J.B. Silvis Exhibit - RIHA Archives Collection

From: "Bob Riha" bobriha@verizon.net

As a longtime rail fan, I love your website and all the historical, informative information on CPRR — especially on early Western photographers that did work with rail companies. I'm a 21st Century Photographer!

Over the years I've collected and have (42) J.B. Silvis cdv photographs and (1) JB Silvis Stereoview, the 'sister image' that author Barry Swackhamer images published (Winnemucca chiefs daughter with horse and other riders & rail car) — who wrote about J.B. Silvis on your website. (Journal of the West, Vol. 33, April, 1994) ...

Included in my collection is the 'sister image' of Winnemucca Family by Barry Swackhamer. There are also two images of a young boy by Silvis – two views – during same photo session, which is cool to see that Silvis didn't just take one image on a subject and then leave! He worked the subject or took multiple images during their photo session. ...

Also included is my email conversation with Barry Swackhamer. ...

I've read that J.B. Silvis images are extremely rare and that your CPRR Museum [shows only] a handful. I have (43) JB Silvis images - mostly portraits he did of children, men and women of the West. See [images below] ...

—Bob Riha Jr., RIHA Photo, Long Beach, CA

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Images courtesy of Bob Riha, Jr. / RIHA Archives © 2015