The Photo Collection Named After a Dog

The "Max" collection consists of fifteen boxes of photographs that were literally rescued from a dumpster by an unidentified individual who had the inspiration to bring them to the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library after he found them, sometime in the late 1970s. We don't know the name of that person, but his dog is immortalized by being the name given to the collection: "Max." We surmise that the photographs came from some kind of Denver Post newspaper archive, since many of the items have clipped-out newspaper captions from the Denver Post taped to their backs and in some cases rubber-stamped photographers' names and Denver Post stamps. Many have cropping instructions on their backs, and even some ornate hand-drawn line art "frames" that used to surround newspaper photographs. 

The images are loosely arranged by subject, with two whole runs of biographical photos comprising most of the boxes, and two boxes of "Denver" general subjects arranged in subject folders. There are photos of people, buildings, and events, and many of them are real gems. There are also some newspaper clippings and other printed material in the folders, adding context. Since the collection has been minimally processed (there is an inventory), a researcher would have to dedicate some time for searching, which would be a delight for someone with no deadlines. It's a "grab bag," a "treasure trove," and a mystery all rolled into one. The gallery below showcases a few of the images from the collection, including whatever information that was attached. This collection holds a special place in my heart ~ our beloved family dog was named "Max." Here is the catalog record for the Max Collection, officially called "The Denver Post Collection," or C Photo Collection 422.

While these images are not digitized or available on line, as with any of our photos, we can produce a digital print if you are able to come in and specify the item.