Ca. 583 original gelatin silver photographs (including 28 loose), from ca. 10x12,7 cm to ca. 1,4x1 cm. Most photos with Maurine’s English ink captions on mounts, negatives, or versos (some also with dates). With one signed real photo postcard ca. 10,5x13,8 cm and 55 negatives (some apparently not printed) from ca. 12,4x10 cm to 10x6,1 cm. Period black full-cloth album with generic-title “Photographs” on the front cover, fastened with a string. Binding slightly worn, white ink traces on the front cover, most pages detached, many pages with tears at the extremities, several photos missing, some photos age-toned, but otherwise a very good album with strong, interesting photos.

With two printed invitation cards ca. 18,5x14,2 cm (7 ¼ x 5 ½ in) and 6,3x10,7 cm (2 ½ x 4 ¼ in). housed in an original envelope ca. 10,3x15,1 cm (4x6 in), and signed to Mr. and Mrs. “Sam Kranson.” Envelope rubbed.

With one Octavo letter (ca. 24x15 cm) housed in an original envelope ca. 9,6x14,6 cm (3 ¾ x 5 ¾ in). Pencil on yellowish lined wove paper with the printed letterhead of “Bergson Dry Goods Company” (est. in 1880 by Maurine’s father). Tears (with two words affected), fold marks, but otherwise a good, interesting letter.

With three newspaper clippings ca. 5,5x7,9 cm (2x3 in); 12,5x5,4 cm (5x2 in); and 29,6x12 cm (11 ¾ x 4 ¾ in) (cut in half) housed in an original envelope ca. 10x18,4 cm (4x7 ¼ in). Two larger pieces with small holes (words affected), the larger piece lacks a fragment in the upper right corner (text affected), envelope with tears and loss of the fragments.

With original “Engel Art Corners” advertising envelope ca. 13,9x7,8 cm (5 ½ x 3 in) and one round mounting corner.  

Historically significant, extensive archive of original gelatin silver photographs, negatives, newspaper clippings, and printed ephemera taken and collected by Maurine Janice Kranson (1912–1967), a middle-class Jewish resident and aspiring teacher, during her early life and adolescence in Texas in the 1910s–1930s.

As follows from the records obtained at Newspapers.com, the compiler, Maurine Kranson, was born in 1912 to Della Valentine Bergson (ca. 1887-1967) and businessman Samuel Kranson (ca.  1881-1947) of Marshall, Texas. She graduated from Marshall High School and earned a B.A. from the University of Texas, where she became a close friend of future First Lady Lady Bird Johnson (ca. 1912-2007). In the 1930s, she taught English at Stephen F. Austin School and served as treasurer of the Marshall branch of the American Association of University Women. In 1935, she married Charles Fieger (ca. 1907-1975), moved to Skokie, Illinois, and had one son. She died in 1967 after a long illness.

The archive mostly documents the everyday life of a middle-class Jewish family in Texas, with over 350 lively, vernacular photographs capturing the compiler, Maurine, from the early years to the age of 20. The images show her with family, relatives, and friends at home, on the Texas streets, by Caddo Lake, at the port, on picnics, playing tennis, swimming, and relaxing at Suebelle Lake. Among those identified are “Della Valentine Bergson,” “Samuel Kranson,” “Seymour J. Kranson,” “Zoe Marjorie Kranson,” “Alma Helene Kranson,” “Harold Eichenbaum,” and “Fred Becker.”

Over twenty excellent close-up photographs, likely taken during travels around the state, show the world’s earliest inland water oil well on Caddo Lake, a Pacific Mail Office, the Texas State Capitol & Capitol Grounds, and the new dam in Austin. The latter was built in 1915 after the original Austin Dam catastrophically collapsed in 1900. The new Dam remained in use until the 1940s, when it was succeeded by the present-day Tom Miller Dam.

The rest of the photographs are mostly individual and group portraits of Maurine taken on her Graduation Day at Marshall High School, as well as with her college roommates and fellow alumni at the University of Texas. Interestingly, the archive also includes images of the Phi Sigma Delta fraternity house (exterior & interior) for Jewish students, along with snapshots of Maurine’s Jewish friends from the fraternity.

The collection is accompanied by a charming letter written by Maurine at the age of seven to her aunt, Camile Bergson (ca. 1885 - 1966), in June 1919. At the time, Camile was a schoolteacher at Marshall High School. In her child’s handwriting, Maurine thanks her aunt and Uncle Will for the beads they sent and shares her excitement about an upcoming visit to the Elk Theatre to see Ruth Roland in The Tiger’s Trail.

The text of the letter:
“How are you? I thank uncle Will and you for the Bead’s you all sent us. Zoe Marjorie is almost takin a fit over them. I am going to the Elk this after-noon to see Ruth-roland in the tiger’s trail, my it is exceiteing. The Birgson’s are sending you a lot of fuge. I can not think of any more news.”

The collection is also supplemented by three clippings from Texas newspapers:
1)“Kranson-Bergson Nuptials” (1907) – an article dedicated to Maurine’s parents wedding.
2)“School Girl Writes Poem” (1924) – Maurine’s poem selected for publication by the State of Texas Fire Marshal Journal from among hundreds of student submissions.
3)“Editorial” – a letter by Maurine’s older brother, Seymour J. Kranson, addressed to his cousins.

There are also two invitation cards to the wedding ceremony and reception of Maurine’s parents, Della Valentine Bergson and Samuel Kranson, held at their residence in Marshall on September 1, 1907. The invitations were addressed to Della’s parents, Mr. Zelick Marx Bergson and Rosa Forgotson. Zelick was one of Marshall’s pioneer merchants, active in business since 1880 and successfully operating for over 36 years.