Camera Workers, 1858-1950

The British Columbia, Alaska and Yukon Photographic Directory, 1858-1950

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Steffens-Colmer Studio Ltd.

Steffens-Colmer Studio Ltd.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40]



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  • Name Steffens-Colmer Studio Ltd.  
    • VARIANT NAME: Steffens-Colmer Photo Company; Steffens-Colmer Photo Studio; Steffens-Colmer Ltd.
    Gender Unknown 
    Business Address/Year 1920-1926  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    518 West Hastings Street
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1930  New Westminster, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    552 Columbia Street
    New Westminster, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1931  New Westminster, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    552 Columbia Street, no. 8
    New Westminster, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1926-1936  Victoria, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    1214 Government Street
    Victoria, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1927-1940  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    560 Granville Street
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1941-1942  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    3370 West 42nd Avenue
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1943  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    560 Granville Street
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1944-1946  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Address:
    560 Granville Street, no. 3
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Business Address/Year 1947-1950  Vancouver, BC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Continued past 1950 
    Address:
    298 Main St.
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada 
    Association Hay, David Chisholm (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Paull, Alfred Albert (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Maxwell, William S. (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Maxwell, Willard Gilford (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Colmer, Montague (Relationship: Partner) 
    Association Steffens, Richard Joseph (Relationship: Partner; Proprietor) 
    Association Froud, William George Edward (Relationship: Manager; Photographer) 
    Association Cox, Horace Gordon (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Matzene, Richard Gordon (Relationship: Photographer) 
    Association Ramsay, Colin Cameron (Relationship: Manager) 
    Association Weekes, Frank Whiteford (Relationship: Manager) 
    Association Cherer, George Cecil (Relationship: Manager; Photographer) 
    Association Coltman, Alfred Donald (Relationship: Proprietor; Manager; President) 
    Person ID I1497  Camera Workers | S, vol. 2, 1901-1950
    Last Modified 6 Sep 2021 

  • Photos
    The Steffens-Colmer Studio building, 560 Granville St., Vancouver, BC.    		The Steffens-Colmer Studio building, 560 Granville St., Vancouver, BC.
    Photograph by Leonard Frank, 1943 (VPL Accession Number: 5573A).
    Steffens-Colmer Studios exterior, Mar 1948.    		Steffens-Colmer Studios exterior, Mar 1948.
    298 Main St., Vancouver; photographed by A.D. Coltman. City of Vancouver Archives reference code: AM1545-S3-: CVA 586-6918

    Documents
    Steffens-Colmer Studio ad, <i>Wrigley's B.C. Directory, 1922</i>, p. 500.    		Steffens-Colmer Studio ad, Wrigley's B.C. Directory, 1922, p. 500.
    Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, <i>Colonist</i>, 28 Nov 1926, p. 8.    		Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, Colonist, 28 Nov 1926, p. 8.
    These ads featuring the high-society photographer Matzene were targeted to women as they usually appeared in the women and society section of the newspaper.
    Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, <i>Colonist</i>, 12 Feb 1927, p. 7.    		Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, Colonist, 12 Feb 1927, p. 7.
    Announcing Matzene's departure
    Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, <i>Colonist</i>, 20 Jul 1930, p. 13    		Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, Colonist, 20 Jul 1930, p. 13
    Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, <i>Colonist</i>, 1 Jan 1927, p. 6    		Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad, Colonist, 1 Jan 1927, p. 6
    Noting the extension of Matzene's time at the studio.
    Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad , <i>Victoria Daily Times</i>, 8 Sep 1926, p. 6.    		Steffens-Colmer Studio Victoria branch ad , Victoria Daily Times, 8 Sep 1926, p. 6.
    Teaser for the arrival of the high-society photographer Matzene.
    Steffens-Colmer Studio ad, <i>Victoria Daily Times</i>, 4 Oct 1926, p. 6.    		Steffens-Colmer Studio ad, Victoria Daily Times, 4 Oct 1926, p. 6.
    Announcing Matzene's presence.

  • Notes 
    • STATUS: Studio.
    • BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: This Vancouver portrait studio was initially operated by R.J. Steffens and Montague Colmer, then solely by Steffens. Following Steffens death in Jan 1941, the business was acquired by A.D. Coltman in Vancouver who continued to operate it under that name.
      The Victoria branch operation was open by Oct 1926, according to advertising in the Colonist newspaper, where the high-society and itinerant photographer Richard Gordon Matzene (born Jens Rudolph Matzene, ca. 1875-1950) was taking portraits. Another ad in Feb 1927 announced Matzene was discontinuing his sittings on 25 Feb 1927. W.G.E. Froud was the manager of the Victoria branch in 1927. C.C. Ramsay managed the Victoria studio between 1928-1931, followed by F.W. Weekes in 1932, and last by G.C. Cherer between 1934-1936, after which the Victoria studio closed. H.G. Cox was also associated with the Victoria studio in 1934.

  • Sources 
    1. [S46] COLLECTION: BVIPA.
      Steffens-Colmer Ltd. fonds (PR-0262) and individual prints

    2. [S45] COLLECTION: BVAA.
      Negatives and prints; over 10,000 digital facsimiles available at https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/steffens-colmer-studios-ltd-and-don-coltman-company-photographs-2

    3. [S137] COLLECTION: BVAUS2.
      Prints

    4. [S134] COLLECTION: BVA.
      Prints

    5. [S752] HENVAN19, (Vancouver: Henderson Directory Co., 1919).
      Vancouver: not listed

    6. [S738] WRI19, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1919).
      Vancouver: not listed

    7. [S753] HENVAN20, (Vancouver: Henderson Directory Co., 1920), 951.
      Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Studio (R J Steffens and M Colmer) 518 Hastings W

    8. [S739] WRI20, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1920), 928.
      Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Photo Studio R J Steffens & Montague Colmer 518 Hastings W

    9. [S754] HENVAN21, (Vancouver: Henderson Directory Co., 1921), 1050.
      Vancouver

    10. [S741] WRI21, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1921), 980.
      Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Photo Studio (R J Steffens & Montague Colmer) 518 Hastings W

    11. [S755] HENVAN22, (Vancouver: Henderson Directory Co., 1922), 1112.
      Vancouver

    12. [S742] WRI22, (Vancouver, BC: Wrigley Directories, c1922), 1006.
      Vancouver

    13. [S756] HENVAN23, (Vancouver: Henderson Directory Co., 1923), 1206.
      Vancouver

    14. [S809] WRI23, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1923), 1497.
      Vancouver

    15. [S757] WRI24, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1924), 1082.
      Vancouver

    16. [S758] WRI25, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1925), 1157.
      Vancouver

    17. [S759] WRI26, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1926), 1250.
      Vancouver

    18. [S760] WRI27, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1927), 1305 and 1595.
      p. 1305, Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Studio (R J Steffens) photog 560 Granville
      p. 1595, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio W G E Froud mgr photog 1214 Govt

    19. [S761] WRI28, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1928), 1454 and 1760.
      p. 1454, Vancouver
      p. 1760, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio C C Ramsay mgr photogs 1214 Govt

    20. [S762] WRI29, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1929), 1321 and 1832.
      p. 1321, Vancouver
      p. 1832, Victoria

    21. [S763] WRI30, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1930), 1345 and 1875.
      p. 1345: Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Studio (R J Steffens) photog 560 Granville 552 Columbia N Westr
      p. 1875, Victoria

    22. [S764] WRI31, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1931), 1316 and 1873.
      p. 1316, Vancouver: 560 Granville and 8, 552 Columbia New Westminster
      p. 1873, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio C C Ramsay mgr photogs 1214 Govt

    23. [S765] WRI32, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1932), 1294 and 1856.
      p. 1294, Vancouver
      p. 1856, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio F Whiteford-Weekes mgr photogs 1214 Govt

    24. [S766] WRIVAN33, (Vancouver: Wrigley Directories, 1933), 782.
      Vancouver

    25. [S768] SUN34, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1934), 1565 and 2235.
      p. 1565, Vancouver
      p. 2235, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio G Cherer mgr photogs 1214 Govt

    26. [S769] SUN35, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1935), 1415 and 1901.
      p. 1415, Vancouver
      p. 1901, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio G Cherer mgr photogs 1214 Govt

    27. [S770] SUN36, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1936), 1135 and 1689.
      p. 1135, Vancouver
      p. 1689, Victoria: Steffens-Colmer Studio G Cherer mgr photogs 1214 Govt

    28. [S771] SUN37, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1937), 1104.
      Vancouver
      Victoria: not listed

    29. [S774] SUN40, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1940), 1029.
      Vancouver
      Victoria: not listed

    30. [S775] SUN41, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1941), 1042.
      Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Photo Studio (A D Coltman) 3370 W 42
      Victoria: not listed

    31. [S776] SUN42, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1942), 1076.
      Vancouver: Steffens-Colmer Photo Studio A D Coltman mgr 3370 W 42
      Victoria: not listed

    32. [S777] SUN43, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1943), 1125.
      Vancouver

    33. [S778] SUN44, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1944), 1061.
      Vancouver

    34. [S779] SUN45, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1945), 1072.
      Vancouver

    35. [S714] SUN46, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1946), 1183.
      Vancouver

    36. [S715] SUN47, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1947), 1025.
      Vancouver

    37. [S780] SUN48, (Vancouver: Sun Directories, 1948).
      Vancouver

    38. [S811] BCVAN49, (Vancouver: B.C. Directories, [1949?]), 538.
      Vancouver

    39. [S808] BCVAN50, (Vancouver : B.C. Directories, 1950).
      Vancouver

    40. [S1025] BCVAN51, (Vancouver, BC: B.C. Directories, 1951).
      Vancouver