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Ida Constans photograph album

 Collection
Identifier: PAc 2017-29-A1

Content Description

Photograph album containing 50 black and white carte de visites and tintypes collected by Ida Constans. Ida Louise Constans (1868-1956) was the daughter of French immigrant Philip Constans (1836-1902) who arrived in Last Chance Gulch in Montana in 1864. Ida Constans's mother, Elizabeth Herman Constans (1838-1924), was of German decent and born in Ohio. The three other Constans children were Caroline (1860-1861), Henry Philip (1861-1889), and Alfred Edward William (1867-1933). The Constans family eventually settled in Unionville, Montana where Philip Constans owned a general store and worked as the postmaster. The majority of the photographs in her photo album are of family members but it also includes friends. Portraits in the album include: Philip Constans's sisters; Philip Constans's mother, Catherine Constans; Elizabeth Herman Constans; Alfred Constans; cousins; Elizabeth Constans's parents, Ida Constans; Henry Constans; Caroline Constans; Captain Herman and his wife; Christopher Constans; Robert Roberts; Tillie Hill; Ignace Miller and his wife; August Lehman, Nellie Lehman; Minnie Neidenhofen; John Renoux; and Caroline Olson. Carte de visites include studio portraits by: Edgar H. Train of Helena, Montana; Matthewson & Co. from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Charles Falkenstein from Sarrebourg, France; J. Lohmuller of Offenburg, Germany; Whitney's Gallery of Saint Paul, Minnesota; Mary J. Rust of Hastings, Wisconsin; F. Carpenter & Co. of Defiance, Ohio; Canning & Rust of Hastings, Minnesota; and J. Celrod's of Louisville, Kentucky. The photographs all date from about 1854 to about 1880.

Dates

  • Creation: 1854-1880

Extent

1 Photograph Albums (1 album, 50 p. (50 carte de visites and tintypes)) : black and white ; 6 x 4 1/2 in. album

50 Photographic Prints : black and white ; 4 x 2 1/2 in. and smaller.

Language of Materials

English

Condition Description

Album cover is no longer connected to the spine, most photographs are in good shape. A few of the photos show mechanical damage.

Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository

Contact:
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)