Copyright © 2023 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
Thomas G. Moses left Sosman & Landis in late-May 1882. He had been with the firm for a little more than two years. During this short period of time, Sosman & Landis had greatly increased their staff and productivity. Their primary work included stock scenery collections and drop curtains. Many of the drop curtains included local business cards surrounding a central landscape. In other words, they were painting advertising curtains.
Pencil sketch of an ad drop design. Twin City Scenic Co. collection. University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives.
In 1880 Moses wrote, “My first work was to go to Kenosha, Wisconsin and start the first job of scenery that Sosman and Landis ever did. Up to this job they had been doing nothing by advertising drop curtains.”
By 1883, the firm was reliant upon delivering multiples. For example, a number of their drop curtains depicted the same, or very similar design. Popular subjects at this time were Roman chariot races, Venetian seascapes, and Alpine landscapes.
Moses soon became tired with the repetitive nature of the projects. That year wrote “1882 found me just as restless to do something big, and I drifted along with the regular work, until about May, when Graham’s Theatre season closed. We got together and I quit the firm after refusing a big salary – that is, for me.” At the time, Moses was making $26 a week, but had been picking up extra work with Lemuel L. Graham (1845-1914) at the Academy of Music and Standard Theatre in Chicago. Graham also worked for Sosman & Landis, but always maintained a theatre affiliation.
At the end of May 1882 Moses partnered with Graham, establishing Moses & Graham, scenic artists. This may have been in the works for a while as when the two painted scenery for Sosman & Landis at the Minneapolis Academy of Music in 1881, they also went by title Moses & Graham. Graham had at least eleven years more experience than Moses, having painted all across the country. In fact, Graham had trained with some of the best artists in San Francisco, Cleveland, Memphis, and New Orleans before settling in Chicago.
Moses & Graham quickly landed a series of projects, becoming immediate competition with Sosman & Landis. From May 1882 until March 1883, their projects included: the Academy of Music in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Redmond’s Opera House in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Blake Opera House and Belle City Opera House in Racine, Wisconsin; the Opera House in Marengo, Illinois; the Grand Opera House in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; and the Opera House in Burlington, Wisconsin.
Scenery installations completed by Moses & Graham between May 1882 and May 1883.
Moses & Graham added scenic artist, John H. Young to their team, when they were in Grand Rapids. Moses had previously worked with Young early on in his career and the two were close friends. Young remained with team, assisting in Racine, Marengo, Eau Claire and Burlington. Three skilled scenic artists meant that Moses & Graham were able to work on multiple projects, hiring local assistants when needed. They quickly became direct competitors with Sosman & Landis.
It was only a matter of time before Moses & Graham went after the same project at Sosman & Landis. It is important to remember that after two years, Moses intimately understood his former employer’s designs, bidding process, and profit margin; this put him at quite an advantage when the two bid on the same job in Wisconsin. Both arrived in town in late March 1883. On March 23, The Osh Kosh Northwestern announced Perry Landis’ arrival in Osh Kosh at the Revere and Oak Bros.” (p. 1). Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I went to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, after a contract. I met Mr. Landis there. I got the contract. We rode to Chicago together and met Mr. Sosman on our arrival. We were offered $45.00 a week. I wired Graham at Burlington. He answered $50.00 and extras. We closed for that.” $50 in 1883 is the equivalent of almost $1700 today. Moses’ salary at Sosman & Landis almost doubled between September 1881 and March 1883.
This amount needs to be put in context, as it signals a new level of appreciation by Sosman & Landis. When Sosman first hired Moses in 1880, it was for $18 a week. This salary was increased to $20 a week during the spring of 1881. By the fall of 1881, Moses’ salary was again increased to $26/week. However, this was still far below the average scenic art rate of $35-$45 a week.
Moses and Graham’s return to Sosman & Landis caused a bit of a stir with the Osh Kosh Opera House Committee. On April 4, 1883, the Oshkosh Northwestern reported, “Graham & Moses, who were awarded the contract for furnishing curtains, scenery and stage settings for the Opera House have notified that they withdrew their bid and decline the contract. On receipt of this also comes a notification from Sosman & Landis, who also bid on the job to the effect that they have employed Graham & Moses in their establishment and are asking that the contract be awarded them in accordance with their bid. It appears that there were only two bids in for the work, that of Graham & Moses and one from Sosman & Lands. The latter’s bid was about $700 larger than that of Graham & Moses, and, now it would seem the two firms have fixed it up, so as to try and have the contract awarded at a greater amount. The directors are now talking of giving the contract to other parties entirely and not letting either of those firms get a finger in it” (page 4).
After completing Osh Kosh scenery project in April, Moses wrote, “May 1st found Graham, Young, and Myself back on Clark Street at the Sosman & Landis Studio. I averaged $70.00 per week, as we had a lot of night work, mostly piece work. We had to do all the road work which I didn’t like. Ed Loitz joined the force this year.” This was a far cry from the $18/week that Sosman offered Moses in 1880.
For context: $70/week in 1883 is approximately $2250/week today. This means that Moses’ monthly earning of $280/month is the equivalent of $10,000/month today.
Sosman & Landis were enjoying an extremely high profit margin. Throughout the 1880s, the firm maintained a 45% profit margin, or more. To look at their work in a larger picture, I am going to examine the price of a drop curtain at this time. In 1884, Sosman & Landis placed a bid on a drop curtain for the Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They were one of five scenic studios bidding on the project. The other four were Noxon, Halley & Toomey, Moses & Co, E. B. Fickes, and Kover & Son.
Their bids were published in The Fort Wayne Sentinel on May 21, 1884:
Noxon, Halley & Toomey, St. Louis, $1,800; Sosman & Landis, Chicago, $1,800; Moses & Co., Kalamazoo, $1,550; E. B. Fickes, $1537; Kover & Son, Cincinnati, $1,500.
The project went to the lowest bidder, Kover, who was former Fort Wayne resident.
Thomas C. Noxon also commented on the average price of drop curtains that year. On January 21, 1884, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article entitled, “Curtain and Scene Painting. The Leading Artists of the Country and the Prices Paid for Their Work” (page 8). Noxon, Albert & Toomey had just delivered a new drop curtain to the Grand Opera House in St. Louis. The reporter queried, “What does a new drop curtain cost?” Noxon replied, “About $500 or $600.”
When asked about how long a drop curtain too to paint, Noxon responded, “All the way from two or three days to five or six weeks. I painted a drop for Tootle’s Opera House, Sedalia. Some years ago, in two and one-half days and got $500 for it, but an artist now seldom turns out a piece of work of this kind in less than three weeks. He can put in much time on it with a great deal of profit.”
Even if one used a timeframe of three weeks, with Moses’ salary of $50/week, that means that the labor for the drop curtain was $150, plus materials. If you factor in materials, shipping, and installation at another $100, that is still less than half for a $500 curtain. So is we look at the 1884 bids for $1500 and $1600, you can see how there could be a significant profit margin for this work.
When asked about the price of stocking a theatre with new scenery, Noxon responded, “From $2,000 to $3,500” for approximately thirty-five sets, “enough for putting on any legitimate piece.” This price did not include a new drop curtain, a piece that was almost as expensive as all of the other scenery combined.
Between 1883 and 1884, Sosman & Landis was becoming a well-oiled machine with standard operating procedures. Salesman travelled the region and landed contracts. Scenic artists and stage carpenters were sent on site to complete many stock scenery collections. Distance, venue, existing scenery, and timeline were all taken into consideration when factoring the various options of location and manufacture. The final decision was based timeline, workload, and available space, in the main studio on Clark Street in Chicago.
Regardless of whether the work was completed in the studio or on site, it often took place place over the span of a few weeks. Some of the more complicated scenes, such as drop curtains, were frequently painted in the studio, shipped to the locations where the accompanying stock scenery was being painted on site.
Once a stock scenery collection was completed, Sosman & Landis made a point of displaying their work under stage lights to a small group of local individuals; a group that almost always included a local reporter. This “sneak peak” of the scenery received a big write up in local newspapers with scenery described in detail. These articles provide great insight into what the firm was delivering to stages across the country.
I located a wonderful article describing scenery painted by Sosman & Landis employee, H. J. Buhler, for Myer’s Opera House in Janesville, Wisconsin. On Oct. 23, 1883, the Janesville Daily Gazette announced Buhler’s arrival: “Mr. H. J. Buhler, of Sosman & Landis studio, Chicago, arrived in the city yesterday afternoon to begin the work of painting new scenery for Myers opera house” (page 4). The article continued, “There has been a great improvement made of late in stage decorations, and standing at the front of artists in this line are Sosman & Landis. They have within the past year or so painted scenery for many of the largest theaters in the west…Mr. Buhler, who has been commissioned to do the work, is an artist of rare skill in that line. The decorations in many of the principal opera houses in the west are by his brush. He thoroughly understands the tendency of modern art as applied to the scenic department, and will do some excellent work. It will take him about two weeks to complete the work and will be engaged both day and night.”
On Nov. 12, 1883, The Janesville Daily Gazette described Buhler’s progress and the scenery (page 3). The article reported:
“Mr. H. J. Buhler from the scenic studio of Sosman & Landis, Chicago, show has been engaged in painting new scenery for Myers Opera House more than two weeks past, will finish the work on Wednesday of this week. To-morrow evening, Mr. Buhler will arrange different stage settings which will show the general character of the work done by him. This will be done for the accommodation of the press of the city. Among the pieces executed by Mr. Buhler are two tormentors and two tormentor wings, and a grand drapery border 12 feet wide by 25 feet long. The scene includes a kitchen set, a plain chamber set, a prison set, a handsome box parlor set of Modern Eastlake ebony comprising two pairs of flats and four wings and borders to match. It is one of the finest box parlor sets to be found in any theater or opera house in this state, and is beautifully decorated with bric-a-brac, armor, plaques, and so on. There is also a Louis 14th gothic set which is also very beautiful. The landscape paintings embrace a country landscape; a dark wood scene; a rocky pass taken from Yellowstone park; a set house, vases, and balustrade. There is also an ancient street scene taken from Strasburg, and is, in all respects, a very effective scene. One of the finest scenes among the large collection which ornaments the stage of the opera house, is an ocean set, which is a splendid piece of marine painting. Very many of these sets and scenes will be used for the first time on Thursday night when Miss Anna Dickinson will produce Anne Boleyn. Mr. Buhler has kindly consented to remain here that night an arrange the scenery for the play. A new drop curtain, a very elegant one, costing not less than $200, has been ordered by Mr. Meyers, and will be painted in Chicago. There is now four times more scenery in Myer’s opera house than ever before, and aside from the quantity, ion artistic merit it is not excelled by that of any other opera house in Wisconsin. Messrs. Sosman & Landis have a wide reputation as scenic painters and have decorated many of the leading theaters and opera houses in the west, and they have served Mr. Myers well and have done a good public service, by sending Mr. Buhler here to furnish the opera house with new scenery. He is a thorough artist, and having made scenery a specialty for years, he was, in every particular, fully competent for the task. He is a rapid workman and a genius in his line. The public will be surprised on Thursday evening to learn the great quantity of fine scenery he has turned out in so short a time. Every single piece is a credit to the artist, and a great advantage to the opera house.”
If Buhler were paid the same amount as Moses and Graham in 1883, he earned less than $300 for the project. By 1882, the studio employed a staff of five scenic artists.
By the summer of 1883, Sosman & Landis’ staff included: Thomas G. Moses, Lemuel L. Graham, John H. Young, Edward Loitz, William P. Davis, Henry C. Barrow, Harry J. Buhler, Edward Morange, Hardesty Maratta, Charles S. King, Cyrus M. Crouse, C. W. Corey and August Kreis. The staff continued to increase over the next year, as the studio’s workload continued to increase. David A. Strong, Henry C. Tryon, Charles E. Boyer, Claude Hagen, and C. D. Baker were associated with the firm by 1884.
I have identified six ways that Sosman & Landis secured scenic and stage work at this time. I will explain each way.
1. The first way was local advertisements, placed in newspapers across the country. They received orders from a variety of entertainment venues this way, many of them mail order.
As noted in my previous post, here is the same advertisement that appeared in both Ohio and Texas newspapers during 1882:
Advertisement in Cincinnati Enquirer, April 15, 1882.
2. The second way was sending salesmen from town to town; this was to making cold calls today. Many of the “salesmen” were intimately familiar with the design and mechanical requirements of a stage, also filling in as scenic artists and stage carpenters. In many cases, the salesmen focused on the sale of advertising curtains (drop curtains with ad spaces for local businesses). After collection payments from local businesses for an ad space, the drop was gifted to the community. Ultimately, their “ad drop” was so successful that it resulted in stock scenery work.
3. The third way was word of mouth. As the firm gained a national reputation, their scenery was sought after by theater managers who became familiar with their work. For example, Manager Mosely recommend Sosman & Landis for the project at Myer’s Opera House in Janesville, Wisconsin (Janesville Daily Gazette 23 Oct. 1883, page 4).
4. The fourth way was using their employee’s networks. For example, they targeted venues with an employee’s scenery, offering to “redeliver” new scenery for the stage. This familiarity with a particular individual and their work helped Sosman & Landis reach into new areas. As with establishing regional branches, local connections mattered. The firm immediately established regional offices in Dallas, Kansas City, Detroit, New York, and Cincinnati by the mid-1880s. For Cooke’s Opera House in Grayville, Illinois, the settings were installed by employee August Kreis, a machinist who spent his childhood in the area. On June 22, 1883, Evansville Courier and Press reported, “The scenery which is very elegant was painted by Messrs. Sosman & Landis of Chicago. The settings and its stage were arranged by Mr. August Kreis, a Grayville boy, and shows taste and skill” (page 4). Over the years, Sosman was also remembered as “a Macomb boy,” despite having left the area decades ago. These histories greatly mattered when competing for work in small towns and rural areas.
5. The fifth way was responding to call for bids on an upcoming project. These were also instances where local ties could sway a vote. On Saturday, August 30, 1884, the Chicago Tribune published an announcement from the Academy of Music in Saginaw, Michigan (page 15). It was a call for “Sealed Proposals” on upcoming theatre work. The announcement stated, “Sealed Proposals will be received till 12 o’clock noon Sept. 1 for the following work on the new Academy of Music at East Saginaw, Mich.:
1st – Work and materials to complete the private boxes and proscenium front according to plans and detail drawings.
2nd – Scenic and stage work.
3rd – Carpets, draperies, matting, and window shades.
4th – Brass-work, tiling, and material trimming
5th – Decorating
6th – Gas-fixtures and electric lighting of same
7th – Interior painting, gilding, and bronzing
Proposals will be received for the whole or any part of the above work.
Proposals to be sent to E. H. Morely, East Saginaw, Mich. Committee reserve the right to reject any or all proposals. Plans, specifications, and detail drawings can be seen till Saturday, Aug. 30, at 111 and 113 Wabash-av. Inquire for B. W. Wood. Architect to be consulted as to the colors, etc.
(signed, J. M. Wood” (page 15)
Earlier that year, Wood had become lessee of the Blake hotel, of Racine (The Daily Journal and Republican 28 May 1884, page 4). He would go on to form a brief association with Sosman and Landis, known as Sosman, Landis, & Wood. Having an employee with architectural experience was key.
6. The sixth way was establishing an affiliation with a particular theatre architect. In addition to Co. J. M. Wood, Sosman & Landis employees H. C. Barrow. Barrow had experience as a stage carpenter, scenic artist, architect, contractor, and salesman. In many ways, he was a jack-of-all-trades; certainly as asset to the firm. Over the years, Sosman & Landis would form alliances with regional architects, but also offer their own architectural services for the construction of stage houses. In fact, they later offered free stage houses designs, if their scenery was installed at the venue. This was a wonderful way to ensure that the stage machinery was in working order when the scenery arrived for installation.
Below is a list from 1883-1884 mentioning the firm’s sales, work and installations. In some cases, a specific individual employed by the firm is named, and his work described in detail. Please consider this a small sampling of their work. In 1884, the firm was credited with delivering scenery to 150 opera houses. In 1889, the firm was credited with delivering scenery to 1000 opera houses across the United Stated. In 1894, the firm was credited to delivering scenery to 4000 opera houses. No one could compete with their track record. Sosman & Landis was a firm known all across the country, greatly respected for their high-quality of scenic art, mechanical innovation, and their consistency to deliver an excellent product.
ALABAMA
Gadsden, 1884 – Opera House (Corey, stage carpenter)
ARKANSAS
Fort Smith, 1883 – Academy of Music (Barrow, salesman)
Little Rock, 1883 – Capital Opera House (Barrow, salesman)
On August 12, 1883, the Daily Arkansas Gazette reported, “The Capital Opera house is to have a new drop curtain immediately. The scene to be represented upon it is that grand old conception of the Roman chariot race, and when completed the curtain will be one of the finest in the state. Mr. H. C. Barrow, representing Sosman & Landis, of Chicago, at whose studio the work is being done, is in the city, and states that he also has orders for the curtain for the Pine Bluff Opera house, the Fort Smith Academy of Music, the Van Buren theater and Ghio’s at Texarkana.”
Pine Bluff, 1883 – Opera House (Barrow, salesman)
Texarkana, 1883 – Ghio’s at Texarkana (Barrow, salesman)
Van Buren, 1883 – Opera House (Barrow, salesman)
GEORGIA
Columbus, 1884 – Springer Opera House
On June 4, 1886, the Columbus Enquirer Sun reported, “Mr. H. C. Barrow, of Chicago, was in the city yesterday, endeavoring to secure the contract to place the new scenery in Springer Opera House. Manger Foley has not given him an answer to his proposition yet.”
ILLINOIS
Bloomington, 1884 – Durley Theatre
Chicago, 1884 – Standard Theatre
On Jan. 13, 1884, the Chicago Tribune reported, “The painting is by Sosman & Landis, and everything, from the elegant new curtain to the smallest property, is thoroughly first class…The scenery is beautiful and effective and elicits the admiration not only of the audience, but of the theatrical profession as well. It was done by the Sosman & Landis Scenic Studio, 277 and 279 South Clark Street, a firm who have almost a National reputation for artistic work. They are now putting scenery in the new Lyceum Theatre, and during last season put scenery in the new Gillis Opera-House, Kansas City, Mo., and a number of others, besides supplying upwards of 150 smaller opera houses and halls” (page 6).
Chicago, 1884 – Lyceum Theatre
Decatur, 1883 – Opera House (Graham and Young, scenic artists)
On June 27, 1883, the Decatur Daily Republican reported, “Mr. John H. Young, the water color artist of Chicago, has arrived in the city and will form a class on Thursday afternoon of this week for th purpose of giving instruction in making sketches from nature. Mr. Young may be found either at the opera house where he is engaged painting scenery, or at Drake’s Hotel. The artist will give lessons on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons each week during his stay of four weeks in Decatur.”
Grayville, 1883 – Cooke’s Opera House (Kreis, installer).
Streator, 1883 – Plumb Opera House (Strong, scenic artist).
On July 29, 1883, The Daily Commonwealth of Topeka, Kansas, announced that the house was rapidly approaching completion, and when finished it would be “one of the prettiest in the West.”
Joliet, 1883 – Opera House (Strong, scenic artist).
On July 7, 1883, The Ottawa Free Trader credited Strong as the scenic artist (p. 5)
Aurora, 1883 – Opera House (Strong, scenic artist).
On June 24, 1883, The Inter Ocean reported that David A. Strong “had painted a fine drop curtain for the Opera House at Aurora. He will go to Aurora and devote his attention to the scenery of that house during the present week. The Opera House is to be remodeled and put in shape for first-class attractions” (page 13).
Decatur, 1883 – Opera House (Graham and Young, scenic artists).
On July 28, 1883, The Herald-Dispatch reported “The exhibition of the new scenery at the opera house last evening was highly satisfactory. The favored few who were present saw even better scenery that they had expected. The drop curtain is a copy of Jerome’s celebrated painting of the Roman chariot race. The ‘back drops’ included the following scenes: an ideal mountain landscape’ a ‘palace drop,’ which is really the scene under the dome of St. Peter’s cathedral at London; a ‘palace arch drop,’ which is used in connection with the foregoing and to give it a changed appearance; a ‘marine drop,’ presenting a pretty sea view. The ‘flats’ include the following views: a dark wood, a light landscape, a palace garden, a street in perspective, a modern drawing room, a rustic kitchen, a prison and a plain chamber. All these scenes have the requisite borders and wings. Below is given a list of what the painters call ‘set stuff,’ i.e. pieces which are placed in stage alone and braced, not being made to run in grooves or drop from above. The list embraces a garden walk, a garden balustrade, a ‘set house,’ a ‘set cottage,’ ‘set waters,’ ‘set rocks’ and ‘set trees.’ L. L. Graham, the scenic artist, has been engaged in this work for three weeks. He has been assisted by John H. Young, of Chicago. Mr. Graham has had 17 years of experience in this line of painting. He and his assistant left last night for Chicago, whence they go to do the same kind of work at Boyd’s opera house in Omaha, and finally at the New Gillis opera house in Kansas City, the largest in the west, which has just been built at a cost of $175,000. Of Mr. Graham’s work in the opera house, we need only speak briefly, His work shows that he has greatly improved during the years since he painted the former scenery. In the painting of his landscape views, he is almost perfect. The coloring is natural, and the lights and shades are arranged with an artistic taste. In the painting of animal, however, he is not so happy. Two of the horses’ heads in the scene on the drop are perceptibly ‘off’ in shape, but with this exception the view seems perfect. He is accurate and painstaking in his views of house, streets, palaces and gardens. We of Decatur are to be congratulated that he has come among us, for his work on the opera house scenery will give to the drama enacted there this year a realism and vividness which we have never heretofore known” (page 3).
INDIANA
Edinburgh, 1883 – Tracy’s Opera House
On Dec. 6, 1883, The Edinburg Daily Courier reported, “grand and magnificent scenery, gotten up by Messrs. Sosman & Landis, of Chicago” (page 4).
IOWA
Waterloo, 1884 – E. W. Burnham’s new Opera House (Strong, scenic artist).
On October 8, 1884, The Courier reported, “A Splendid Job. – E. W. Burnham yesterday showed us the new drop curtain which he has just received for the opera house. It is from the studio of Sosman & Landis, of Chicago, where the rest of the new scenery is being made and was painted by Strong the scenic artist of Haverly’s theatre. In artistic design and execution, this curtain can hardly be excelled in any city theatre, It represented a Swiss River scene as a picture, framed in a heavy frame, with handsome velvet curtain on each side. The combination of colors makes a rich and very beautiful effect and the whole curtain displays great artistic excellence” (page 8).
KANSAS
Sabetha, 1884 – Armory
On Jan. 3, 1884, the Sabetha Weekly Herald announced, “Sosman & Landis have agreed to positively have the scenery into position, at the Armory, by the 15th.” Then, as now, not all jobs ran smoothly, or were delivered on time. Over the years, scenery was both damaged and lost in transit. Occasionally, these unfortunate incidents results in court cases. As previously stated, the average profit was so high that they could afford to take a loss, without having to waste time on expensive court cases. That being said, demand for painted scenery was greater than the supply of artists or studio, giving the firm an upper hand in negotiations.
Sabetha, 1883 – GAR Hall
On Dec. 6, 1883, the Nemaha County Republican reported, “The scenery for the stage has been contracted from Sosman & Landis, of Chicago. It will be about the same as used at Seneca, except the drop curtain, which will be much finer” (page 7).
Seneca, 1883 – Opera House
Topeka, 1884 – Union Hall
Wyandotte, 1883 – Dunning’s Hall
On May 17, 1883, The Wyandotte Herald reported, “The scenery and drop curtain were painted by Sosman & Landis of Chicago” (page 3).
MASSACHUSETTS
Haverhill, 1884 – Music Hall (scenic artist, Tryon).
On August, 2, 1884, the Deseret News of Salt Lake City, Utah, reported, “Henry C. Tryon, formerly scenic artist of the Salty Lake Theatre, whose productions are so much admired by the theatre-going public of this city, lately executed a splendid specimen of his skill at the Music Hall in Haverhill, Mass. It is in the form of a new drop curtain, the subject being a scene at Bellagio, on Lake Como, Italy. The Haverhill Gazette asserts confidently that ‘a more artistic production of its kind does not now hang behind the proscenium of any theatre in the country.’ It must be indeed superb if it excels the curtain executed by the same artist for the Salt Lake Theatre, which delights all who look on it with artistic eyes.” (page 2).
MISSISSIPPI
Vicksburg, 1884 – New opera house (Corey and Barrow, stage carpenter and scenic artist).
On July 10, 1884, The Vicksburg Herald reported, “Mr. Henry C. Barrow, scenic artist representing the big scenery house of Sosman & Landis, of Cincinnati, arrived here yesterday, to contact with Messrs. Piazza & Botto, proprietors of the opera-house, for a new set of scenery for that building” (page 4).
Aberdeen, 1884 – Masonic Temple Opera Hall (Corey).
On Sept 19, 1884, The Vicksburg Herald reported, “The Opera-house. Messrs. Piazza & Botto, proprietors of the Opera-house have determined to send to Chicago for the stage carpenter to put up the stage settings. A man was telegraphed from some days ago and he is expected to arrive here this morning and will begin work at once putting up the scenery and arranging the house for the opening of the season. The drop curtain will be a new departure in this vicinity. In the center of it will be handsomely painted a beautiful landscape while surrounding this will be twenty spaces which will be devoted to advertising, the lettering on the advertisements will be tastefully and handsomely done by the best of scenic artists. Only about five of the twenty spaces which compose the inner border of the curtain remain untaken, and these will be filled to-day and the curtain will be ordered at once” (page 4).
On Sept. 23, 1884, the Vicksburg Evening Post reported, “Mr. Charles W. Corey of Chicago, the stage carpenter engaged by Messrs. Piazza & Botto, arrived by this morning’s train. He is much pleased with the appearance and arrangement of the new Opera-house, and says it will make decidedly one of the handsomest places of amusement in the South. He says it is one of the nicest arranged places for an Opera-house he has seen elsewhere in the South. Mr. Corey will proceed with work at once, and says that there will be no delay whatever from now on in pushing the work to a rapid and satisfactory completion. The managers of the Opera-house state that Mr. Corey has a big reputation as a stage carpenter, and that they are charmed with his favorable opinion of the house, because his opinion is that of a man who has splendid experience in such matters and knows what he is speaking about” (page 1).
On October 24, 1884, The Vicksburg Herald reported, “Mr. Frank Corey, the stage carpenter has about finished his labors on the new opera-house and yesterday hung the new drop curtain, which can double discount the old one with greatest safety. A richly painted border in fancy colors, surrounds a fine representation of the noted Roman chariot race, and majestic horses being defected near life size in the canvas and appearing as natural as the brush held by an artistic painter who did this work. The delicate shadowing is done beautifully and the richly folded draperies surrounding the grand stand from which the Roman emperor of old is represented as viewing the race, set-off to advantage the fine figures as they are grouped together in the stand. Altogether the scene is a thrilling one, beautifully done, and the eyes of those frequenting opera-house will invariable rest on it with uninterrupted pleasure” (page 4).
MISSOURI
Kansas City, 1883 – New Gillis Opera House (stage carpenter, Hagen, with scenic artists Graham, Young).
NEBRASKA
Fremont, 1884 – Bullock’s Opera House
On June 18, 1884, the Fremont Tri-Weekly Tribune reported, “The drop curtain is 25 feet square and was painted in Chicago by Sosman & Landis; there are seven new sets of scenery and a Saunders gas machine with 12 border and 12 footlights to illuminate the stage” (page 7).
Omaha, 1883 – Boyd’s Opera House (Graham and Young, scenic artists).
NEW YORK
Delhi, 1884 – Opera House
On July 2, 1884, the Delhi Delaware Gazette reported, “The following is a list of the stage supplies, ordered from Sosman & Landis, of Chicago, the largest house of its kind in America: An elegant and artistic drop curtain; parlor scene; kitchen scene; plain chamber scene; prison scene; wood scene; garden scene; street scene; 2 front wings’ 6 parlor wings; 6 kitchen wings; 6 wood wings; 1 grand drapery border’ 3 sky borders; 1 set cottage; 3 set rocks; 1 set bridge; 2 set balustrades; 2 set garden vases. The building will be completed about the middle of August, and the grand opening will occur about the 1st of September” (page 3). All told, Sosman & Landis delivered a drop curtain and 7 complete sets, with 43 pieces (Oct. 1, 1884 in Delhi Daily Gazette).
PENNSYLVANIA
Irwin, 1884 – Opera House
On Jan. 2, 1884, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, “The stage scenery came from the popular firm of Sosman & Landis, Chicago” (page 8).
Tunkhannock, 1883 – Opera House
On Oct. 19, 1883, the Tunkhannock Republican reported, “The manager of the Opera House, F. H. Piatt…has ordered new scenery from Sosman & Landis, well known scenic artists of Chicago, which he expects to put up soon” (page 3).
TEXAS
Austin, 1883 – Opera House
On July 5, 1883, Austin American-Statesman reported, “Mr. H. C. Barrow, from the celebrated scenic studio of Sosman & Landis, Chicago, was in our city yesterday for the purpose of consummating arrangements with Manager Millett for additional scenery to the already large stock of his opera house” (page 4).
Burnett, 1884 – New Opera House
On March 11, 1884, the Austin American-Standard reported, “Messrs. Sosman & Landis of Chicago, are painting the scenery for our new opera house” (page 1).
Dallas, 1884- Opera House (Barrow, salesman).
On Aug. 20, 1884, The Herald announced, “Henry C. Barrow, scenic agent, and opera-house architect and contractor, is in the city” (page 4).
Fort Worth, 1884 – Opera House (Barrow, salesman).
On May 19, 1884, The Fort Worth Daily Gazette identifies Henry C. Barrow as “opera-house architect, and contractor, of Dallas” (page 8)
Galveston, 1884 – Opera House (Barrow, salesman).
On June 3, 1884, The Galveston Daily News reported, “H. C. Barrows, scenic agent, of Chicago, is in the city, and gave THE NEWS a call yesterday. He comes to put in a bid for refitting the Opera House” (page 8).
Jefferson, 1883 – Taylor Opera House (Barrow, scenic artist).
On March 1, 1883, the Tri-Weekly Herald reported, “Mr. H. C. Barrows, scenic artist from Chicago, just has completed for the Taylor Opera House, in Jefferson, one of the handsomest stages and scenery to be found in Texas. There are fifteen scenes in all, embracing two beautiful drop curtains, ten regular scenes, and a number of set pieces, set house, garden wall, balustrades, &c. Mr. B. has also done some beautiful frescoing on the Proscenium front, In company with a number of Jefferson gentlemen, we visited the Taylor Hall yesterday morning, all of whom were delighted with the work. It cannot be excelled in artistic finish, completeness and excellence of prospective, equaling the best scenery in large cities. Mr. Barrow has just completed Ghio’s Opera Hall, at Texarkana, and is likely to capture every place he goes to where stage scenery is required. It is admirable. We repeat: there has been nothing like it in Texas before Mr. B.’s advent” (page 2).
On March 6, 1883, the Tri-Weekly Herald reported, “Mr. H. C. Barrow with Sosman & Landis scenic studio, of Chicago, Ill. Is here and will soon refit our opera house with a full set of scenery and new drop curtain with advertisement of our leading business firms painted thereon” (p. 3).
Marshall, 1883 – Opera House (Barrow, scenic artist).
WISCONSIN
Janesville, 1883 – Myer’s Opera House (Buhler, scenic artist).
Oshkosh, 1883 – Opera House (Graham and Moses, scenic artists).
It is understandable that Sosman & Landis recognized their employer’s high profit margins, as opportunity to share the profit if one were willing to strike out on their own. Like Moses, others briefly left the firm and establish their own scenic studios. In many cases, Sosman & Landis continued to work with these former employees, often offering them an incentive to run the firm’s regional office, in addition to their new business. Such was the case with the new scenic studio of Graham & Davis in 1884. Lem L. Graham and Will P. Davis left Sosman & Landis to establish their firm in Kansas City, Missouri. They never directly competed against their former employer, and often represented the firm in western projects. In other words, they also ran the Kansas City branch office for Sosman & Landis. However, it appeared to the public as two completely separate entities.
In 1883 Graham had become quite well-known in the Kansas City area when his name made headlines in 1883. That year, Sosman & Landis landed the contract for the new Gillis Opera House. On Sept. 8, 1883, The Kansas City Star reported, “As stage carpenter, Mr. Claude Hagan, one of the most expert in his profession in the country, has been engaged. He has been employed in the best theaters in the country for years and last year traveled with the Hanlons who required the most complicated stage machinery. He superintended the setting of the Gillis stage, and it is said that what he don’t known about a stage isn’t worth knowing. Mr. Lem Graham is the scenic artist and none who see the scenery exhibited at the Gillis will for a moment doubt his ability” (page 1). Graham and Hagen continued to work together, both continuing their association with Sosman & Landis.
With Graham and Davis’ departure, there were two new openings in the scenic department at the firm’s main studio in Chicago. Henry C. Tryon and Charles Boyer joined the paint staff in 1884. Tryon had recently left a position at The Salt Lake Theatre in Utah. Tryon, his brother Spencer, and William Morris, had painted new scenery for the renovated space. Tryon left Salt Lake City mid-September 1883. On Sept. 17, 1883, the Deseret News announced, “Good Bye – Mr. Henry C. Tryon, the skillful scenic artist, leaves for the East to-morrow. Besides his remarkable talent he is the innate possessor of a genial disposition and a mind remarkably free from that species of petty jealously by which otherwise capable men too often dim the luster of their capacities. He has made numerous friends here whose best wishes he carries with him. Good bye” (page 3).
As their shop was staffed with well-experience individuals, both Sosman and Landis took to the road, securing even more orders and scouting for new employees. A few of their travels were mentioned in newspapers as arrivals at local hotels. For example,
On March 24, 1883, The Osh Kosh Northwestern reported, “Perry Landis, the scenic artist from Chicago, visited the studio of Edmund Osthaus and his sister, when here, was so much pleased with the flower work by Miss Mary Osterhaus that he gave her an order for a large piece of work. He pronounces her painting excellent” (page 4).
While business increased at the studio, friendships blossomed among the staff. On June 15, 1884, Sosman & Landis scenic artists Moses, Young, Morange and Maratta went on a sketching trip to Colorado. Moses published in the Palette & Chisel newsletter years later. His series of five articles was entitled “Tom Moses’ Trips: Breckenridge, Col.” Early in 1884, Thomas G. Moses accepted quite a bit of “night work” that subsequently funded his travel that year. At the time he was twenty-eight years old. The ages of his traveling companions were as follows: John H. Young (26 yrs.), Edward A. Morange (19 yrs.), and Hardesty C. Maratta (20 yrs.).
I have written about this trip over the course of several posts in the past, but here is the beginning of his story as it provides a reason for the adventure. Moses wrote, “John H. Young, Edward Morange, Hardesty Maratta and myself talked and planned for over a year regarding a trip to the mountains of Colorado. In our every day work of Scenic Painting we were called upon to paint all kinds of mountain scenes, and, as we had never seen a real mountain, we had to rely upon photographs or magazine cuts for our ideas. So we were, naturally, anxious to see the wonderful piles of rock and earth.” The four scenic artists travelled from Chicago to Breckenridge, staying for a few weeks in the mountains. In the end, Moses wrote, “On our return trip we looked like a bunch of tramps, happy and ready for our old work.”
Here are links my five posts about his trip.
In addition to forming close friendships with his colleagues, Moses also became attached to both Sosman & Landis. In 1884, Moses moved to the same street as the Landis. Of the move, he wrote, “Mr. Landis prevailed on us to move to Centre Avenue, next flat to theirs. We did so, and it cost us considerably to furnish the flat, including a piano. We thought we deserved it; as the old one that was given to us as a wedding present had become impossible. We had saved considerable money.” Landis’ young wife was out of her element and in a marriage with a husband who was constantly on the road or planning with his business partner. She was from a small town without any support network. Moses’ wife Ella was also from a small town but had the benefit of small children and nearby in-laws. It makes sense that Landis would have also seen the similarities and hoped that Ella would help ease his wife’s discomfort in new surroundings.
This added a layer of complexity to Moses’ relationship with his employers. Although he would repeatedly strike out on his own over the years, Moses maintained extremely close ties to Sosman, Landis and their families.
To be continued…
