Seherr-Thoss Photographs of Islamic Architecture
name: label: Creator
content: Seherr-Thoss, Hans Christoph, Graf von, 1918-
label: Creator
content: Seherr-Thoss, Sonia P.
place: label: Place
content: Uzbekistan
label: Place
content: Iran -- Antiquities
label: Place
content: Turkey
label: Place
content: Afghanistan
topic: label: Topic
content: Decoration and ornament, Architectural -- Middle East
label: Topic
content: Islamic antiquities
label: Topic
content: Mosques
label: Topic
content: Islamic architecture
label: Topic
content: Minarets
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated by Sonia P. Seherr-Thoss, 2001
creator: label: Creator
content: Seherr-Thoss, Hans Christoph, Graf von, 1918-
label: Creator
content: Seherr-Thoss, Sonia P.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Seherr-Thoss Photographs of Islamic Architecture
abstract: label: Summary
content: Photographs and negatives of Sonia P. and Hans C. Seherr-Thoss. Mounted and unmounted color slides, transparencies, black and white negatives, mounted prints, contact sheets, and a photograph, circa 1960-1968. The majority of images, taken by Hans C. Seherr-Thoss, appear in their publication, Design and Color in Islamic Architecture: Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey, published by the, Smithsonian Institution Press, in 1968. Countries depicted are Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: Count Hans Seherr-Thoss was born in Dobrau, Germany in 1912 (New York Times, October 29, 1992.) He later became a United States citizen and served in the United States' Army during World War II. Sonia Phipps Farrell married Seherr-Thoss in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 3, 1948 (The Washington Post, March 2, 1948.) Both had children from previous marriages. Mrs. Seherr-Thoss graduated from Columbia University with majors in economics and sociology. She served as president of the Litchfield (Connecticut) Historical Society and the Oliver Wolcott Library. She received the Paul Harris Fellowship for community service and the Connecticut Association of Schools awarded her the Distinguished Friend of Education Award. In 1968, the Smithsonian Institution Press published, Design and Color in Islamic Architecture: Afganistan, Iran, Turkey. Written by Mrs. Seherr-Thoss, the photographs were taken by Mr. Seherr-Thoss during their travels to the concerned regions. Many of the photographs featured in that publication are included in this collection. Hans C. Seherr-Thoss died on October 28, 1992 and Sonia P. Seherr-Thoss died on June 13, 2006.
label: Biography of Sonia P. and Hans C. Seherr-Thoss
content: Count Hans Seherr-Thoss was born in Dobrau, Germany in 1912 (New York Times, October 29, 1992.) He later became a United States citizen and served in the United States' Army during World War II.

Sonia Phipps Farrell married Seherr-Thoss in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 3, 1948 (The Washington Post, March 2, 1948.) Both had children from previous marriages. Mrs. Seherr-Thoss graduated from Columbia University with majors in economics and sociology. She served as president of the Litchfield (Connecticut) Historical Society and the Oliver Wolcott Library. She received the Paul Harris Fellowship for community service and the Connecticut Association of Schools awarded her the Distinguished Friend of Education Award.

In 1968, the Smithsonian Institution Press published, Design and Color in Islamic Architecture: Afganistan, Iran, Turkey. Written by Mrs. Seherr-Thoss, the photographs were taken by Mr. Seherr-Thoss during their travels to the concerned regions. Many of the photographs featured in that publication are included in this collection.

Hans C. Seherr-Thoss died on October 28, 1992 and Sonia P. Seherr-Thoss died on June 13, 2006.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4 Linear feet (approximate: 1250 items)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1960-1968
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Owned by Sonia P. Seherr-Thoss until she donated the photographs to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives in 2002.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: FSA.A2001.15
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Color slides
label: Type
content: Transparencies
label: Type
content: Photographic prints
arrangement: label: Arrangement note
content: This collection is arranged into three series by format: 1. Mounted slides, 2. Transparencies, and 3. Mounted photos. Only the mounted slides have been arranged and remain in their original order.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Intern Sarah Stimson processed the mounted slides in 2005.
altformavail: label: Other Formats
content: Digital surrogates of the mounted slides are available for research purposes only.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Color slides
label: Genre/Form
content: Transparencies
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographic prints
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents of the Collection
content: Photographs and negatives of Islamic monuments. Photos taken by Hans C. Seherr-Thoss and most appear in his and Sonia P. Seherr-Thoss' publication, Design and color in Islamic architecture: Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey.

The mounted slides have been placed in cold storage due to preservation concerns and the transparencies and mounted photos have not yet been processed.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Other collections housed in the archives documenting Islamic monuments include: Ambassador Richard B. Parker Photographs of Islamic Monuments  and the Lionel Bier Architectural Drawings.