Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Explore the early history of the Pike Place Market through letters, receipts, plans, rental agreements and other documents related to the market’s business.
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to Clare Boulton regarding expanding her business in the Economy Public Market, June 30, 1927
Letter from Arthur Goodwin to Clare Boulton, a vendor in the Economy Market, discussing the possibility of moving and expanding her business. Enclosed is a list of tenants and vacancies in the lower floor of the Economy Market listing the stall numbers and rental costs for each vendor.
Identifier: spl_sh_00072
Date: 1927-06-30
View this itemB.F. Schlesinger letter to Arthur Goodwin regarding an available store location at Pike Place Market, April 21, 1927
B.F. Schlesinger letter to Arthur Goodwin turning down his offer of a location for a B.F. Schlesinger & Sons location on the corner of 1st Avenue and Pike Street. Schlesinger states they currently have no plans to open a store in Seattle.
Identifier: spl_sh_00125
Date: 1927-04-21
View this itemHamadryad, ca. 1924
Frank Asakichi Kunishige was born in Japan on June 5, 1878. He came to the United States via San Francisco in 1895. After graduating from the Illinois College of Photography, he opened a small photography studio in San Francisco. Kunishige moved to Seattle in 1917. In the same year, he married Gin Kunishige and began working in the studio of Edward S. Curtis where he became acquainted with Ella McBride who he worked for in later years. Kunishige was well known for his use of Pictorialism, a popular painterly style of photography. He developed his photographs on "textura tissue," a paper of his own creation, which allowed him to produce almost dreamlike prints. His work was featured nationally and internationally in exhibitions and publications such as Photo-Era and Seattle's Town Crier. In 1924, Kunishige became one of the founding members of the Seattle Camera Club, a group of local photographers including Kyo Koike, Yukio Morinaga, Iwao Matsushita and Fred Y. Ogasawara who gathered to share techniques and ideas, as well as their deep love of the medium. Although the group was initially solely Japanese, they soon welcomed more members including Ella McBride, their first female member. When World War II struck and the country's Japanese internment policy was put in place, Kunishige and his wife were forced to leave Seattle for Idaho where they were interned at the Minidoka camp. After their release, Kunishige spent two years working at a photography studio in Twin Falls, Idaho but eventually returned to Seattle due to his poor health. Frank Kunishige passed away on April 9, 1960.
Identifier: spl_art_367924_20
Date: 1924
View this itemFemininity 1941, ca. 1926
Frank Asakichi Kunishige was born in Japan on June 5, 1878. He came to the United States via San Francisco in 1895. After graduating from the Illinois College of Photography, he opened a small photography studio in San Francisco. Kunishige moved to Seattle in 1917. In the same year, he married Gin Kunishige and began working in the studio of Edward S. Curtis where he became acquainted with Ella McBride who he worked for in later years. Kunishige was well known for his use of Pictorialism, a popular painterly style of photography. He developed his photographs on "textura tissue," a paper of his own creation, which allowed him to produce almost dreamlike prints. His work was featured nationally and internationally in exhibitions and publications such as Photo-Era and Seattle's Town Crier. In 1924, Kunishige became one of the founding members of the Seattle Camera Club, a group of local photographers including Kyo Koike, Yukio Morinaga, Iwao Matsushita and Fred Y. Ogasawara who gathered to share techniques and ideas, as well as their deep love of the medium. Although the group was initially solely Japanese, they soon welcomed more members including Ella McBride, their first female member. When World War II struck and the country's Japanese internment policy was put in place, Kunishige and his wife were forced to leave Seattle for Idaho where they were interned at the Minidoka camp. After their release, Kunishige spent two years working at a photography studio in Twin Falls, Idaho but eventually returned to Seattle due to his poor health. Frank Kunishige passed away on April 9, 1960.
Identifier: spl_art_367924_37
Date: 1926
View this itemLetter to Mrs. Tanable regarding her high light bill, December 11, 1928
Letter informing Mrs. Tanabe, a flower farmer, that her electricity usage is much higher than other vendors and the cost will have to be added to her rent if she continues to use such a disproportionately large amount.
Identifier: spl_sh_00059
Date: 1928-12-11
View this itemChilkat Indians watching Klukwan Potlatch ceremony, Alaska, October 11, 1898
Identifier: spl_ap_00107
Date: 1898-10-11
View this itemThe Pearls
Frank Asakichi Kunishige was born in Japan on June 5, 1878. He came to the United States via San Francisco in 1895. After graduating from the Illinois College of Photography, he opened a small photography studio in San Francisco. Kunishige moved to Seattle in 1917. In the same year, he married Gin Kunishige and began working in the studio of Edward S. Curtis where he became acquainted with Ella McBride who he worked for in later years. Kunishige was well known for his use of Pictorialism, a popular painterly style of photography. He developed his photographs on "textura tissue," a paper of his own creation, which allowed him to produce almost dreamlike prints. His work was featured nationally and internationally in exhibitions and publications such as Photo-Era and Seattle's Town Crier. In 1924, Kunishige became one of the founding members of the Seattle Camera Club, a group of local photographers including Kyo Koike, Yukio Morinaga, Iwao Matsushita and Fred Y. Ogasawara who gathered to share techniques and ideas, as well as their deep love of the medium. Although the group was initially solely Japanese, they soon welcomed more members including Ella McBride, their first female member. When World War II struck and the country's Japanese internment policy was put in place, Kunishige and his wife were forced to leave Seattle for Idaho where they were interned at the Minidoka camp. After their release, Kunishige spent two years working at a photography studio in Twin Falls, Idaho but eventually returned to Seattle due to his poor health. Frank Kunishige passed away on April 9, 1960.
Identifier: spl_art_367924_26
View this itemPike Place Market postcard depicting interior of the Arcade
Postcard showing customers and vendors at the produce stands within the Market Arcade. Signs for Pike Place Poultry and Burger Bar can be seen in the background. The back of the postcard has a brief history of the market.
Identifier: spl_sh_00029
View this itemLetter from Arthur Goodwin to Cappucio & Vacca regarding stamping produce bags, August 15, 1927
In his letter, Arthur Goodwin informs the vendors that the Commissioner of Health has passed a ruling that farmers selling their goods at the market need to stamp their bags with their business name and license number. Goodwin advises them to 'have a rubber stamp made with your name and address and stamp all your bags so that the public may be able to trace any goods that you have sold in case of any complaints that may be made.'
Identifier: spl_sh_00038
Date: 1927-08-15
View this itemCouple standing next to large logs, August 1897
Transcribed from back of photograph: "Washington Logs, Iowa People. Aug '97. Photo by N.L.D. 4338 ft. of lumber on top log. August 1897."
Identifier: spl_lj_056
Date: 1897-08
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