New Milford residents Susie and Jeff Berg operate H.A. Dunne & Company—with a collection of photographs from 1880 to 1950—offering a look into the history of NYC.
Hugh A. Dunne, a life-long New Yorker, had an enduring love for the city of New York. Over the course of his lifetime, he acquired an impressive archive of photographs and other ephemera that captured a time gone by. When he passed away in 2005, his daughter Susie inherited his collections. Susie now runs the H.A. Dunne Archive with her husband Jeff Berg, here in New Milford. The personal collection of just over 5,000 images — mostly photographed between 1880-1950 — is now one of the most extensive and unique vintage NYC photo collections in the world, representing the city in ways the more famous collections do not.
Hugh especially loved the simple things — New Yorkers going about their day — and he gathered many images of everyday life: tradesmen, policemen, doctors, street sweepers, mothers and children, as well as portraits of the buildings that make New York what it is, from the Chrysler Building to the Flatiron and Stock Exchange. We spoke with Susie and Jeff about her father, the images, and running H.A. Dunne & Company.
Did Hugh Dunne have a career in the photography industry prior to starting his collection or his business selling at the flea market? How did he get into it?
Susie: My father never took a single photograph. But he loved New York City. He was born there, he died there. My father had an amazing eye for looking at a photograph and seeing its potential. His collection differs from other collections in that he focused not just on the iconic New York, but spent a good deal of time sourcing images of everyday things — he loved photos that showed New Yorkers going about their day — and so his collection has many images of residential street corners, storefronts, and people.
In the beginning, my father was just a collector. He collected all things New York, but as the collection of photographs grew, he realized that there might be a market for them and so began to slowly grow them as a business.
Do you know who the photographers are?
Susie: We do not know who the photographers are. Our collection is simply a reflection of my father, his love for his city, and the way he saw it — a small but bulging city full of interesting people and exciting things to do. Whenever someone lamented to my father about change (a favorite store closing, a building coming down, etc.) he would always surprise them by saying that NYC was a “city of change,” and that is truly what he loved about it.
Do either of you have experience dealing with archival material, or did you learn as you acquired the collection?
Susie: Neither Jeff or I had any experience dealing with archival material, but we used to work with my father and saw how he handled the photos and negatives — carefully and with respect. He had no formal training either, but always looked for ways to learn how to handle, protect, and store the collection.
Who are your clients and customers? Are they private
individuals, corporations, publications, museums,
and/or cultural institutions?
Susie: Our clients are individuals who find us on the web, as well as in corporate installations. We sometimes sell one photo at a time, and have also done jobs where we’ve sold over 100 enlargements at a time. Our photographs hang in many homes, hotels, apartment lobbies, and Fortune 500 Companies. We also deal with art consultants who work with their clients to find the best images for their needs. Our photographs have also been featured in documentary films, museum tours, and TV shows.
What is the format and quality of the prints you make from the negatives?
Susie: We scan our negatives at a very high resolution, so we can output high resolution for almost any medium and size. Generally, we print museum quality prints on Epson Exhibition Fiber paper, which has an archival life of 150 years. We have also printed on other media, such as canvas and aluminum. We outsource specialized printing like the aluminum and very large prints.
Do you sell the prints framed or unframed, or both?
Susie: We sell the photographs unframed. Our smallest size, 8 x 10 inches comes matted so that it can easily and inexpensively be put into a ready made frame. All of our sizes are standard and can be either custom framed or put into a ready made frame. The larger sizes do best when they are professionally framed, and will last a lifetime.
Are all of the images in black & white? Or do you have color images as well?
Susie: Our images are primarily black & white, though we do have a handful of color images.
What is your price range for the NYC photographs?
Susie: Our prices for photographs range from $35 for an 8″ x 10″ to $135 for a 24″ x 30″. We also do custom sizes and offer high resolution digital images. We do offer bulk discounts, as well as professional courtesy to art consultants and corporate clients. We are happy to do custom cropping and work with clients to get the tone and feel of each photograph just right.
Are either of you a collector? Did you inherit the “bug”? Or is it strictly business?
Susie: For both Jeff and I, a shared love of NYC, and of my father, has given us quite a love for the photographs. I spent many years working with my father, and so did Jeff. We’re quite a good team – I do the printing and Jeff is great at doing research. Like my father, Jeff finds the research part of it fascinating. We both have learned to clean up the images, and making them perfect for their new homes.
What is your best-seller in the collection?
Susie: There are many. Lately, we have sold a lot of prints of the Flatiron Building, but we also get a lot of interest in Central Park, Times Square, and bridges — New Yorkers love their bridges, especially the Brooklyn Bridge. Whether it is an individual looking for one special image, or a large corporation looking to fill their hallways, everyone wants photos that show their neighborhood. We do searches and custom web galleries for clients looking to use our images. In addition to the several hundred we have on our website, our collection comprises over 5,000 images.
What plans do you have for the future of H. A. Dunne & Company?
Susie: Our goal for 2015 is to expand our retail presence by partnering with small gift shops and museums to sell our photographs. We would also like to expand our list of art consultants, and most of all, to get more photos up on our website.
In addition to the vintage photographs, the company also sells advertising art, historic maps, architectural prints, travel posters, and railroad and transit memorabilia.
From selection to installation, Susie and Jeff have worked with a number of art consultants and interior designers, including Art Advice and Butter and Eggs in New York City to help decorate the walls of numerous corporate spaces and other institutions such as the NYU Law Library.
Whether you work in the trade or in a corporate space, they are ready to help you specify, source, and purchase unique historical images. To view the H.A. Dunne Archive online visit their online store, where new images are added every day. Call 888.250.8956 for a free consultation.
H.A. Dunne & Co.
11 Monroe Drive
New Milford
(c) 860-202-7584
(h) 860-355-5580
www.hadunne.com
