Alice Austen Correspondence with Julie Bredt
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:40:09 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:26:59 PM
Added description
Description
Correspondence of Julie Bredt to Alice Austen (January 1892)
Overview
This digital collection comprises fifteen scanned images of handwritten letters written by Julie Bredt to Elizabeth Alice Austen during the first three weeks of January 1892. The images are presented as high‑resolution JPEGs, each accompanied by OCR‑derived text. The letters were originally addressed to Austen, a prominent Staten‑Island photographer, and were part of the Austen Family Papers (MS1) housed at the Alice Austen House Museum.Background
Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer whose work documented late‑Victorian life in New York. Julie Bredt, a close friend residing in Albany, corresponded with Austen from January 1 to 20, 1892. The letters reflect the social milieu of upper‑middle‑class New York society and Austen’s burgeoning photography business. They were digitized as part of the museum’s effort to preserve and make accessible the family’s personal papers.Contents
The collection contains the following thematic strands:- Social life: Invitations to skating parties, sleigh rides, a theatre party, a concert in Lehigh, and a hunt ball.
- Photography and business: Discussions of photographs received from Austen, requests for paper supplies, and references to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
- Personal relationships: Mentions of Julia T. Martin, a close friend in Albany, and other acquaintances.
- Logistics and planning: Requests for paper, secret business plans, and scheduling of future meetings.
Each letter is captured in a separate JPEG file (e.g., 1892_1-1-Jan 1.1-Bredt copy.jpg), and the OCR text provides a readable transcription of the original handwriting.
Scope
The collection covers a narrow temporal window—January 1‑20, 1892—and is limited to correspondence from Julie Bredt to Alice Austen. It does not include any of Austen’s responses, other correspondents, or ancillary materials such as calling cards or negative sleeves. The collection offers a focused glimpse into the everyday social interactions and professional concerns of a Victorian photographer’s network during the early 1890s.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth: @date_1866, death: @date_1952, occupation: "Photographer"}
@julie_bredt:person {full_name: "Julie Bredt", role: "Correspondent"}
@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states, description: "Borough of New York City, NY"}
@albany:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states, description: "Capital of New York State"}
@allentown:place {state: @pennsylvania, country: @united_states, description: "City in Pennsylvania"}
@lehigh:place {state: @pennsylvania, country: @united_states, description: "Region in Pennsylvania, likely referring to Lehigh Valley"}
@photography:concept {field: "Visual arts"}
@skating_party:event {type: "social", description: "Group skating outing"}
@sleigh_ride:event {type: "social", description: "Sleigh ride outing"}
@dancing_class:event {type: "social", description: "First dancing class"}
@hunt_ball:event {type: "social", description: "Hunting ball"}
@theatre_party:event {type: "social", description: "Theatre party"}
@concert:event {type: "social", description: "Concert performance"}
@worlds_columbian_exposition:event {year: @date_1893, description: "World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago"}
@letter_new_years_1892_01_01:document {title: "New Year's Day Letter", date: @date_1892_01_01, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["photographs", "pictures"]}
@letter_dance_invite_1892_01_01:document {title: "Dance Invitation", date: @date_1892_01_01, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["dancing class"], event: @dancing_class, when: @date_1892_01_09}
@letter_theatre_party_1892_01_15:document {title: "Theatre Party Letter", date: @date_1892_01_15, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["theatre party", "stitching"], event: @theatre_party}
@letter_skating_sleigh_1892_01_15:document {title: "Skating and Sleighing Letter", date: @date_1892_01_15, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["skating", "sleigh ride"], event: [@skating_party, @sleigh_ride]}
@letter_concert_dance_1892_01_20:document {title: "Concert and Dance Letter", date: @date_1892_01_20, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["concert", "dance"], event: [@concert, @theatre_party], places: [@lehigh, @allentown]}
@letter_paper_request_1892_01_20:document {title: "Paper Request Letter", date: @date_1892_01_20, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["paper", "printing"]}
@letter_secret_plan_1892_01_20:document {title: "Secret Plan Letter", date: @date_1892_01_20, sender: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, topics: ["secret meeting", "business"], mentions: ["Julia"]}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_new_years_1892_01_01 {when: @date_1892_01_01}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_dance_invite_1892_01_01 {when: @date_1892_01_01}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_theatre_party_1892_01_15 {when: @date_1892_01_15}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_skating_sleigh_1892_01_15 {when: @date_1892_01_15}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_concert_dance_1892_01_20 {when: @date_1892_01_20}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_paper_request_1892_01_20 {when: @date_1892_01_20}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_secret_plan_1892_01_20 {when: @date_1892_01_20}
@letter_new_years_1892_01_01 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_dance_invite_1892_01_01 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_theatre_party_1892_01_15 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_skating_sleigh_1892_01_15 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_concert_dance_1892_01_20 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_paper_request_1892_01_20 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_secret_plan_1892_01_20 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_dance_invite_1892_01_01 -> about -> @dancing_class
@letter_skating_sleigh_1892_01_15 -> about -> @skating_party
@letter_skating_sleigh_1892_01_15 -> about -> @sleigh_ride
@letter_concert_dance_1892_01_20 -> about -> @concert
@letter_concert_dance_1892_01_20 -> about -> @theatre_party
@letter_new_years_1892_01_01 -> about -> @photography
@letter_paper_request_1892_01_20 -> about -> @photography
@letter_secret_plan_1892_01_20 -> mentions -> @julia_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", role: "Close friend in Albany"}
@julie_bredt -> corresponded with -> @alice_austen {start: @date_1892_01_01, end: @date_1892_01_20, medium: "letters"}
@alice_austen -> lived in -> @staten_island
@julie_bredt -> lived in or visited -> @albany
@julie_bredt -> traveled to -> @allentown {context: "meeting with Mrs. M."}
@julie_bredt -> traveled to -> @lehigh {context: "concert"}Metadata
Files (8)
OCR Text
New Years Day - 92 Dear Alice, I am sure you wonder if I received the pictures. Thank you so much for them. They are perfectly splendid. What do you think they came in the morning while I was out & at church when I came in with a crowd? On my way presents the children had opened them & there they were out in full view. Of course everyone caught on. I was wild. Everyone said who is the Sultan, & the girls who saw them thought you the best. Well now—
OCR Text
Alice I want you to come for the 9th of January—our first dancing class is that day & you had better come up on the eighth—I want you to be sure to come as I expect to go away in February. So be sure not to say no, Lent is too dull for any one to have a good time. Dear Alice please let me know by return mail if it is all right, as I am in hot haste. P.S. I am not feeling you a very happy New Year & will try to be a little more jolly. Yours so best, Alice & Brett.
OCR Text
again. And if this will do, you let me know as soon as you can, as I have many things to arrange.—Alice J. Hyde You can come now—at last it will be so shaped here really. Oh! is this know not fine; it is glorious & will bring something sleepthing. I thought we all going to a theater party, & after nearly evening here sort of play. Thank you ever so much about the paper, I hope you will not take and trouble over it. That gives games that was here, who is she, I thought she was real nice, the Chapmans rushed her, and she was at a number of the dances. I have loads of thing to tell you about certain things—Phebe! Oh! I have begun stitching & am quite interested, you must help me when you come, it is very hard, but real nice as you have to work at it. Be sure to write soon and remember me to my dear little Mr. Jordan, I am so glad I
OCR Text
can see him next time, from the first. Tell him to save the corks.—What a fine time you must have had at the Hunt ball? Tell me all about it New Year's night. Now as the dress maker is here I must say Auspicious Julie F. Beat. Remember me to all. January the fifteenth. My dearest Alice: Well such is life! I am so sorry you have not been able to come! Ad Bethlehem never was so gay we are having such fun that I am not going away until Lent some time I have not decided from not tear myself away the skating has been fine & sleighing very good, but I think we are too hard. A good time all along so brace up—Now can you come on the 13 or 15 Feb.—really Lollie you must come then, and can't you? do not say no'
OCR Text
he knew some of this some how, coming home from the station he said "I am sure you will miss Miss Austin awfully more than any one else, she is the kind of a person you do miss" I said. Well of course we are older friends than any other girls. I still am sure of what he thinks, I fear, if are well Darlie write soon & please tear this up, will you: The dance last night was fine. I am going to concert in Lehigh tonight is moving to theater with D. My dear Lollie: Just a line to tell you something strange & peculiar like. Yesterday on our way home from Station we met Mrs. M. Claire & Joy, & they said U! M just came to meet you, - Then in a minute Mrs. M. Said lets go to Allentown this aft. I said all O.K. When we got up to her house she said I just let us ask J.
OCR Text
He got real pleasant & liked all. I went with him to the dance but could & he was invited. I can't tell you what has gotten into him. He is charmingly witty. Walter kept his little dog at no awful price, only 25 francs. I comforted still and I would not say how many times I argued Mrs. Gr. as I am too proud of her sake. This is a peculiar thing which also pained my eyes. I am a hawk, and do not know I think. To go, well I cared not, she asked him, and he said No, he was awfully cute said he was very sorry etc etc. She was furious did not like it one bit, did not speak & said "Well girls we will go on the four car, George we will meet you 4 at the corner." We got there and Wade & took him. I turned up but did not go. Wildness followed. We were in Ullentown who should turn up but G. Garrett & Hopkins.
OCR Text
My dearest Alice, Will you send my paper just as soon as you possible can. If you can get them to send it this week I will be very glad. - And if you do not mind order another 2 quires of red & bring it when you come, but send the other soon as possible, I settle with you when you come. Well I am so glad you can really come, I am so sorry Ioudie is going to leave as I know how you will miss her.
OCR Text
Now I will not mention it to any one, I could not, though didn't A. Mr. Vernon it. I will not speak of it any way. I wrote the other day & asked a queen to come & stay a little while with me. Why? She will be able to come. I she can not I may ask Julia for my party. You start 4th. I go into business next term I will tell you a thing or so when I see you. We know where they are & got them & saw if his neck & ear did not get hurt & he was truly
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:40:09 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:30:32 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:48:25 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:26:59 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Correspondence_Julie_Bredt"
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