Guide to the Cordano Family Collection(1900’s-1940’s)

Albert S. Cordano (b.1890-d.1933) was one of the members of the Cordano family, whose photographs and other personal memorabilia are part of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History’s Cordano Family Collection. Albert Cordano was raised in Modesto, but eventually re-located to Santa Cruz where he would live for twenty-two years. The Cordano family home was at 29 Rigg Street. Albert Cordano was well known for running a billiard room (a.k.a. pool room) which was located in the spot of the Hotel Palomar. When the Hotel was slated for construction, the pool room was razed and then re-located to an area right below the Unique Theater. Albert Cordano was married to Eugenia (Gaffney) Cordano with whom he had two children, Albert L. and William D. Cordano. His wife Eugenia had family in San Jose, Los Angeles and Oregon (The Gaffneys) whose items also appear in this collection [S.C. Sentinel 3/14/1933].   Albert Cordano and his wife may have moved eventually to 1209 Bay Street [Source: “Eugenia Cordano dies at 62”; S.C. Sentinel, 7/31/1955; pg.20].  Albert Cordano’s son, Albert L. Cordano worked at Lone Star Cement Co. in Davenport as a kiln burner, and passed away in 1998 [S.C. Sentinel “Albert L. Cordano 7/22/1998; p.8].  Albert S. Cordano was interred in Santa Clara [Source: “Albert Cordano Passes to Rest After Illness”, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 3/14/1933, pg.3].

SERIES I. STUDIO PORTRAITS (1900s – 1940s)

Subseries I.A. Infants and Children
Subseries I.B. Gentleman
Subseries I.C. Women

SERIES II. HOLY CROSS PHOTOS (1929 – 1930)

SERIES III. SNAPSHOTS (1900 – 1947)

Subseries III.A. Family Snapshots (1900 – 1947)
Subseries III.B. Snapshots with Inscriptions (1917 – 1947)
Subseries III.C. Army Snapshots (1917 – 1919)

SERIES IV. PAPER ITEMS

SERIES I. STUDIO PORTRAITS (1900s – 1940s)

Three (3) folders

Series Scope and Content Summary: 

This series consists of three (3) folders containing approx. twenty-one portraits of infants, children, gentleman, and women taken by various studios both in and outside of Santa Cruz, CA.  Some of the portraits of infant and children feature identifying inscriptions and/or comments; the rest are unidentified. The black and white portraits are likely of members of the Cordano family of Santa Cruz and their relatives of the Gaffney families of Portland, Oregon.  Some of the studios whom took the portraits in this series include: Sherer of Santa Cruz,CA;  Hartsook of CA; Alamo Studios of San Antonio, Texas; E. Bambocci of San Jose, CA; D. Perry Evans of Portland, Oregon; and more. The portraits are of either individuals or group portraits of two-four individuals in a formal, posed studio setting. Date range: 1900s-1940s

This series is divided into the following subseries:

Subseries I.A. Infants and Children
Subseries I.B. Gentleman
Subseries I.C. Women

Subseries I.A. Infants and Children

One (1) folder, ten (10) photos

Subseries Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of ten (10) formal studio portraits of infants and children ranging in age from eight months of age to approximately eleven years of age. These portraits are formal studio portraits of a single child, or two children, and are encased in brown cardstock or cardboard creating a frame like an envelope around the picture, occasionally embossed with a design and/or the name of the studio. Some of the studios these portraits were taken at include: Hartsook of California; Sherer of Santa Cruz, CA; and Austin of CA.  Some of these phtos include: 3 portraits of a boy about 5-6 years old, in a white sailor-like outfit taken by Sherer of Santa Cruz; portrait of an infant girl age one year taken by Hartsook of CA, with inscription “To Grandma Merry Xmas-from L’Deau? L’Weau?  Grayce-age 1 yr.”;  portrait of two children by unknown studio with inscription “Arliyne (?) Lillie aged 3 yrs 10 mos. And Betty Billie age. 8 ms”; and much more.

Box ID#: Folder ID:

1:1

Subseries I.B. Gentlemen 

One (1) Folder, eight (8) photos

Subseries Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of eight (8) studio portraits of unidentified gentlemen, likely members of or relatives of the Cordano family. The portraits are by various studios and range in size from 5×4” to approx.. 12×7.5” in size. Three of the portraits are inside cardboard envelopes and one is embossed with the fancy “H” emblem of Hartsook studios of California. The rest are portraits mounted on cardboard frames, and one portrait has no frame or envelope. Some of the portraits include: one (1) oval portrait approx.. 2.5-3” across mounted on black cardboard 7” high of a young man in his twenties, possibly Albert Cordano (?), taken by Bushnell Foto; one oval portrait 4.5” across mounted in a cardboard envelope 12” high, of a young man 17-20 years of age taken by Rayburn (Barr Studio) of San Antonio; One portrait 7” high mounted in an 11” high cardboard envelop embossed with emblem of Hartsook studios of CA, of a young man  between 18-22 years of age, wearing a hat and uniform with a gold button on lapel labeled “US”, likely U.S. Army Corps uniform possibly from World War I, and a broad-brimmed hat; 6” high portrait of young man 17-20 years of age in a U.S. Army uniform by Alamo Studio, San Antonio, Tex; 6” high portrait of four young men in their twenties, posed standing and seated in a studio setting mounted on 9” tall blue-grey cardboard taken by E. Bambocci studio of San Jose, CA; these men appear in four other photographs in this subseries. All the men in these portraits are unidentified, one appears to be Albert Cordano, identified from labeled snapshots in this collection.

Box ID: Folder ID:

1:2

Subseries I.C Women

One (1) folder, three (3) photos

Subseries Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of three (3) portraits of unidentified women, likely members of the Cordano or Gaffney families.  These portraits include: one 6×4” portrait of a woman in her mid-twenties wearing a cloche-type hat and fur collar, taken by an unknown studio and mounted inside a brown cardboard envelope embossed with a fleur-de-lis symbol; one 8×6” portrait of a woman in her mid-twenties to early thirties, in a large broad-brimmed hat and cloak, mounted inside a brown cardboard folder labeled with DPerry Evans Portland, Oregon and a design of an E inside a shield; one snapshot-type photograph, 5.5×7.5” in size of an unknown woman in her mid thirties-forty years of age, in front of a house, seated in a garden.

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1:3

SERIES II. HOLY CROSS PHOTOS (1929 – 1930)

One (1) Folder, four (4) photos

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This series consists of four (4) black and white photographs measuring approx. 7”highx9” length of children from Holy Cross Schools. These photos include: photo of four rows of boys holding sign that says “Holy Cross School boys 3&4 1930”; one photo of three rows of boys holding sign labeled “Holy Cross School 5&6 1930”; one photo of five rows of boys and girls holding sign that states “Holy Cross School (illegible) 1929; one photo of five rows of boys and girls holding sign “Holy Cross School4th grade 1929, torn entirely in half, inside protective grey folder.

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1:4

SERIES III. PHOTOGRAPHS (1900 – 1947)

Three (3) Folders

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This series consists of three (3) folders containing snapshot-type black and white photographs ranging in size from small 3×3” photos to 6×4” photos. These are not formal posed photographs in studio settings. There are approx. two-hundred and ten (210) of the photos. These photographs depict members of the Cordano family from Santa Cruz, CA, and the Gaffney family of Portland Oregon, relatives of the Cordanos. These photographs show family members at their homes, engaged in leisurely activities such as hunting, fishing, and visiting the beach, or posing and smiling for the camera. Some of the photographs feature annotations on the front or reverse such as comments that identify the individuals in the photograph or their activities. Other photos in this series include photos of men in army uniform, posing in uniform or holding bayonets; most likely during World War I. Date range of the photos in this series is 1900—1947.

This series is divided into the following subseries:

Subseries III.A. Family Snapshots
Subseries III.B. Snapshots with Inscriptions
Subseries III.C. Army Snapshots

Subseries III.A. Family Snapshots (1900 – 1947)

One (1) folder, one hundred sixty-two (162) photos

Subseries Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of approx. one hundred sixty-two snapshot type black and white photographs ranging in size from 3×3” to 6×4” in size. These photos include picture of houses, and individuals from the Gaffney and Cordano families; some of the photos are likely of Albert S. Cordano and Eugenia Cordano. The photos depict individuals engaged in various activities such as fishing, hunting, visiting the beach, reading, picnicking, posing with infants, and more. Some of the photos show early automobiles and horse-and-buggies from the 1900’s which may be of interest to some researchers. Date range: 1900-1947

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1: 5

Subseries III.B. Snapshots with Inscriptions (1917 – 1947)

One (1) folder, nineteen (19) photos

Subseries Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of one envelope “folder” containing approx. nineteen (19) black and white snapshot photos of members of the Gaffney and Cordano families. The photos in this subseries contain inscriptions on them such as dates, names, comments, and poems. Some of the inscriptions/comments appear on the front of the photo, the majority are written on the reverse. AN example of some of the items in this series include: 3×4” photo of a woman with “Jean Gaffney 3-25-19” written on the front; 6×4” photo of two men, possibly shining shoes with poem on reverse, reading ‘One sunny day in Frisco town/On the corner of Powell and Eddy/ Old Doc & Dye meet with a frown/Both waiting for their steady/ E-NUF-SED’; 4×4” photo of two women and an infant in front of a house, with inscription on reverse: “Miss Grau? Gran? Gaffney 104 French Street Portland Oregon to Miss AJ ? AS? Cordano 29 Rigg Street Santa Cruz Calif.”; 3×5” photo of a man on a street of houses inscribed “Al.S. Cordano Mch.25.1917”, and more. Date range: 1917-1947.

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1:6

Subseries III.C. Army Snapshots (1917 – 1919)

One (1) folder, twenty-eight (28) photos

Subseries Scope and Content Summary:

This subseries consists of one envelope “folder” containing approx. twenty-eight (28) black and white snapshot-type photos. These photos are primarily 2.5 (height) x3.5” (length) in size and 3.5” (h) x 2” (l) with only one photo postcard measuring approx. 5×4” in length. These photos are of either group of five (5) men, or photos of  a single individual, posing in army uniform. The group photos depict the five men either standing, or sitting in uniform in front of tents, or standing with and lunging with bayonets. The photos of a single individual and the larger photo postcard, depict a young man in his early to mid-twenties posing with a rifle, or standing in his uniform or modeling a long trench coat. One of these men may be Albert S. Cordano or a relative who looks similar to him. Due to the appearance of the uniforms and weapons, as well as the date of the majority of the other photos in this collection, these photos are likely from World War I, dating from 1917-1919.

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1:7

SERIES IV. PAPER ITEMS

One (1) Folder, seven (7) items

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This series consists of one envelope “folder” containing seven (7) miscellaneous paper items. This series includes: one (1) 6.5×4.5” square of cardboard with handwritten note to “Al & Bell” concerning a photo of “Mom” (?) sent to them by “Bertha (?)”; one (1) 3.5×6.5” envelope printed with “Phone Your Wants/Santa Cruz 143/From Model Drug Store, Inc. Carl C. Kratzenstein, Manager; Cor. Pacific and Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz, Calif.” in green with a logo of a pointing finger and a telephone along with “Gaffney” written in pencil; 2×3.5” ‘Automobile

Loss Service Identification Card’ for Albert S. Cordano of Santa Cruz, Calif. For a Buick; 2×3.5” card with “Twenty Dollar Gold Piece/ Given Away /Aug. 15, 1925 at Prather Garage/’ Mission Restoration Fund/Santa Cruz” printed on the cover “Cross Church” stamped in purple ink on the reverse; one (1) 2×3.5” business card for “Electric Service Station of 17 River Street Santa Cruz, G.M. Dillard Prop.”; one (1) 2.5×3.5” Membership Card for William D. Cordano to the Mutual Benefit Health & Accident Association-Omaha; and one (1) 7×5.5” booklet entitled “Life savers Book-o-Magic for ‘holesome entertainmint” published by Life Savers, Inc. of Pot Chester, N.Y. in 1931, featuring magic tricks some which can be performed using Life Savers Candy.

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1:8