[Clay's Barber Shop]

[Clay's Barber Shop]

Photographer unknown

This image is of a long, narrow room. Three barbers are standing behind their metal barber’s chairs, each of which is occupied by a man draped in a large, white cloth. Behind the chairs are porcelain sinks and wall-mounted shelves. On top of the shelves are various-sized glass bottles and shaving mugs. Under this shelf are piles of towels. Wide mirrors are mounted from waist height to just above head height along each wall. The floor is of patterned, white tile. Along the wall opposite the barber chairs are wooden armchairs and two ornate hat and coat stands. A male customer is seated in one of the wooden chairs. All of the barbers and customers are Caucasian. The barbers are wearing long-sleeved white coats over their shirts and ties. The barber with the mustache in the foreground is Lovell J. Clay, the owner of the barbershop. At the rear of the room is an African American man, dressed in a white, long-sleeved shirt, bow tie and slacks, and carrying a long-handled broom. An open screen door is visible on the rear wall between two tall, narrow windows. Electric lights are mounted over the sinks and mirrors. Additional electric lights are hanging from a pressed tin ceiling. The number "118" has been written on the emulsion side of the negative and is visible in the upper right corner of the picture. The number "1" is written in the upper left corner.

Barbers
Barbershops
Dubuque (Iowa) -- Pictorial works
William J. Klauer Collection. City at Work Project
Glass negatives
Itinerant photographers

The Center for Dubuque History, Loras College, 1450 Alta Vista Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001

Digital image captured using a Microtek ScanMaker 8700 with transparent media adapter. TIFF file created from a glass plate negative scanned in 16 - bit grey scale at 1200 ppi.

Contact The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College, 1450 Alta Vista Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 or call (563) 588-7100 © 2013 LORAS COLLEGE

William J. Klauer Collection

Still image

1912-05/06

KL 083-383

This record is part of the William J. Klauer Collection held by The Center for Dubuque History, Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa.

162 9th Street, Dubuque, Iowa

According to The Encyclopedia Dubuque (www.encyclopediadubuque.org), Mr. Clay advertised as “The Up-to-Date-Barber, Opp. B&I building, 926 Main St.”

Lovell J. Clay's barbershop is listed at 162 9th Street in the 1912 Dubuque City Directory. Later directories list the 926 Main Street address.

This image was displayed in the “City at Work” exhibit at the Dubuque Museum of Art, December 7, 2013 – March 24, 2014.