Vol 19 | No 2 | Spring 13
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Edward Cochems Photography Collection Now Online

ImageOne of the largest single existing collections of photographs by Edward W. Cochems, a self-taught photographer based in Santa Ana from 1919 until 1949, has been digitized and is available for discovery at the UCI Libraries. The collection gives a wonderful visual history of faces and places of southern California circa 1920-1950.

Edward Cochems came into photography after a string of other careers, including an early stint on a railroad gang. Sometime between 1911 and 1913 he suffered a nervous breakdown, and acting upon doctor's orders for rest, decided to take up photography as a hobby. He soon ventured into portraits and commissioned works for a variety of purposes such as postcards and brochures. Fascinated by all of his surroundings, especially natural wonders, he continually snapped photos of as many scenes as he could develop. The photographs depict people at work and play, posed and candid, and streets, buildings, and vistas throughout Southern California, with a particular emphasis on Orange County.

The collection gives a wonderful visual history of faces and places of southern California circa 1920-1950.
The Cochems Collection comprises about 1,100 original glass plate negatives and an additional 100 prints. The Libraries have made these historic photographs available through the Online Archive of California (OAC) and Calisphere. Visitors to the OAC and Calisphere can view more than 530 photographs of Southern California in the first part of the 20th Century.

For further information about the collection, please contact Audra Eagle Yun, Acting Head of Special Collections & Archives at audra.yun@uci.edu or (949) 824-2263.