Bailey (Bob) Studios Photographic Archive, ca. 1932-1998

Part I: Photographs

Biographical Note

After initially pursuing a career in law, Bob Bailey opened his commercial photography studio in 1929. The Bob Bailey Studios met with great success. Bob and his younger brother, Marvin Bailey, led a team of photographers that captured images throughout Houston and environs for over sixty years. The studio completed work for a variety of regional and national clients, including the Interstate theater chain; Foley’s and Sakowitz’s department stores; Ford and Chevrolet automobile companies; construction giant Miner-Dederick; energy companies such as Texaco, Tenneco, and Conoco; and politicians Jesse H. Jones, Oscar Holcombe, and Roy Hofheinz.

The studio remained operational for over twenty years after Bob Bailey’s death in 1971, finally closing upon Marvin Bailey’s retirement during the mid-1990s. Marvin Bailey died in 1998.

The Houston Photographic and Architectural Trust acquired the archives of the Bob Bailey Studio after Marvin Bailey retired. These materials were transferred to the Center for American History in several accessions beginning in 1998.

Scope and Contents

Comprised of over 500,000 images, the Bob Bailey Studios Photographic Archive provides a rich pictorial history of life in Houston from the 1930s through the 1990s. The Bailey brothers’ archive features a remarkable variety of people and events including visits by touring movie stars and campaigning presidents; aerial views of the burgeoning Houston skyline; byproducts of the petroleum industry such as drilling rigs, oil tankers, and gas stations; large gatherings of crowds for parades on Main Street; and the interiors and exteriors of early movie palaces. Particularly noteworthy portions of the archive include images depicting life in Houston during World War II and coverage of local news events such as the Texas City disaster and Howard Hughes’s 1939 visit to Houston.

The archive is comprised of a variety of photographic formats, including color and black and white negative film, motion picture film, mounted and un-mounted prints, video, and compact discs. The size of materials in the archive also varies; 8” x 10” negatives form the bulk of the archive’s earliest materials, while later materials consist primarily of 4” x 5,” 120 mm, and 35 mm negatives. In addition to photographic material, the archive also includes ledgers listing the contents of the archive and a small amount of printed material.

Materials from the first accession, hereafter called the Numbered Negative Files, comprise the majority of the collection. These negatives, which are stored offsite, retain their original order based on job number. Materials from the second accession, hereafter referred to as the Select Negative Files, include approximately 20,000 of the most memorable and representative images selected, separated from the larger archive, and sorted by subject prior to its donation to the Center. The Numbered Negative Files are available for research by appointment. Consult the Photographs Archivist for information.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Restricted access to those materials separated for preservation. A portion of the negatives is held off-site and will require an appointment to view. Please contact the Photographs Archivist for more information.

Use Restrictions

Publication restrictions apply. The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History holds copyright to materials in this collection. Please contact the Photographs Archivist for information regarding publication of images from the Bob Bailey Studios Photographic Archive.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Bob Bailey Studio Photographic Archive, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Digital Versions

In 2005, a LERR UT System access grant enabled funded the digitization of 5,000 images from the Bob Bailey Studios Photographic Archive. As of 2012, another severah hundred images have been scanned and made available online. Patrons may click the highlighted links next to the entries in this finding aid to view images scanned from that entry. To browse the digitized images by subject, click on the subject gallery names below. To make an appointment to view images stored off-site from the archive or with questions, please contact the Photographs Archivist at a.bowman@austin.utexas.edu or (512) 495-4468.

Aerial views / Animals / Buildings / Business & finance / Clothing & dress / Commercial facilities / Communication / Cultural facilities / Eating & drinking / Education / Entertainment / Equipment / Events / Government facilities / Healthcare facilities / Industry / Manners & customs / Occupations / People / Public accommodation facilities / Recreation / Residential facilities / Sports / Transportation

Detailed Description of the Collection