Name/Title
Photo Elizabeth Thomas, by Elite Studios, S.F., c. 1890sEntry/Object ID
1981.260.1Description
Acc. No. 81.260.1
Subject Category: Artist
Date or Period: Circa 1890's
Object: Photograph, portrait
Description: Large sepia tinted photograph from the Elite, 838 Market Street, S.F. Cal. (Printed in gold type in lower left hand corner.)
Size: 21¼" by 25¼".
History Of Object: The photographic portrait depicts Elizabeth Thomas as a young girl. The Thomas family lived at 1405 Caroline Street, circa 1896 to 1981. Miss Thomas was a ceramic artist, executing outstanding hand painted porcelain. She had her china studio at 1405 Caroline Street. MissThomas studied under a lady named Smith.
ADDITIONAL HISTORY:
The photograph of Ms. Thomas was taken on a single plate negative, the full size of the actual photograph, and not blown up. The photographer told her at the time that this was the first use of this photographic technique. The Thomas family came to Alameda about 1893, from Virginia City, Nevada, Mr. Joseph Thomas, her father, being a miner there. Joseph died in 1897, two years after the purchase of 1405 Caroline street in 1895. Ms. Thomas needing employment was suggested by her teacher, Ms. Smith, to go into the china painting business, following the earthquake and fire of 1906. She felt this would be a ready market for her wares, since so much household goods had been lost in the disaster.
Ms. Thomas’s teacher Lura H. Smith, also taught some of society ladies of Alameda, such as Mrs. Tilden and Dr. Lum's mother. She also instructed Anna Spreckels. Ms. Smith, her brother Henry P. and sister Mary Smith, came to Alameda about 1900. They rented 2310 Central Avenue, from Dr. Tiddale, Ms. Smith having a studio there. They later lived on Clinton Avenue.
Miss Elizabeth Thomas died in Alameda in 1963.
Acquired from:
Mrs. Victoria Boddington
Date: August 19, 1981
