Tom Crane photograph collection


Collection 4668

circa 1966-2012
(180.5 Linear feet ; 122 boxes, 112 volumes, 6 flat files, 4 filing cabinets)

Summary Information

Repository
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
Crane, Ralph Thompson (Tom), III, 1940-2023.
Title
Tom Crane photograph collection
ID
4668
Date
circa 1966-2012
Extent
180.5 Linear feet ; 122 boxes, 112 volumes, 6 flat files, 4 filing cabinets
Author
Finding aid prepared by Sara H. Nash
Language
English
Abstract
Ralph Thompson Crane, III, of Montclair, New Jersey, and later Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, better known as Tom Crane (1940-2023), was an accomplished architectural and interior photographer. His work documenting structures and landmarks from across the region regularly appeared in local publications through the latter half of the 20th century. He also produced three books with writer and historic preservationist Roger W. Moss: Historic Houses of Philadelphia (1998),  Historic Sacred Places of Philadelphia (2004), and  Historic Landmarks of Philadelphia (2008). Crane's collection represents the complete body of his work, consisting of 180 linear feet of negatives, slides, color transparencies, photographs, and digital images on CDs and hard drives. There are also copies of his books and a few advertising portfolios. Crane meticulously kept track of all his jobs, and most items and groups of items are identified in some manner (by place, building, person, etc.), and are identified and ordered according to his own numbering scheme.

Preferred citation

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Tom Crane photograph collection (Collection 4668), Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Scope and content note

Ralph Thompson Crane, III, of Montclair, New Jersey, and later Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, better known as Tom Crane (1940-2023), was an accomplished architectural and interior photographer. In the late 1960s, Crane apprenticed in New York with Ezra Stoller, a noted architectural photographer. He then spent a couple of years as studio manager for German photographer, Hans Namuth. In 1971, he moved to Philadelphia and established his own photography studio. This collection represents the complete body of his work, consisting of 180 linear feet of negatives, slides, color transparencies, photographs, and digital images on CDs and hard drives. There are also copies of his books, magazine clippings, and a few advertising portfolios. Crane meticulously kept track of all his jobs, and most items and groups of items are identified in some manner (by place, building, person, etc.), and are also identified and ordered according to his own chronological job numbering scheme. Starting in 1972, Crane began giving each project a unique six-digit number based upon the date. Until October 1985, he used a MMDDYY format. At that time, he switched his job number format to YYMMDD. From January 1983 through September 2007, Crane maintained a master list of jobs, which can help identify items made within that date range (Box 16). These numbers make it possible to connect the various media to specific sites, events, and times.

The collection contains large numbers of images in multiple formats. There are 88 binders of slides representing his work from 1975-2006 (Volumes 25-112). There are four cartons of mounted color transparencies sorted by subject. There are a variety of albums of prints, with some devoted to specific jobs and others to subjects. Additionally, there are seven cartons of prints, and 26 cartons of chronological job files containing negatives, transparencies, prints, and occasional documents. Starting in 1990, these files became dominated by prints. The final two cartons of job files (Boxes 44 and 45) appear to contain more personal material, as does Box 15.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania , 2024.

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Access restrictions

The collection, except for the negatives files, is open for research.

Provenance

Gift of Diana Mizer, 2024.

Accession number 2024.035.

Processing note

Please note that while the collection has been moderately arranged, it remains in an unprocessed state and dates provided are necessarily approximate. This finding aid serves only as a preliminary inventory and is subject to change.

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

  • Photographs.

Personal Name(s)

  • Mizer, Diana.

Subject(s)

  • Architecture--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History.
  • Photographers--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Religious architecture--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

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Collection Inventory

Documents (1983-2012, undated) 

Box

Jobs binder, miscellaneous documents, materials removed from volumes (1983-2007, undated) 

1

Published material, miscellaneous items (1983-2004, undated) 

2

Contact cards A-N (undated) 

3

Contact cards O-Z, miscellaneous (undated) 

4
Volume

Scrapbook album - Magazine clippings (1978-2006, undated) 

1

Scrapbook album - Magazine clippings (1986-2002, undated) 

2

Clippings (1979-2003, undated) 

3

Clippings (1984-1987, undated) 

4

Clippings and prints (interiors) 

5

Clippings (2002-2007) 

6

Scrapbook album - Architectural Digest, contrasting photographs of Matt Wargo and Tom Crane (2002) 

7

Historic Sacred Places of Philadelphia, by Roger W. Moss, photographs by Tom Crane. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press (2005) 

8

Saint Mathias Parish, Our History and Our Heritage, 1906-2006 (2006) 

9

Historic Landmarks of Philadelphia, by Roger W. Moss, photographs by Tom Crane. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press (2008) 

10

Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church, Building a Lasting Legacy, 1962-2012 (2012) 

11

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Job files (circa 1966 - 2005) 

Box

 Circa 1970-1971 

5

 1970-1974 

6

 1974-1975 

7

 1975-1976, undated 

8

 1976-1977 

9

 1977-1979 

10

 1979 

11

 1980 

12

 1980-1981 

13

 1981-1982 

14

1982 

15

1982-1983 

16

 1983 

17

 1983 

18

 1983-1984 

19

1984 

20

 1984-1985 

21

 1986 

22

1985-1989 

23

 1990-1992 

24

 1992-1997 

25

 1997-1999 

26

 1999-2001 

27

 2001-2005 

28

Job files/personal (circa 1966 - circa 1988) 

29

Job files/personal (circa 1966 - circa 1988) 

30

Files - Historic landmarks and sacred places - Negatives, transparencies, slides, some prints and slides (undated) 

31

Files - Sacred Places - Negatives, transparencies, slides, some prints and slides (2002, undated) 

32

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Prints (1980-1999, undated) 

Volume

Polaroids binder (1984-1996) 

12

Studio Polaroid notebook (1984-1986) 

13

Polaroid log book (1989-1994) 

14

Album - Homes (undated) 

15

Album - Hospitals (undated) 

16

Album - Investment companies (undated) 

17

Prints binder - Sacred places (2000) 

18

Album - Aimco: The Ashford (#030806) (2003) 

19

Album - Saligman residence (2007) 

20

Album - Saligman residence (2007) 

21

Album - Black and white prints (undated) 

22

Album - Color prints - Interiors, exteriors, personal (undated) 

23

Color prints - Interiors, exteriors (undated) 

24
Box

Prints: 1: Cecil Baker, Herbert Bayer, Carlisle Hospital, Gimbels, INA, Lutron/Noel Mayo, Pace/Nevelson, Tony Smith, A. Amenta HSE; 2: Edison Museum, Knoll, Short and Ford - Princeton Houses, Larkin and Cywinski, Conwed, Cumberland Furniture; 3: Capital Pipe, Central Penn, Girard - Daroff, Nevelson - Court House, Prudential - Woodbridge; 4: Bower and Fradley, Chilton, Institute of Cancer Research (environments), 1234 Market, Prudential - Upper Dublin, Southeastern Community Hospital, Thiokel, Union Carbide (undated) 

33

Prints: 5: CUH2A - P. NJ Arsenal; Philadelphia Magazine - Quilts; Sports Medicine and Water Works (Sam Merlino); University of Pennsylvania walkways (Day and Zimmerman; Reader's Digest; 6: Christ Home (Day and Zimmerman), Peabody Coal, Colonial Penn, JG (computer), Little Boys Way, Lombard Street (John Czarnewski), Loomis Sayles; 8: Architectural Digest - SCAASI, Federal Reserve Bank, Prudential - South Plainfield, Interior Botanicals, McNeil KPA, Bedrooms - Lillian Bregman; 9: Blue Cross, Du Buffet - Washington, East Virginia Medical School, JG - Auditorium seats, Metpath, Nantucket - Johnson, South Star Shipping, Von Schlegel fountain, Wilkes Barre (undated) 

34

Prints: 10: Acme; Continental Bank; Gray's Lane; IMF; Philadelphia International Airport; UGI; Upland Country Day School, US Mint; 13: Assorted Kling prints; 14: Business interiors, Tom Janus desk, JG - UPS curved panel, Mitchell Association, Graduate Hospital; 15: Peabody Coal; Nevelson Park; Cranberry Pines School; Drinker, Biddle, and Reath; Finnegan House; First Pennsylvania Bank; INA, Wilmington; Mannington Mills; Shipley Gym; Simon Selli: Dental offices and model (undated) 

35

Prints: 16: Butcher and Singer Building, First Boston (Space data), Holland Acres, Hornblower Stockbrokers, Leopold House; 17: AT&T/Br.; Baldwin; Daroff-Ventnor; Demolle; Kanter; Mort Stone; Please Touch Museum; Public Ledger Building; 18: Am. Building of Internal Medicine; Baldwin - Porsche repair and '79 art show; battery plant; Philadelphia Magazine; Sam Crothers Schools; Dilullo Restaurant; E. D. C. Building; Frank B. Hall; Arch. Rest. prints; 20: Design Research (K/R); Gordon City Bank; Hardwood House; Interspace - CNB; McNeil Labs; Pierce Phelps; Borholm D and Z (undated) 

36

Prints: Hardwood House - Seconds, black and white prints; 21: Bell Lab; Prudential - Florham Park; Walton; 22: BORA; Crane Xmas '76; Dr. Durkin; Jed; Jerry and Betty; Murray '76; 24: NAHB; University of Connecticut Health Center; Xerox; Brighton; 25: Employee Transfer Corporation; Hardwood House 1980; ISI Gruger Chairs; Sheraton, DC, first trip (1980-1982, undated) 

37

Prints: 26: Sheraton, DC (second trip); 27: Keating; PCA - Knoll; Grant Jacks; Collections; John Caulk; 28: Procaccino; JG; Cope Linder Associates; ISI Dr. Garfield, P. Aborn; Smith Kline; Philadelphia Magazine; Noble's Undergraduate House; Prudential - Parsippany; Portraits 5x7 KPA, ISI; Carrier Clinic; Commissary - Piano Bar; Leo Daly; Dorchester; Drumthwacket; Echlin; Guyot Hall; Heinze (undated) 

38

Prints: Interiors and exteriors (3 boxes); Hotel Sofitel, SEI Investments, GE Capital; and miscellaneous (undated) 

39

Miscellaneous prints with negatives: Professional and personal (1999, undated) 

40

Prints - 11x14 (3 boxes): Throkol and C. Baker, Kling, and personal (undated) 

41
Oversize

Print (undated) 

Flat file 1

Print: Lemon Hill? (undated) 

Flat file 2

Print (undated) 

Flat file 3

Print (undated) 

Flat file 4

Print (undated) 

Flat file 5

Print: Lemon Hill Mansion (undated) 

Flat file 6

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Slide binders (1975-2003) 

Volume

Slide binder 1 (1975-1980) 

25

Slide binder 2 (January 1981 - June 1981) 

26

Slide binder 2A (July 1981 - December 1981) 

27

Slide binder 3 (January 1982 - June 1982) 

28

Slide binder 4 (July 1982 - December 1982) 

29

Slide binder 5 (January 1983 - March 1983) 

30

Slide binder 6 (April 1983 - June 1983) 

31

Slide binder 7 (July 1983 - September 1983) 

32

Slide binder 8 (October 1983 - December 1983) 

33

Slide binder 9 (January 1984 - February 1984) 

34

Slide binder 10 (March 1984 - April 1984) 

35

Slide binder 11 (May 1984 - June 1984) 

36

Slide binder 12 (July 1984 - August 1984) 

37

Slide binder 13 (September 1984) 

38

Slide binder 14 (October 1984) 

39

Slide binder 15 (November 1984 - December 1984) 

40

Slide binder 16 (January 1985) 

41

Slide binder 17 (February 1985) 

42

Slide binder 18 (March 1985) 

43

Slide binder 19 (April 1985) 

44

Slide binder 20 (May 1985) 

45

Slide binder 21 (June 1985) 

46

Slide binder 22 (July 1985) 

47

Slide binder 23 (August 1985) 

48

Slide binder 24 (September 1985) 

49

Slide binder 25 (October 1985) 

50

Slide binder 26/7 (November 1985 - December 1985) 

51

Slide binder 28 (January 1986) 

52

Slide binder 29 (February 1986) 

53

Slide binder 30 (March 1986) 

54

Slide binder 31-32 (April 1986 - May 1986) 

55

Slide binder 33 (June 1986) 

56

Slide binder 34 (July 1986) 

57

Slide binder 35 (August 1986) 

58

Slide binder 36 (September 1986) 

59

Slide binder 37 (October 1986) 

60

Slide binder 38 (November 1986 - December 1986) 

61

Slide binder 39 (January 1987 - February 1987) 

62

Slide binder 40 (March 1987 - April 1987) 

63

Slide binder 41 (May 1987) 

64

Slide binder 42 (June 1987) 

65

Slide binder 43 (July 1987 - August 1987) 

66

Slide binder 44 (September 1987 - October 1987) 

67

Slide binder 45 (November 1987) 

68

Slide binder 46 (December 1987 - January 1988) 

69

Slide binder 47 (February 1988 - March 1988) 

70

Slide binder 48 (April 1988 - May 1988) 

71

Slide binder 49 (June 1988) 

72

Slide binder 50 (July 1988 - September 1988) 

73

Slide binder 51 (October 1888) 

74

Slide binder 52 (November 1988 - December 1988) 

75

Slide binder 53 (January 1989) 

76

Slide binder 54 (February 1989 - March 1989 

77

Slide binder 55 (April 1989 - June 1989) 

78

Slide binder 56 (July 1989 - September 1989) 

79

Slide binder 57 (October 1989) 

80

Slide binder 58 (November 1989 - December 1989) 

81

Slide binder 59 (January 1990 - March 1990) 

82

Slide binder 60 (April 1990) 

83

Slide binder 61 (May 1990 - June 1990) 

84

Slide binder 62 (July 1990 - August 1990) 

85

Slide binder 63 (September 1990) 

86

Slide binder 64 (October 1990) 

87

Slide binder 65 (October 1990 - January 1991) 

88

Slide binder 66 (February 1991) 

89

Slide binder 67 (March 1991 - April 1991) 

90

Slide binder 68 (May 1991 - July 1991) 

91

Slide binder 69 (August 1991 - October 1991) 

92

Slide binder 70 (November 1991 - January 1992) 

93

Slide binder 71 (February 1992 - May 1992) 

94

Slide binder 72 (June 1992 - October 1992) 

95

Slide binder 73 (January 1993 - June 1993) 

96

Slide binder 74 (July 1993 - December 1993) 

97

Slide binder 75 (February 1993 - May 1993) 

98

Slide binder 76 (June 1994 - September 1994) 

99

Slide binder 77 (October 1994 - March 1995 

100

Slide binder 78 (April 1995 - March 1996) 

101

Slide binder 79 (April 1996) 

102

Slide binder 80 (May 1996 - October 1996) 

103

Slide binder 81 (December 1996 - June 1997) 

104

Slide binder 82 (July 1997 - March 1998) 

105

Slide binder 83 (May 1998 - November 1998) 

106

Slide binder 84 (January 1999 - January 2000) 

107

Slide binder 85 (April 2000 - June 2003) 

108

Slides binder - Mixed slides (1953-1996) 

109

Slides binder - Cherry Hill Mall, Job #901029 (October 1990) 

110

Slides binder - Historical landmarks (circa 1995 - circa 2006) 

111

Slides binder - Sculpture (undated) 

112

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Slides (1972-1988, undated) 

Box

Slide box 1: 120172-101874 (December 1972 - October 1974) 

42

Slide box 2: 121174-102175 (December 1974 - October 1975) 

43

Slide box 3: 111375-070476 (November 1975 - July 1976) 

44

Slide box 4: 070876-071977 (July 1976 - July 1977) 

45

Slide box 5: 071977-042078 (July 1977 - April 1978) 

46

Slide box 6: 042078-092478 (July 1978 - September 1978) 

47

Slide box 7: 092778-021679 (September 1978 - February 1979) 

48

Slide box 8: 021679-051279 (February 1979 - May 1979) 

49

Slide box T: 050379-041780 (May 1979 - April 1980) 

50

Slide box L: 042280-022181 (April 1980 - February 1981) 

51

Slide box N: 030281-082481 (March 1981 - August 1981) 

52

Slide box M: 091081-050182 (September 1981 - May 1982) 

53

Slide box R: 050682-101582 (May 1982 - October 1982) 

54

Slide box S: 101882-011483 (October 1982 - January 1983) 

55

Slide box P: 011983-080783 (January 1983 - August 1983) 

56

Slide box O: 081083AL-011784 (August 1983 - January 1984) 

57

Slide box Q: 011784-051584AL (January 1984 - May 1984) 

58

Slide box 29: 052984-080884 (May 1984 - August 1984) 

59

Slide box 30: 080984AL-090784AL (August 1984 - September 1984) 

60

Slide box 31: 091884-102584AL (September 1984 - October 1984) 

61

Slide box 32: 110384-013085AL (November 1984 - January 1985) 

62

Slide box 33: 020185-031185 (February 1985 - March 1985) 

63

Slide box 34: 031685-050685AL (March 1985 - May 1985) 

64

Slide box 35: 050685MW-070285 (May 1985 - June 1985) 

65

Slide box 36: 060685MW-070285 (June 1985 - July 1985) 

66

Slide box 37: 071685-091385 (July 1985 - September 1985) 

67

Slide box 38: 081485-851001 (August 1985 - October 1985) 

68

Slide box 39: 851009-860115 (October 1985 - January 1986) 

69

Slide box 40: 860121-860331MW (January 1986 - March 1986) 

70

Slide box 41: 860401-860617 (April 1986 - June 1986) 

71

Slide box 42: 860618-860826 (June 1986 - August 1986) 

72

Slide box 43: 860826-861006 (August 1986 - October 1986) 

73

Slide box 44: 861015-861125 (October 1986 - November 1986) 

74

Slide box 45: 861105-870327 (November 1986 - March 1987) 

75

Slide box 46: 870408-870526 (April 1987 - May 1987) 

76

Slide box 47: 870601-870810MW (June 1987 - August 1987) 

77

Slide box 48: 870811-871016 (August 1987 - October 1987) 

78

Slide box 49: 871018-880203MW (October 1987 - February 1988) 

79

Slide box 50: 880209-880810 (February 1988 - August 1988) 

80

Slide holder boards (3) (undated) 

41

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Mounted transparencies (1978-2002, undated) 

Box

Betsy Train, commercial interiors, corporate interiors, historic houses, hospitals (1979-2001, undated) 

81

Hotels; interiors; kitchens, baths, and Corian; landmarks, Philadelphia area landmarks; product (1978-2001, undated) 

82

Residential interiors, restaurants and food, retial interiors, schools/industrial, studio, unlabeled (1978-2002, undated) 

83

Unlabeled (1987-2001, undated) 

84

Ursinus/ Architectural Record (undated) 

41

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Transparencies (1972-1985) 

Box

Transparencies box 1: 120172-042976 (December 1972 - April 1976) 

85

Transparencies box 2: 050576-071977 (May 1976 - July 1977) 

86

Transparencies box 3: 071977-042078 (July 1977 - April 1978) 

87

Transparencies box 4: 042178-100378 (April 1978 - October 1978) 

88

Transparencies box 5: 101178-051279 (October 1978 - May 1979) 

89

Transparencies box 6: 051779-102579 (May 1979 - October 1979) 

90

Transparencies box 7: 102979-030380 (October 1979 - March 1980) 

91

Transparencies box 8: 031380-072880 (March 1980 - July 1980) 

92

Transparencies box 9: 072880-122380 (July 1980 - December 1980) 

93

Transparencies box 10: 010781-041581 (January 1981 - April 1981) 

94

Transparencies box 11: 041681-070181 (April 1981 - July 1981) 

95

Transparencies box 12: 071181-091281 (July 1981 - September 1981) 

96

Transparencies box 13: 091981-011182 (September 1981 - January 1982) 

97

Transparencies box 14: 020682-042682 (February 1982 - April 1982) 

98

Transparencies box 15: 050682-081482 (May 1982 - August 1982) 

99

Transparencies box 16: 081482-111182 (August 1982 - November 1982) 

100

Transparencies box 17: 112182-031883 (November 1982 - March 1983) 

101

Transparencies box 18: 021483-051083 (February 1983 - May 1983) 

102

Transparencies box 19: 052083-080583AL (May 1983 - August 1983) 

103

Transparencies box 20: 080783-100483 (August 1983 - October 1983) 

104

Transparencies box 21: 100683-120783 (October 1983 - December 1983) 

105

Transparencies box 22: 121283-012484 (December 1983 - January 1984) 

106

Transparencies box 23: 020984-031684 (February 1984 - March 1984) 

107

Transparencies box 24: 032084-050884 (March 1984 - May 1984) 

108

Transparencies box 25: 051484AL-071784 (May 1984 - July 1984) 

109

Transparencies box 26: 071884-091284 (July 1984 - September 1984) 

110

Transparencies box 27: 091284AL-100984AL (September 1984 - October 1984) 

111

Transparencies box 28: 101684AL-012885 (October 1984 - January 1985) 

112

Transparencies box 29: 020185AL-031885 (February 1985 - March 1985) 

113

Transparencies box 30: 031885AL-051585 (March 1985 - May 1985) 

114

Transparencies box 31: 051685-061685 (May 1985 - June 1985) 

115

Transparencies box 32: 061685B-072985 (June 1985 - July 1985) 

116

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Digital and audio media (undated) 

Box

CDs (undated) 

117

Hard drives, audio cassette (undated) 

118

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Negatives (1999-2006) 

Access restrictions

The four boxes of negatives are not currently open to researchers.

Box

Negatives: 990222-000905 (February 1999 - September 2000) 

119

Negatives: 000907-020731 (September 2000 - July 2002) 

120

Negatives: 020802-040921 (August 2002 - September 2004) 

121

Negatives: 040927-060807 (September 2004 - August 2006) 

122

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