William T. Knox

Men of Mark, Photographers, Photography, Portrait: Men, Supports

Dimensions

Image Dimensions: 21.7 x 17.8 cm corner-glued
Support Dimensions: Detail: 23.7 x 19.4 cm light-gray art paper | 36.4 x 29.5 cm gray, double-sided cardstock

William T. Knox (1863-1927) was an important American amateur photographer and promoter of photography from Brooklyn, New York. From at least 1891-1915, he was a partner of McCormick, Hubbs & Co., importers and commission merchants in West India and Florida Fruits and Produce with offices at 279 Washington Street in New York City. (Manhattan)

A few key dates in his life pertaining to photography:

1903: Knox appointed a member of the Entertainment Committee by new Brooklyn Camera Club President Edwin O. Torbohm.

1904: Chosen by peers as President of the Brooklyn Camera Club.

-Elected Secretary of the American Federation of Photographic Societies, made up of 20 photographic societies with offices located at 279 Washington Street-the headquarters for Knox’s business concern. He resigned this position in 1905. (Curtis Bell was President)

1906: Elected President of the Metropolitan Camera Club, which oversaw the Second American Photographic Salon that year.

-Now First Vice-President of the American Federation of Photographic Societies.

1907: Continues in role as President of the Brooklyn Camera Club.

- One of his photographs reproduced as a nearly full-page halftone in Camera Work XIX. The photo shows two girls, one of whom reaches up to pick an apple off a tree for an advertisement used to  illustrate “Lenses for all classes of workers” for the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company.

1908: Earns first place for individual exhibit along with a silver cup at the Brooklyn Institute Photographic Exhibition. The cup’s inscription: “Department of Photography, Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, 1908.  Awarded to William T. Knox.” He is also listed as Corresponding Secretary for the Department of Photography at the Institute from 1908-09.

1910: Exhibits work at the Seventh American Photographic Salon conducted by The American Federation of Photographic Societies.

1912: exhibits two prints in the Eighth American Photographic Salon at John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana:

52: At Havens Rest
53: Toilers

1916: Mention of ill health from article on exhibition at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences: “That formerly prolific worker, William T. Knox, has not been showing any new work of late, because of ill health. He contributes two of his former successes, however, of which “Tar-Boilers” depicts a group of street-pavers seen through the smoke of a boiling tar-pot. It is an exceptionally well-handled group, full of action and interest.” (Photo-Era: June, p. 303)

1927: Dies January 26, leaving a wife: Ida L. Knox. Services held in his home at 688 Hancock Street in Brooklyn and interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

print details secondary recto: signed in graphite at lower right below primary mount: C.F. Clarke

-in graphite at lower left corner: Portrait  W.T. Knox

print details secondary verso: #2 in graphite