Howard D. Beach

Link to our 2016 exhibition, Howard D. Beach (1867-1954): Mutotones Exhibition Page.

Howard Dwight Beach (American, 1867-1954) portrait photographer, photo-pictorialist, painter, inventor, scientist, poet, lecturer, photo & art critic, and elocutionist. Born 1867 in New Britain, CT, to parents Jeremiah Osgood Beach (1841-1934) Caroline Louisa (née Dyson, 1845-1880). Howard had four younger siblings: Alfred Walter (1869-c1879), Mary Osgood (Mrs. DeWitt C. French, 1871- ), Edward Bamforth (1874- ) and Ruth North (1876- ). After his mother died in 1880, his father remarried Charlotte P. (née Adams, 1883-1918) in January 1883. They had two children, Charles Adams (1884-died young) and Bessie Catherine (1887- ). Growing up, Beach went to traditional schools in New Britain, CT, and after a brief first job in a factory, he took a position with a local optician where he learned the fundamentals of lens-making. After graduating, he apprenticed with John B. Davidson at his photography studio at 173 Main Street in New Britain (previously 122 W. Main), and worked under the supervision of photographer John A. Lewis who later bought Mr. Davidson’s business.

In 1884, at the age of seventeen, Beach moved to Buffalo, NY to study with Andrew Simson (German-American, c1837-1922) the well known portrait photographer who became an accredited photographer at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, 1901. About the same time Beach studied at Bryant and Stratton Business Institute, Buffalo, NY and also with the painter and printmaker John Rummell (American, 1861- ). He furthered his studies at the Buffalo Art School (Albright Art School) and at the University of Buffalo (courses in chemistry and photography) and at the Buffalo School of Speech Arts.

In 1896, Beach partnered with friend and former photography teacher Andrew Simson at 456 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, and four years later he purchased the remainder of Mr. Simson’s interest in “Simson & Beach” to open his own studio at the same location. In 1908, Beach purchased the studio of the well known portrait photographer Eleck F. Hall (American, 1857-1910) known as E.F. Hall & Co. for the sum of $27,000, and moved his entire photographic business to 469 Virginia Street in Buffalo.

Beach’s portrait studio was also known for photographing the Native American Indians who had participated in the Indian Congress at the 1901 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY. The Smithsonian Institution heralded those rare images as "a discovery" and have 16 platinum prints in their permanent collection. During his career, Beach also photographed many famous clients such as; a young F. Scott Fitzgerald, Katharine Cornell (American, 1893-1974) a stage actress from the 1920’s-50’s, and artist-writer & critic Carl Sadakichi Hartmann (Japanese-American, 1867-1944). Among the many notable Buffalo families who were photographed by Beach photographed over the generations are: The Larkins, Rumseys, Kelloggs, Goodyears, Knoxes, Martins, Albrights, Birges, Schoellkopfs, and Butlers.

After a visit to Beach's studio in 1911, Sidney Allen commented, "Beach...is a man of restless activity and apparently endless resources. His versatile abilities are clearly revealed in his work. He has gained artistic as well as financial success...he will always remain one of the most interesting figures in the realm of professional photography."[3]

Howard D. Beach, in a speech before the Greater Buffalo Club on January 17, 1912, stated, "Never again, so long as the camera is in use, will the human race be subject to dark ages."[1]

"A Photograph must not only be a likeness, but it must be good in composition, pictorial effect and light and shade; and it must have feeling, atmosphere, originality and style."[2] -Howard D. Beach

In addition to his professional career as a portrait photographer, photo-pictorialist and artist, Beach was also renowned internationally for his advancements in scientific research with his patented lens inventions. His quest and passion to find the right kind of lens for use in cameras for portrait photography lasted from his early career throughout his lifetime. This pursuit led Beach to eventually research and develop his own lenses which were used in camera lenses, optics, microscopes and eyeglasses. Early lenses lacked depth of focus, sharpness, softness and speed, and Beach eagerly sought to research, experiment and improve upon those hindrances. First he wanted to improve upon the field of fine arts photography with a lens capable of universal focus, a concept that had baffled the photographic and scientific world and which it deemed impossible.

After many previous failed attempts, Beach successfully solved the problem in 1929. He later patented his universal focus lens. It found uses in other practical and scientific applications where such a lens could be a valuable asset in the health related and working industry fields as well as the sciences. Beach defined “universal focus” as the ability to see, equally well, any object before the eye, from a distance of about two feet to the horizon, and sought to improve people’s vision through universal focus lenses in everyday eyewear. He mentioned that children and young people possess universal focus, but with age most people do not see equally well all objects in their line of vision. Bi-focal lenses remedied that deficiency to some extent, but if one happens to look through the section of a bi-focal lens where the sections for near and distant vision join, vision is blurred. But, looking through any spot in a universal focus lens, one sees equally well. Beach added that the universal focus camera lens increases the stereoscopic roundness of the picture, giving it a closer approximation to three dimension. He was certain such lenses could be used eventually for motion pictures.

Beach’s inventions were patented in the U.S. as well as applied for in foreign countries, and have earned respect to this day in international optical circles. His inventions included: a universal-focus lens dubbed the "Beach Multifocal Lens", which he began working on in 1928 with technicians and researchers from the Wollensak Optical Company in Rochester, NY. It was exhibited in 1929, merchandized nationwide and internationally as a “startling new studio lens.”; a new “Spectacle Lens” for improvements in bifocal or multifocal spectacle lenses (patented 1931) and also merchandized by Wollensak; a lens with applications in camera lenses, impaired vision eyeglasses, telescopes, microscopes and various other applications (patented 1937) also marketed by the Wollensak Optical Co.; and an improved multi-focal spectacle lens (patented 1946). Other Beach inventions included a portrait lens which had 16 zones and the Mutotone photographic process. In 1925 Beach studied and traveled extensively thoughout Europe.

In 1937, Beach established his own optical lab at 469 Virginia St., the same location that housed his photography studio. He continued his experiments and research into lenses and by April, 1941, had formed the Beach Lens Corporation. His nephew, and son-in-law Howard A. Beach was his lab assistant and daughter Margaret was president of the corporation, helping to grind lenses while also working as receptionist for the photography studio. During lens manufacture at his lab, only a few people were ever allowed to view Beach's process of production, as he maintained strict control and supervision over the entire creation of blanks for his 'blended' lenses. During the 1940's-50's, Beach created twenty two lenses of various strengths which were available in different shades and colors. The blanks were then sold to opticians who would grind them down according to each person's individual prescription. After Howard D. Beach's death in 1954, his daughter Margaret and her husband Howard A., continued the business which eventually dissolved in March of 1992.

Beach regularly exhibited his work and won several prizes with the Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY, and also displayed with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Memberships included; The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy (since 1910), the Buffalo Society of Artists (from 1891, elected vice-president of the Buffalo Society of Artists in 1926), the Buffalo Photographers Society (twice president), the Royal Photographic Society, England, the Professional Photographers Society of New York State (PPSNYS, President 1914, Secretary 1909 & 1910), the Professional Photographers of America (President 1908 & 1921), the Buffalo Camera Club (1905-38, twice president) and the Guild of Allied Arts (Charter Member). He contributed a column titled "Rungs" to Abel's Photographic Weekly, and also self-published pamphlets on art and photography.

“Still, in addition to compiling this record of accomplishments, Beach found time to write poetry and inspirational passages for national and regional publications, study elocution and give readings of Shakespeare, study art history and become an expert on color theory, make sculpture and hold organizational offices ranging from the presidency of the International Photographic Association of America to the mastery of the Ancient Landmarks Lodge 441, F&AM, Buffalo Consistory and Ismailia Temple. No wonder then, that when he died, the column-and-a-half long obituary in the Buffalo Evening News declared, “With his passing something of old cultural Buffalo vanished from the scene. He was a man of personal charm, kindliness and… a great sense of humor.”[4]—Anthony Bannon, art critic of the staff of The Buffalo News (Currently the Director of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center), The Magazine of The Buffalo News, “The Remarkable Photography of Buffalo’s Howard Beach: A Forgotten Giant; The Amazing Rediscovery of a Photographic Artist”, Cover & Pgs. 4-7, Sunday, November 30, 1980.

In 1973, Buffalo attorney Salvatore Giallombardo purchased the former studio of Howard Beach, at 469 Virginia Street and discovered a treasure trove: thousands of gelatin dry plate glass negatives, photographs, Mutotones, photos on milk glass, business records, card catalog, ephemera and memorabilia. With the help of Salvatore’s brother Michael and his friend John Kontos, a photography teacher at Kenmore East High School, the monumental task of sorting the collection began, with the goal of creating a museum dedicated to Howard D. Beach’s accomplishments.

The Giallombardo family, recognizing the importance of Beach’s career as a photographer, sought to preserve not only his life’s work, but his legacy for future generations. In the spring of 2011, the Buffalo History Museum received a donation from the family of over 57,000 gelatin dry plate glass negatives and related documentation. The collection is stored in the Julia Boyer Reinstein Center and the Butler Library. Since then the Buffalo History Museum has enlisted help from Buffalo State College (SUNY). As part of course work in MST 623 Digital Museum Collections, students will sort, organize, research, document, digitally photograph, conserve and preserve the entire collection.

The program was made possible through generous donations and the joint efforts of Associate Professor Dr. Cynthia Conides and Professor Noelle Wiedemer at Buffalo State College and the Buffalo History Museum. Wiedemer is a chemist, an avid photographer, and owner of the Wide Angle Art Gallery in Medina, NY. The Beach Collection became the focus of her thesis, which she uses to give students hands-on experience as part of a graduate course she teaches in the Digital Museum Collections. The ongoing preservation and conservation of the collection will no doubt take years and require additional funding to complete. The historic and visionary contributions of Howard D. Beach in the worlds of science, photography and art are properly housed for the enlightenment of posterity.


Chronology:

1867- Born, March 21, to father Jeremiah Osgood Beach (1841-1934) a machinist, and mother Caroline Louisa (née Dyson, 1845-1880), and had four younger siblings; Alfred Walter Beach (1869-c1879), Mary Osgood Beach (1871-), Edward Bamforth Beach (1874-) and Ruth North Beach (1876-), New Britain, CT. The father remarried to Charlotte P. (née Adams, 1883-1918) in January 1883 and had two children (Howard’s 1/2 brother & sister), Charles Adams Beach (1884-died young) and Bessie Catherine Beach (1887-), New Britain, CT.

Circa 1883- After graduating from the public schools, he first apprenticed in photography under John B. Davidson at his photography studio at 173 Main Street in New Britain (Previously 122 W. Main), and continued to work at the studio under the supervision of photographer John A. Lewis who had soon bought out Mr. Davidson.

1884- Moved to Buffalo to apprentice with photographer Andrew Simson (German-American, c1837-1922) Buffalo’s oldest photographer and accredited photographer for the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, 1901, and later partner with Howard D. Beach in 1896.

Circa 1884- Studied at the Bryant and Stratton Business Institute, Buffalo, NY.

Circa Mid 1880's- Studied with landscape & portrait painter and printmaker John Rummell (American, 1861-1942), Buffalo, NY.

1887- Studied at the Buffalo Art School, Buffalo, NY.

Circa late 1880's- Furthered studies at the University of Buffalo (courses in chemistry and photography), Buffalo, NY.

1891- Joined the Buffalo Photographic Society and the Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY.

1892- June 23, Married Catherine Margaret (née Lobstein, 1870-1937), Buffalo, NY.

1896- Partnered with friend and former photography teacher Andrew Simson’s (German-American, c1837-1922) Photographic Studio which became “Simson & Beach”, 456 Main Street, Buffalo, NY.

1899- February 27, Daughter Margaret Caroline was born (d. Nov. 1993, New Britain, CT) and who later married one of her father's nephews named Howard A. Beach who also later worked for Beach in his lab at the Beach Lens Corporation, Buffalo, NY.

1900- Beach purchased the remainder of Mr. Simson’s interest in “Simson & Beach” to open his own photographic studio, 456 Main Street, Buffalo, NY.

1901- Photographed Native American Indians who had participated in the Indian Congress at the Pan American Exposition as a "Living Exhibit", Buffalo, NY.

1905-38- Was a member of the Buffalo Camera Club, Buffalo, NY.

1907- Exhibited, group show (gold medal), Photographic Association of America, Indianapolis, IN.

1908- Purchased the Eleck F. Hall’s (American, 1857-1910) known as E.F. Hall & Co. for the large sum of $27,000, and moved his entire photographic business there, 469 Virginia Street, Buffalo, NY, which became his main studio thereafter. At this time Beach was residing next door at 467 Virginia Street, Buffalo, NY. Beach succeeded John George Nussbaumer (American Photographer, 1866-1948) as president of the Photographers’ Association of America.

1909- Exhibited, group show, International Exposition of Photography at Dresden, Germany. Received a cash award from the Virginia Society of Photographers.

1909-10- Was Secretary for the Professional Photographers Society of New York State (PPSNYS), Buffalo, NY.

1910- Became a member of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, Buffalo Camera Club Salon, Buffalo, NY. Became a member of the Executive Committee of the Buffalo Camera Club, Buffalo, NY.

1911- Beach's photographs were reviewed by Sidney Allen in Wilson's Photographic Magazine.

1912- Exhibited, group show, 32nd Annual Convention of the Professional Photographers of America, 2 pieces shown, unknown location.

1913- February 12-14, exhibited, group show, “Ninth Annual Convention of The Professional Photographers Society of New York”, Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, NYC. Exhibited, group show, Photographic Association of America, Kansas City, MO. Invented Mutotone photographic process. Became a member of the Executive Committee of the Professional Photographic Society of New York.

1914- Photographed the famous artist-writer & critic Carl Sadakichi Hartmann (Japanese-American, 1867-1944), Buffalo, NY. Became President of the Professional Photographers Society of New York State (PPSNYS), Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, "An Exhibition of Works by Buffalo Artists, First Local Salon", Albright Art Gallery (now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), Buffalo, NY.

Through the 1920's- Beach published his own journal titled Through the Lens, "...a journal of truth and triteness, dedicated and distributed without charge to those whose faith in nature is not exceeded by their belief in art. The highest manifestation of art being a correct interpretation of nature.”

1921- Became President of the Professional Photographers’ Association, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show (honorable mention), Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show, "2nd National Salon of Pictorial Photography", Buffalo, NY.

1922- Exhibited, group show, "3rd National Salon of Pictorial Photography", fine flower studies in oil and three portrait studies, Buffalo, NY.

1922-23- Lectured two seasons at the summer school for the Photographers' Association of America.

1923- Exhibited, solo show, Toledo Art Gallery, 20 paintings shown, Toledo, OH.

1924- May, exhibited, group show, "First Annual Salon of Photography", Mutotone, "The Lake", Fort Wayne Art School, Fort Wayne, IN. Exhibited, group show, "4th National Salon of Pictorial Photography", Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show (honorable mention), Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY.

1925- February 17-19, exhibited, group show, "Twin Convention: Ontario Society of Photographers and the New York Professional Photographer's Society", Mutotones shown to include "In Shadow (No. 11)" 13-3/4" x 10-3/8" (B&W floral still life), The Bee Hive, Buffalo, NY. May 1-20, exhibited, group show, "2nd Annual Salon of Photography", Mutotone "Autumn Reflections" (Catalog No. 15), Fort Wayne Art School, Fort Wayne, IN. Exhibited, group show, "Buffalo Salon", Mutotone "Cathedral in the Woods", Buffalo Camera Club, Buffalo, NY. Studied in Europe, traveling over 25,000 miles.

1925-26- Exhibited, group shows, "Exhibition of the Ontario Society of Photographers and the New York State Professional Photographers Association", Buffalo, NY.

1926- Elected vice-president of the Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show (honorable mention), Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY.

1928- Exhibited, group show, "Salon of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain", Bromoil photographs shown to include untitled portrait of a ‘Woman in Profile' 8-3/4" x 6-5/8", and untitled- 'Portrait of a Man' 8-1/8" x 6-1/8", also received his degree of Associateship of Royal Photographers Society (A.R.P.S.) which up to that time had only been given to three other individuals in the U.S., London, England. January, exhibited, group show, "Ninth Annual Salon of Photography", under the auspices of The Buffalo Camera Club, hand-colored photographs shown to include "Little Molly" (No. 11, Seated Bromoil portrait of young girl with stuffed bunny) 7-3/4" x 5-1/4", and "Ready for Mischief" (No. 12, Bromoil portrait of young girl with hair tie/bow) 7" x 5-5/8", Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.

1929- Beach exhibited his new "Universal Focus" (Multifocal) lens at the 47th Annual Convention of the Photographers' Association of America, where he announced and explained the lens to the group for use with pin-hole photography and which had the speed of the fastest modern lenses (later patented 1931), Buffalo, NY.

1931- Patented a universal-focus lens dubbed the "Beach Multifocal Lens", which he began working on in 1928 (exhibited in 1929) and worked in tandem with technicians and researchers over the course of three years from the Wollensack Optical Company out of Rochester, NY who merchandized it nationwide and internationally as a “startling new studio lens.”, and also a new “Spectacle Lens” for improvements in bifocal or multifocal spectacle lenses (Patented 1931) and also merchandized by Wollensack. November 21-December 28, exhibited, group show, “24th Annual Thumb Box Art Exhibition”, three oils shown to include “Dawn’s Twilight at Nice”, “Montauk”, and “Rocks at Nice”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.

1933- Exhibited, group show, "Twelfth National Salon of Pictorial Photography", Buffalo, NY.

1937- Patented a new lens which related to the improvement of lenses in applications of camera lenses, eyeglasses/impaired vision, telescopes and microscopes and various other applications and also marketed by the Wollensack Optical Company out of Rochester, NY. Beach established and maintained his own optical lab at his 469 Virginia St. location, the same place that housed his photography studio, and his nephew, and also son-in-law, Howard A. Beach was his lab assistant and his daughter Margaret even helped grind the early lenses, while also working as his receptionist for the photography studio (she later became President of her father's business in 1941). He continued his experiments and research into lenses. October, 19, both Howard D. Beach and John George Nussbaumer (American Photographer, 1866-1948) were honored at a testimonial dinner held in their honor by a group of 25 photographers in the Park Lane, 33 Gates Circle, Buffalo, NY. His wife Catherine died, Buffalo, NY.

1939- Received an honorary Master of Photography degree (M.P.) from the Photographers Association of America.

1941- April, Beach established his company called the Beach Lens Corporation to help manufacture and distribute the new lenses, and his son-in-law, Howard A. Beach continued on as his lab assistant while his daughter Margaret was named president of the corporation.

1946- Patented a new and improved lens relating to optical lenses, spectacles or eyeglasses and particularly to a novel and improved multi-focal spectacle lens.

1947- September 12, Howard received his Ophthalmic Dispensing license.

1954- March 23, died, and the wake was held at that Saturday at Leo Vandercher Funeral Home 2549 Main Street, with services held at Forest Lawn Chapel officiated by Rev. Robert N. Zearfoss, Buffalo, NY.

1973- Buffalo attorney Salvatore Giallombardo purchased the old studio of Howard Beach, at 469 Virginia Street and discovered a treasure trove of thousands of old gelatin dry plate glass negatives, photographs, other negatives, Mutotones, photos on milkglass, business records, card catalog, ephemera and memorabilia by and about Howard Beach and photographer Eleck Hall in the basement of the home.

From the mid 1970's-through 1980's- Michael Giallombardo, brother of Salvatore Giallombardo who had purchased Beach's studio in 1973, sought the help of his childhood friend, John Kontos, who had been a photography and art teacher at Kenmore East High School, to help organize and hopefully open a museum strictly devoted to Howard D. Beach and his career as a photographer, artist and inventor. They wanted Beach to be recognized as one of the prominent photographers of the late 1800’s and early 20th Century, and intended to open the museum by 1981, somewhere in the Allentown area of Buffalo. But, as fate would have it, the museum never materialized.

1982- April 23-May 7, exhibition, "Howard D. Beach: Photo Artist 1867-1954", Mutotones and Prints, Gallery Mark, 347 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY.

1993- November, Beach's daughter Margaret died, New Britain, CT.

2001-2002- October-January, exhibited, group show, "The Pan American Exposition Centennial: Images of the American Indian", Beach's studio photographs of the Native Americans who participated in the Indian Congress at the Pan-Am were shown (From the collection of the Giallombardo family), Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo State College, Third Floor, Rockwell Hall, Buffalo, NY.

2006- April-May, group photography auction/show, "CEPA's 8th Biennial Photography Auction", CEPA Gallery, Buffalo, NY.

2010- May-June, exhibited, solo show, "Howard Beach: Photographer, Artist, Inventor", Mutotone portrait photographs shown, curated by Cynthia A. Conides, Associate Professor and Director of Museum Studies, SUNY Buffalo State, Department of History & Social Studies Education, and the exhibit was dedicated to the memory of Salvatore Giallombardo opening one year after his death on May 4, 2010, Buffalo and Eric County Historical Society (now The Buffalo History Museum), Community Gallery, Second Floor, Buffalo, NY.

2011- Spring, the Giallombardo family donated a massive historical collection of over 57,000 gelatin dry plate glass negatives and most of the other previously mentioned items recovered from the Howard D. Beach photography studio to the Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo, NY. The Giallombardo family, recognizing the importance of Beach’s career as a photographer, sought to preserve not only his life’s work, but his legacy for future generations. The collection was stored in the Julia Boyer Reinstein Center and since then, the Buffalo History Museum has been working in tandem with Buffalo State College (SUNY) through the course MST 623 Digital Museum Collections, to help sort, organize, research, document, digitally photograph, conserve and preserve the entire collection. The program was made possible through generous donations and the joint efforts of Associate Professor Dr. Cynthia Conides and Professor Noelle Wiedemer at Buffalo State College and The Buffalo History Museum. Wiedemer, a chemist by training, avid photographer and owner of the Wide Angle Art Gallery in Medina, NY, was a graduate student in the museum studies program when the Buffalo History Museum acquired the Beach Collection, and it quickly became the focus of her graduate work. Now she uses the collection to give students hands-on experience as part of a graduate course she teaches in the Digital Museum Collections. Their class consists of numerous graduate students, who are constantly unearthing images that have yet to be viewed by anyone in almost 100 years. The collection of negatives, paintings, prints, records et al, were found in various states ranging from pristine condition to varying degrees of decay, some with mold and water damage, silvering, while others had been all but destroyed by time. The ongoing preservation and conservation of the collection will no doubt take many years and require additional funding to fully complete before the collection could ever be shown to the public or be ready for possible exhibition.

2016- April 29, 2016 - May 28, exhibition, “Howard D. Beach (1867-1954): Mutotones”, Meibohm Fine Arts, East Aurora, NY, link to our Exhibition Page.


Memberships/Associations: Photographers Association of America (President 1908), Buffalo, NY; Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Buffalo, NY (since 1910); The Buffalo Society of Artists (from 1891, elected vice-president in 1926, and was on the election committee since 1920), Buffalo, NY; the Buffalo Photographers Society (twice president); A Fellow Associate Member of the Royal Photographic Society (A.R.P.S., 1928), London, England; Professional Photographers Society of New York State (President 1914, Secretary 1909 & 1910, Member Executive Committee 1913), Buffalo, NY; Professional Photographers of America (President 1921), Buffalo, NY; Buffalo Camera Club (1905-38, twice president) and Member of the Executive Committee (1910), Buffalo, NY; the Buffalo Photographic Society (from 1891), Buffalo, NY; the Guild of Allied Arts (Charter Member); Associate member of the Professional Photographers' Association of New England; Honorary Member of the Ohio Society of Photographers; Past member of the Lodge of Ancient Landmarks Lodge 441, F. & A.M. of Buffalo, NY; Various Masonic organizations and attained his order up to the 32nd Degree, Buffalo, NY; Buffalo Consistory, Buffalo, NY; The Ismailia Temple, Buffalo, NY; and the Prospect Avenue & Delaware Avenue Baptist Churches, Buffalo, NY.

Exhibited Also At: the Buffalo Society of Artists (prizes), other unknown dates, Buffalo, NY; Town Club of Buffalo, NY; Other solo shows at the Toledo Art Gallery, Toledo, OH; Ora Galleries, Buffalo, NY (active 1980-1991), Mutotones shown, Buffalo, NY, circa early 1980’s; and the "Ninth Annual Salon of Pictorial Photography", Buffalo, NY.

Awards/Honors: Gold Medal, group show, Photographic Association of America, Indianapolis, IN, 1907; Honorable Mentions, group shows, Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY, 1921, 1924 & 1926; Received an honorary Master of Photography degree (M.P.) from the Photographers Association of America, 1939; Received a cash award from the Virginia Society of Photographers (1909); Over 12 International Diplomas of Merit from numerous countries including; Canada, Germany and Japan; $50 Prize, for the arrangement of electric bulbs in a skylight, a device which won Mr. Beach the $50 dollar prize for the 'Most Practical Idea' at one of the New York State conventions.

Collections: Over 57,000 gelatin dry plate glass negatives, photographs, other negatives, Mutotones, photos on milkglass, business records, card catalog, ephemera and memorabilia by and about Howard D. Beach, in the permanent collection of The Buffalo History Museum, donated by the Giallombardo family (2011), Buffalo, NY; Painting, pastel on paper and portrait photographs, in the permanent collection of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY; 16 platinum prints in the permanent collection of The Smithsonian Institution, of Native American Indians from the Pan American Exposition who participated in the Indian Congress, Washington, DC; Photograph B&W Print of "Native American woman from Plains region, half-length portrait, facing right with baby on her back" (Nellie [Twiss] Swimmer & Baby Swimmer, Oglala Lakota Sioux) 1901, Lot. No. 12920, Permanent Collection of the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Publications/Articles by the Artist: He contributed a column titled "Rungs" to Abel's Photographic Weekly, and also self-published pamphlets on art and photography. Through the 1920's, Beach published his own journal titled, Through the Lens, "...a journal of truth and triteness, dedicated and distributed without charge to those whose faith in nature is not exceeded by their belief in art. The highest manifestation of art being a correct interpretation of nature.”

For additional information on this artist or for other possible examples of his work, please visit AskArt.com link.

(Written & compiled chronologically by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., East Aurora, NY, meibohmfinearts.com.)