Background
Bart Anderson, journalist and computer specialist, saw the need for faster access to the data entries for the 1,037 photos in the Catalog of the 19th century photographs of Alice Dixon and Augustus Le Plongeon.
While the catalog was published as a book and PDF with an introduction that gives background about each collection, historical context, catalog organization, and other technical information Anderson noted considerable time was required to search the photo collections.
The catalog photo entries had been created as a Word document by Desmond. Anderson then took the Word file and converted it into a CSV file that is compatible with most spreadsheet and database programs, and then into an Excel file for use here. Unfortunately WordPress does not support CVS files. Email me, and I can send a copy of the file.
The Excel file is free for download, and while it retains the copyright of Lawrence G. Desmond, it is authorized for use for research purposes. The Excel file is about 300 Kb.
Catalog Organization and Materials Description
NOTE: For a complete introduction to the catalog of collections refer to the book:
A Catalog of the 19th Century Photographs of Alice Dixon and Augustus Le Plongeon
The catalog is subdivided into five collections. Each photographic item in a collection has been cataloged using a data entry card with the fields as listed below.
Collections
American Museum of Natural History (AM)
Donald Dixon Photo Album (DA)
Getty Research Institute (GRI)
Peabody Museum at Harvard University (PM)
Philosophical Research Society (PRS)
Other fields
Catalog number: # 17
Museum photo identification number: PM-P2500F
Subject:
Archaeological Site
Artifact
Biological
Document
Drawing
Ethnographic
European exploration
Geological
Henry Dixon
Painting
Portrait
View
Medium:
Lantern slide
Print or Tracing
Negative
Type:
Albumen
Collodio-chloride printing-out paper
Dry glass-plate
Gelatin glass-plate
Wet collodion glass-plate
Stereo: Yes or No
Size: 4 x 8 Inches
Description:
Upper Temple of the Jaguars.
Entrance to inner temple, south pilaster, north façade, K-8, bas relief. [Any recognizable person in a photo is identified]
Cross Reference:
X Ref: PM-P2500F
or
X Ref: PM-P2500F similar
The Cross Reference field gives the catalog numbers of identical or similar photos in other collections. Similar photos are defined as having the same subject matter, but they were taken at a slightly different angle or time of day from the same camera position. The differences between similar photos are often subtle and hardly noticeable at first viewing.
When the Cross Reference field does not list an identical photo in another collection that indicates that the photographic item is unique to that collection.
Note for Excel users: Under the column titled “Description” — the cell is to short to view the text for item numbers 34, 190, and 960. Excel has entered a string of ##### rather than the text. To view the texts simply double click within the cell.
