Baltimore, MD - UMBC's Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery is proud to announce that Stanley B. Burns, M.D. has donated a major collection of nineteenth century painted photographs in decorative frames to the Library's Special Collections. Both albumen prints and tintypes are included, the earliest of which is from the 1850s and the most recent from the 1890s.

Dr. Burns makes prints of his collection available to the public through the Burns Archive in New York City. His sizeable collection has been the source of eleven photographically illustrated books which Dr. Burns has authored or co-authored, including one on painted photographs which won the New York Photographic Historical Society award for best photographic history book of 1995.

Painted photographs in decorative frames were Dr. Burns' first collecting interest in photography, and he wanted the major portion of those images preserved in the UMBC Special Collections. The Collections now have one of the most important holdings of painted photographs in the country owing not only to this most recent donation, but also to donations by others made on the recommendation of Dr. Burns. The donation has been made in honor of Dr. Burns' wife, Sara Cleary-Burns, a fellow collector and enthusiast who helped him assemble the collection.

Located on the ground floor of the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery, the Special Collections Department is open 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, during the academic year or by appointment. For more information or to make an appointment, please call (410) 455-2353.