and Item Number) is indicated after the image description.
Processed by: Elizabeth K. Morgan, Fall 2009
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in five series:
I. Wright Company Factory
II. Wright School of Aviation
III. Ephemera
IV. Children
V. Prints from Negatives
Biographical/Historical Note:
The Wright Company was founded in November 1909 with the financial backing of New York
investors who were interested in backing the fledgling aviation industry. In January 1910, the
Wright Company set up a factory in Dayton, Ohio, and established a flying field and flight
school at Huffman Prairie. The Wright Company rented factory space from the Speedwell Motor
Car Company in Dayton, from January 1910 until the Wright Company factory at 2701 Home
Road in Dayton was completed in Nov 1910.
The brothers hired Roy Knabenshue, an experienced balloon and airship pilot, to manage an
exhibition flying team. Although the Wrights were not eager to enter the “mountebank business,”
as they referred to stunt flying and exhibitions, they recognized that an exhibition team would
add to their income. The Wright exhibition team first performed at Indianapolis, Indiana, in June
1910. It stayed in business until November 1911, when the deaths of several team members
prompted the Wrights to discontinue it. The Flight School the Wright brothers taught ran at
Huffman Prairie from 1910-1911. Orville Wright and Charlie Taylor, their longtime mechanic,
also set up a flying school in Montgomery, Alabama, from January to May of 1910, where
Maxwell Air Force Base would later be located.
The summer of 1910 the Wright Company introduced what would become their most popular
aircraft—the Wright Model B, which was produced from 1910-1914. Orville sold the Wright
Company in 1915.
Scope and Content:
Series I, The Wright Company Factory, consists of ten images of different stations in the factory,
including images of people at work making planes. Most of the images are from the Wright
Company Home Road location in Dayton, Ohio. Frank Quim, James Davis, Dan Farrell, Bill
Conover, and Ida Holdgrave are labeled in this series.
Series II, Wright School of Aviation, consists of nine images. These images contain many posed
photographs of men either standing next to or sitting in a Wright airplane. There are also images
of Wright airplanes in flight. The following men may be found in this series: Steinway, Harry
2
Harold, Arthur L. Welsh, Ralph Johnstone, Archibald Hoxsey, Frank Coffyn, Walter Brookins,
Leonard W. Bonney, James W Turpin, and James Davis
Series III, Ephemera, consists of 47 images and is divided into two subseries: Subseries I—Early
Flight, consists of ten images of the first flight, other Kitty Hawk images, and the Wright Flyer in
flight. Sub Series II—Celebrations and Aviation Events, consists of five images, including
Claude Grahame’s landing on Executive Avenue in Washington D.C., and the Wright
Homecoming Celebration of 1909, as well as a few other unidentified events. There are also
images of Max Moorehouse and Roy Knabenshue.
Series IV, Children, consists of fourteen images that include images of young people or children.
The majority of the images are staged images, but a few appear less formal. All of the children
are unidentified.
Series V, Prints, consists of 8x10 prints of the 87 glass plates and 10 negatives. They are
arranged in order of Series I through IV and are numbered on the reverse of the photograph.
Subject Terms:
Persons/Families:
Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912. Wright, Orville, 1871-1948. Crane, Spencer Lambert, Albert, 1847-1918. LaChapelle, Duval Organizations/Corporate Names:
Wright Company. Wright Flying School
Places
Dayton (Ohio)
Subjects:
Aeronautics-United States-History Airplanes-Design and Construction-History Airplanes--History
Material Types
Glass plate negatives Photographs
Film negatives
3
Collection Inventory
Series I
The Wright Company Factory
Box
File
Description
Date
1
1
“Wire Cutting Department,” Frank Quinn and James
Davis in workshop of Wright Company factory.
Duplicate 21-3-4.
“Superintendent’s Office,” image of office, Wright
Company factory. Duplicate of 21-31-1.
Frank Quim stands at long work table under windows,
of Wright Company factory, probably in the Radiator
Department. Duplicate 21-3-8.
1911
4
Man in hat and bow tie works on wing of plane,
woman sitting in background, at Wright Company
factory.
1911
5
Two images: copy of image. Top: man wearing hat
sits in pilot’s seat of Model B. Bottom: man in bow tie
and bowler hat work in Wright Company Factory.
Duplicate 2-6.
1911
6
“[C]orner of Wood Working Department,” Dan
Farrell, Frank M. Quinn, and Bill Conover stand in
workroom of Wright Company factory, 1911.
Duplicate of 21-3-7.
1911
7
“Cylinder and Motor Parts Department,” four men
work at machines in Wright Company factory, 1911.
Some orange paper stuck to side.
1911
8
Model B in Wright Company factory, half way
covered by sheet. Piles of wood and wheels in
foreground. Duplicate of 1-9.
1911
9
Model B in Wright Company factory, half way
covered by sheet. Piles of wood and wheels in
foreground. Duplicate of 1-8.
1911
10
“General Machine Shop” men stand by machines in
Wright Company factory, 1911. Duplicate 21-3-5.
1911
2
3
1911
1911
4
Series II
Wright School of Aviation
Box File
Description
1
“Metal Fitting and Motor Assembly,” men work by
machines in Wright Company factory, 1911.
Duplicate 21-3-6.
“Corner of Paint Shop” of Wright Company Factory,
with Steinway and Harry Harold at work painting.
Duplicate 21-3-12.
Two images; copy of other images. Top: Inside of
Wright Company factory, 1911. Bottom: Flyer on cart
outside Speedwell Motor Car Company factory, 1910.
Duplicate 20-7-13. NOTE: The Wrights used the
Speedwell Motor Car Company factory until the one
on Home Road opened in November of 1910.
“Corner of Sewing Department” of Wright Company
factory. Ida Holdgrave sits at sewing machine.
Duplicate 21-3-10.
One man work on front of Model B, while two others
worn on detached wing in Wright Company Factory.
Located in the General Assembly area.
“Propeller and Rib Department” of Wright Company
factory. Five men in image. Duplicate of 21-3-9.
“General Assembly Department” of Wright Company
factory. Duplicate of 21-3-3.
Image of front of “the Wright Co.” factory. Shot of
side, not full front. Orange paper stuck to glass around
side.
“Cloth Cutting Department” of Wright Company
factory. Man stands working over a template.
Max Moorehouse sits in seat of Johnstone’s machine,
under construction. Negative, not attached to a glass
plate. Moorehouse owned a department store which
sponsored the November 1910 flight between Dayton
and Columbus.
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
2
1
2
Two images: Copies of images. Top: close up of
engine, with hanger in background. Bottom: close up
of rudder. Duplicate of 15-4-37.
Two men attach a modified Wright 3 Flyer to the rail
system to launch. Three men watch in background.
Studio Label “Tressler’s Studio/Montgomery, Ala.”
Duplicate of 19-6-1
Date
1911
1911
1911
1911
1911
1911
1911
1911
ca. 1910
ca.1911
ca. 1911
5
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Copy of photogragh. Spencer Crane and Archibald
Hoxsey tightening the nut on the propeller of the
Wright Model A Flyer. Duplicate of 19-6-20, 398-2-4.
Two images: Copies of photographs. R: Spencer
Crane and Archibald Hoxsey tightening the nut on the
propeller of the Wright Model A Flyer. Deep scratches
down center. Duplicate of 2-3, 19-6-20. L: Wright
Flyer soars in air.
Two images: Copy of photographs. Top: Pilot’s
cranking the propellers on Wright Flyer, duplicate of
19-6-2. Studio Label “Tressler’s Studio/Montgomery,
Ala.” Bottom: Man stands next to Model B plane.
NOTE: negative is coming detached from glass plate.
Two images: copy of photographs. Top: Spencer
Crane stands on Flyer oiling chain. Duplicate of 19-6­
15. Studio Label “Tressler’s Studio/Montgomery,
Ala.”Bottom: close up of engine and seat of plane.
Two men, Orville Wright and Albert B. Lambert
(wearing derby hat) sit in Model B. Sims Station,
Huffman Prairie. Close up of 19-3-4.
Man wearing suit and newsboy cap sits in driver’s seat
of Model B, close up of man and engine. Trees in the
background have no leaves.
Model B in flight, one man flies plane, underside
shown
Far image of Model B high in clouds, copy of
photograph.
Wright Flyer soars above field lined with trees that
have leaves, fuzzy
Exhibition pilot (wearing hat and maybe a mustache)
for the Wright Company sits in the seat of a Model B.
Three men in a field watch the Model B soar above
field with leafless trees.
Two Model B planes soar above a field (lined with
leafless trees), tiny car with people in corner
Hanger at side, car and men in background, Model B,
probably a Flight School image, trees are bare. Small
amount of paper stuck to back.
Copy of photograph: Orville Wright and five other
men stand by Wright 3 Flyer: Duval La Chapelle,
Arthur L. Welsh, Orville Wright, James Davis, Ralph
Johnstone, and Frank Coffyn. Duplicate of 19-3-5.
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
1910
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1910-1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
6
2
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Two images: copy of photographs; Arthur L. Welsh
wears a newsboy hat, sitting in Model B. Man with
corded sweater and buttons, wearing a hat and goggles
sits in Model B.
Two images: Top; Flyer soars above field with leafed
trees, bottom; two Model B planes soar in the air.
3”x4” plate. Plane on ground in distance. Trees and
power lines in the distance.
Two mustached men sit in the Model B. One man is
chubby and wears a suit; the other is diminutive and
wears a buttoned coat.
Negative, no glass plate. Image of engine of plane.
Damaged in center.
Aeroboat on water, water/smoke billowing behind,
along the Little Miami River. Negative, 3 ½”x 5”.
Aeroboat on Little Miami River, front shot. Negative
3 ½”x 5”
Side view of Aeroboat taking off of Little Miami
River. Negative, 3 ½”x 5”.
Aeroboat on Little Miami River, Orville and other
man stand knee deep in water behind the plane.
Negative, 3 ½”x 5”. Duplicate of 20-3-16.
Two men attach a modified Wright 3 Flyer to the rail
system to launch. Three men watch in background.
Studio Label “Tressler’s Studio/Montgomery, Ala.”
Negative 3 ½ x 5”. Duplicate of 19-6-1
ca. 1911
Two images; copy of images. Top: duplicate 19-3-5,
six men stand around the Model B. Bottom: Model B
sit in field with farmhouse in background. Duplicate
of 3-2.
Model B in field, car in background. Duplicate of 3-1.
Possibly two men fly in Model B a little off the
ground over a field with leafed trees. Fuzzy image.
Copy of image. Man wearing hat and corded sweater
sits in 1911 Model B. Duplicate of 3-10.
Model B soars above fields with leafless trees.
Model B just taking off. Farmhouse in background,
trees leafless, two men in airplane. Duplicate of 3-7.
Model B just taking off, two men in plane, farmhouse
in background, trees leafless, duplicate of 3-6.
One man soars above field in modified Model A. Ten
plus men stand as spectators, copied in 3-9.
Copy of image (thumbtacks showing) eight plus men
watch the Flyer soar above the field. 3x4” plate.
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1991
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
7
3
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Copy of image. Men wearing corded and buttoned
sweater sits in pilot’s seat of Model B. Duplicate of 3­
4.
Man wearing large hat sits in pilot’s seat of Model B
plane.
Wright Model B sits in field lined with leafless trees.
Eleven men stand in front of the Model B, including a
portly man (center) and a man with a large beard.
Trees are leafless. Big spot in center. Duplicate of 3­
14.
Eleven men stand in front of the Model B, including a
portly man (center), and a man with a large squared
off beard. Trees are leafless. Duplicate of 3-13.
Two images: Copies of images. Right: seat and engine
of Model A. Left: side of engine of Model A.
Two men in Model B, Spectators include a woman,
man, and child on one side. Very blurry. Man behind
plane on opposite side, trees leafless.
Model B flies above the field lined with power lines,
nearby is street car stop known as Simms Station.
Trees leafless.
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
Two images: Copy of images. Right: Model A soars
above field, trees have leaves. Left: image half-way
off plate, of glider at Kitty Hawk.
Wright Flyer in air. Copy of image. Duplicate of 398­
4-3.
Wright Flyer in air. Copy of image. Duplicate of 4-2.
ca. 1911
Two Model B planes soar above field with leafless
trees.
Copy of image. Archibald Hoxsey pouring water into
the radiator of the Wright Model A Flyer while
bracing himself on the Flyer and the shoulder of
Walter Brookins. Spencer Crane is standing nearby.
Duplicate of 19-6-11.
Wright Flyer in air flying over a field with trees that
have leaves.
Model B in air, underside showing.
Model B soars above field; man crouches down in the
distance-trees have leaves. 3x4” plate
Two images: Copy of images. Right image: Flyer in
air, bottom showing, deep scratches in the center. Left:
Rudder and elevator of Model B.
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca.1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
8
Series III
Ephemera
Box
File
Description
4
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
5
1
2
3
Subseries I- Early Flight
Two images: copies of images. Top: Orville flies
glider just above the ground at Kitty Hawk. Written on
side “1901.”Bottom: Orville soars in glider with Kitty
Hawk dunes behind.
Copy of image. Orville soars in glider at Kitty Hawk.
“1902” Handwritten on side.
Two images: copy of images. Top: side view of Flyer
at Kitty Hawk, duplicate 16-3-15b. Bottom: Copy of
First Flight image, duplicate of 19-3-12.
Two images: copy of images. Flyer flies above field­
trees leafless. Bottom: 1900 Glider flying as a kite,
duplicate of 4-14. Handwritten on side “1902”
Copy of Image: 1900 Glider flying as a kite.
Duplicate of 4-13.
Silhouette of Wilber Wright.
Image of the Model B being flown off of a ship, with
another ship in the background. Fuzzy.
Copy of image. Model A just taking off or landing,
trees in field have no leaves. Negative.
Copy of image. Negative. Left front view of Wilbur
Wright piloting the Wright 1902 glider off of Big Kill
Devil Hill. Duplicate of 15-6-11.
The Wright Model B Flyer in flight over Dayton,
Ohio. On the original the photograph is annotated on
the front and back by Orville Wright as a fake.
Duplicate of 19-4-35.
Date
ca. 1901
ca. 1901
ca. 1903
ca. 1902
ca. 1903
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1902
ca. 1911
Sub Series II—Celebrations and Aviation Events
Two images, copy of images (thumbtacks showing).
ca. 1909
Both of the Homecoming Celebration on June 18th and
19th, 1909. Top: American flag made of school
children, duplicate of MS 192-078. Bottom: The Court
of Honor at the Wright Brothers Homecoming
Celebration parade, duplicate 21-1-12.
Copy of image (thumbtacks showing). Parade scene,
ca. 1910
maybe of the Homecoming Celebration.
Claude Grahame-White lands his Farman airplane on
ca. 1911
Execution Avenue. Duplicate of 20-10-9.
9
Box
File
Description
Date
5
4
Copy of Image. Max Moorehouse and Roy
Knabenshue sit in Johnstone’s machine, under
construction. They are holding a sign labeled “ #29
Morehouse-Martens Co./ Columbus Ohio”
Moorehouse owned a department store which
sponsored the November 1910 flight between Dayton
and Columbus.
Model B soars above field; sign along horizon reads
“Aviator Event” Studio name on corner reads “5646
Clemens Ave. St. Louis”. Side of plate is chipped.
ca. 1910
5
ca. 1911
Series IV
Children
Box File
Description
Date
5
Fifteen boys positioned in front of bushes, with
woman standing off to the side. Looks like school
picture, as they are wearing matching uniforms. 3x4”
plate.
Young man stands in front of shrubs, wearing the
same outfit as those in File 5-8. 3x4” plate.
Baby boy sits in chair on table, holding pipe in mouth.
Hand written on back “Hermes”. Same boy as MS
398-5-11 through MS 5-18.
Unhappy baby boy seated, dropping tobacco pipe and
almost stepping on hat. Another pipe stuck in front
pocket. Same boy as MS 5-10 through MS 5-18.
Baby boy with hat stands next to table, one hand is
blurry. Hand written on back “Hermes”. Same boy as
5-10 through 5-18.
Baby boy wearing hat looks down at pipe in hand,
standing in front of table. Hand written on back
“Hermes”. Same boy as 5-10 through 5-18.
Baby boy wearing hat leans on table, which holds a
bottle. Hand written on back “Hermes”. Same boy as
5-10 through 5-18. Large chip on side.
Baby boy in hat stands next to table, holding tobacco
pipe in mouth. Hand written on back “Hermes”. Same
boy as 5-10 through 5-18. Blue substance on plate
near center.
Baby boy in hat leans on a low table, which holds a
bottle. Hand written on back “Hermes”. Same boy as
5-10 through 5-18.
ca. 1911
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
10
5
15
17
18
19
20
Baby in large gown seated on edge of table, 1 shoed
foot hanging off the edge. Same boy as 5-10 through
5-18.
Four young people in an automobile. People walking
in street in background. 3x4” plate.
Little boy stands, wearing Little Lord Fauntleroy suit
holding a straw hat with streamers and a cane (with a
duck’s head). Same little boy as in 6-2 to 6-4.
Little boy wearing Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit stands
holding a straw hat with streamers and a cane (with a
duck’s head), different angle from 6-2. Same little boy
as in 6-2 to 6-4.
Little boy wearing Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit sits,
holding straw hat and duck’s head cane. Same boy as
in 6-2 through 6-3.
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
ca. 1911
Series V
Prints from Images
Box
File
Description
Date
6
1
2
3
4
5
Prints – Box 1
Prints – Box 2
Prints – Box 3
Prints – Box 4
Prints – Box 5
ca. 1910-1911
ca. 1910-1911
ca. 1910-1911
ca. 1903-1911
ca. 1910-1911
11