Photograph, Slides, and Negatives, 1864-2001

This series consists of over 1,200 loose photographs, including oversized photographs; photograph albums, some of which have been dismantled for preservation purposes; slides, including stereos; and negatives. Photographs are both black and white and color. They document numerous aspects of James Bruce's military, political, and business careers and family life. Included are pictures of Bruce during his service in World War I and as a representative of the Paris Peace Conference in Montenegro. A large portion of the photographs documents Bruce's years in Argentina and includes photographs of Juan and Eva Peron and pictures of hunting trips and excursions undertaken by Bruce and members of his family while in South America. Also included in this series are family photographs, portraits of James Bruce, and photographs of James and Ellen Bruce with other individuals at private and public events. In addition, the series contains a number of portraits of friends and associates, with handwritten dedications to James and Ellen Bruce. Photographs of other notable individuals in this series include David and Evangeline Bruce, Harry and Bess Truman, Perle Mesta, Letitia Baldrige, and numerous twentieth century political figures. A large number of photographs document life at Pinckney Island, an island off the coast of South Carolina that James Bruce owned and used as a hunting getaway.

Several of the photograph albums in this series provide rich documentation on the lives and activities of two prominent Maryland families in the early part of the twentieth century, particularly three albums that belonged to Ellen Keyser Bruce. One oversized album, which dates from1907 to the 1970s, includes photographs of Ellen Bruce, her family and friends, her childhood home in Baltimore, her wedding to James Bruce, and Keyser family sailing trips on their yacht, the Kaleda. A second oversized album that dates from the early 1900s to the 1970s primarily documents the Keyser family but also includes photographs of James and Ellen Bruce's children and grandchildren. Another album spans the period 1909 to 1911 and documents the activities of Ellen Keyser Bruce, her sister, Juliana Keyser Clark, and their friends at Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut.

An album that belonged to Louise Bruce documents her childhood in the 1930s and includes photographs of family activities at the Bruce family ancestral home, Staunton Hill, and at Leisure Hill, the Bruce family home in Maryland's Green Spring Valley. Two small albums depict James Bruce and others during a stay at an Argentine estate while he served as ambassador to Argentina. Other albums document James Bruce's World War I and Montenegrin service, the Bruces' time in Argentina, family, friends, political and business events, homes, properties, artwork, and furnishings. Numerous duplicate photographs exist among the albums and loose photographs.

Series VII also includes glass slides from World War I purchased by James Bruce. Louise Bruce's slides from her 1956 around-the-world trip, along with slides of family and guests at Staunton Hill and Pinckney Island, are included here.

Loose photographs are arranged by subject, based on their previous arrangement, and chronologically therein. Photograph albums retain their original order. Slides and negatives are arranged by subject.