This document provides an overview of the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives collection of photographer Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge at the National Museum of African Art. It describes Alonge's career as photographer to the Royal Court of Benin from 1933 to 1978, and documents the preservation and digitization efforts of Alonge's glass plate negatives, film negatives, photographs and albums. These preservation phases were funded by the Smithsonian Institution and involved housing the materials in archival enclosures, duplicating and digitizing the negatives, and surveying Alonge's artifacts. The collection documents Alonge's studio portraits from the 1930s-1950s, royal family photographs, and commemorative objects he created to memorialize the Ob

1. The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives
National Museum of African Art

2. Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge
Photographer to the Royal Court of Benin, Nigeria
S.O. Alonge seated outside his studio wearing formal attire and spats.
Benin City, c. 1942 (self-portrait)

3. Benin Chief with his traditional (extended) family,
celebrates his title taking, n.d.

4. Visit of Earl of Plymouth (second left) to the Oba of Benin
(center) at the Oba’s palace, 1935

5. Oba Akenzua II with his queens, the Iloi,
Benin City, 1956

6. Oba Akenzua II greets Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip
on Royal Visit to Benin City, 1956

7. Ideal Studio portraits

12. Preliminary survey
of the Alonge collection

18. Bonsai Fine Art:
packing and shipping
the Alonge collection

19. Packing the glass
plates for shipment to
the Elisofon
Archives

21. Phase I:
Preservation and duplication
of Alonge glass plate negatives and film negatives
Collections Care and Preservation Fund
Smithsonian Institution, 2009

22. S.O. Alonge glass plate negatives

23. Archival four-flap enclosures and slotted boxes
for glass plate negatives

24. Conservation sink mats for fragile glass plates

25. Inspection and inventory of glass plate negatives,
NEDCC interpositives and duplicate negatives

26. NEDCC: Duplication and digitization of 120mm film negatives

27. Inspection and inventory of original120mm film negatives,
NEDCC interpositives and duplicate negatives

28. Phase I
Preservation survey:
Alonge vintage photographs and photo albums
Collections Care and Preservation Fund
Smithsonian Institution, 2009

29. Preservation survey:
Alonge artifacts
Collections Care and Preservation Fund
Smithsonian Institution, 2009

30. Phase II:
Preservation of photographic albums and prints
Collections Care and Preservation Fund
Smithsonian Institution, 2010

31. Exhibition plans:
Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge
Photographer to the Royal Court of Benin, Nigeria
National Museum of African Art
February 2012 – August 2012

32. S.O. Alonge
Early Years
1930s – 1940s
Ideal Photo Studio,
Benin City

33. Ideal Studio portraits

36. Picturing a New Society
Benin Social Life
1930s – 1950s

37. Prize winner, c. 1939

40. Royal Court Photography 1933 - 1978

41. “Interior of the Royal Palace, destroyed in a fire, bronzes on the ground”.
Unknown photographer, Benin City, 1897. Pitt Rivers Museum, U. of Oxford.
PRM 1998.208.15.11

42. Oba Ovonramwen on way to exile, on board Ship Ivy, J. A. Green, c. 1897
Alonge copy negative Himbury allbum 1995-0024-0031

43. Benin plaque (82-5-3) Benin king (85-19-12)

44. Commemorative objects:
Photographs in other
mediums

45. Commemorative cloth, Funeral Oba Akenzua II, 1978 (2004-10-4)

48. In Memory of….
Alonge commemorative objects

49. The End