David Wilde Photograph Collection
Collection
Identifier: PICT-000-1077
Scope and Content
David Wilde donated his first set of photographs to the CSWR in 2013. The remainder were received after his death in 2019. The collection contains a variety of formats, including slides, photographs, proofs, negatives, postcards and some art work, as well as color and black and white xeroxed images. The material Wilde collected about his family and youth in England are mainly color and black and white xeroxes, with a few color shots of relatives from the 1990s. His personal photos were lost in a theft in Albuquerque and damaged by water in England, so he copied whatever he could find. There are also negatives of Wilde’s time with the British army band in Hong Kong in 1963 and a few images of him playing the French horn about 1978. The collection also has slides of Arthur Charles Slawson’s paintings and copies of his sketches that Wilde copied in Hereford, England. There are a few copies of photos of Slawson.
A variety of images cover Wilde’s time living in Albuquerque. Among them are shots of Wilde with the UNM Cricket Club, as a movie extra Federal Union soldier, with groups of friends and at his book readings and signings. There is a folder with shots of Wilde taken over the years and another one with people he knew from UNM and elsewhere. Several local Albuquerque photographers took portraits of Wilde and they are included here.
Wilde received postcards from relatives and friends around the world. He also gathered some along the way in his travels. Some of these cards have messages to Wilde on the back sides. There are postcards from Albuquerque, New Mexico and the Southwest, and from other states in the U.S. Additional ones came from England and other European countries. Several printed in England date to 1905-1910, with local buildings and scenes, and were kept by his early relatives. There is a folder of miscellaneous artistic pieces and mementos that he gathered or were given to him. Several sketches were his, a few by other artists are identified, and some have no tagging.
While preparing the biography of Zeke Cortez, Wilde borrowed and copied a number of photos from the Cortez family, which are in the collection. Cortez also provided Wilde with some photographs showing him and service scenes from his years in the United State Navy. Cortes and other family members traveled to Colorado and took photographs of places related to their family history. Wilde had a book signing at the Cortez home in Belen, New Mexico, and there are photographs of that event.
The photos from England tell about Wilde’s early life. The later ones provide an understanding of his contributions and days in New Mexico.
A variety of images cover Wilde’s time living in Albuquerque. Among them are shots of Wilde with the UNM Cricket Club, as a movie extra Federal Union soldier, with groups of friends and at his book readings and signings. There is a folder with shots of Wilde taken over the years and another one with people he knew from UNM and elsewhere. Several local Albuquerque photographers took portraits of Wilde and they are included here.
Wilde received postcards from relatives and friends around the world. He also gathered some along the way in his travels. Some of these cards have messages to Wilde on the back sides. There are postcards from Albuquerque, New Mexico and the Southwest, and from other states in the U.S. Additional ones came from England and other European countries. Several printed in England date to 1905-1910, with local buildings and scenes, and were kept by his early relatives. There is a folder of miscellaneous artistic pieces and mementos that he gathered or were given to him. Several sketches were his, a few by other artists are identified, and some have no tagging.
While preparing the biography of Zeke Cortez, Wilde borrowed and copied a number of photos from the Cortez family, which are in the collection. Cortez also provided Wilde with some photographs showing him and service scenes from his years in the United State Navy. Cortes and other family members traveled to Colorado and took photographs of places related to their family history. Wilde had a book signing at the Cortez home in Belen, New Mexico, and there are photographs of that event.
The photos from England tell about Wilde’s early life. The later ones provide an understanding of his contributions and days in New Mexico.
Dates
- 1900-2019
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Duplication of print and photographic material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for copyright compliance. For more information see the Photographs and Images Research Guide and contact the Pictorial Archivist.
Biography
David Wilde was born in Wales in 1944 and as a child moved to London and Leicester. He attended military school, studied the French horn and served in the Royal British band, having been stationed at one time in Hong Kong. He took Fine Arts and music classes at various universities and graduated with a B.A. from Lancaster in 1980. He taught music in England and led and played with a variety of orchestras. He came to New Mexico in 1984, took courses at the University of New Mexico, taught music, and began writing prose and poetry in 1989. He self-published about thirteen books and his stories and articles appeared in a variety of publications. He made several trips to his homeland to gather photos and stories of his family. In 1996 he wrote a biography of Zeke Cortez, as published by Mellon Press. He helped with English, Spanish and Portuguese literature seminars and influenced a number of students. In 2006 he secured for UNM copies of the art work of Arthur Charles Slawson from the Hereford Museum. He did a number of book signings and talks, was active in the UNM Newman Center and Luther House and was well-known in the University community.
Extent
uncounted items (4 boxes) : uncounted photographic prints, negatives, slides, photocopies
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The David Wilde Photograph Collection contains a variety of formats, including slides, photographs, proofs, negatives, postcards and some art work, as well as color and black and white xeroxed images. The material is related to his early life in England and later years in Albuquerque. It also includes images of art work by Arthur Charles Slawson and photographs gathered for his biography of Zeke Cortez.
Physical Location
B2, shelved by Pictorial Number. Oversize box shelved in Big Box location by Pictorial Number.
Separated Material
Photographs separated from the David Wilde Papers
- Title
- Finding Aid of the David Wilde Photograph Collection, 1900-2019
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Nancy Brown
- Date
- © 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu