Group of eight (8) albumen stereoviews documenting San Antonio MIssions, circa late 1860s - 1880s. Published by Henry A. Doerr and Doerr & Jacobson, of San Antonio, Texas.

Each is mounted on cardstock mount, three bear the "Doerr & Jacobson" printed backmark on verso and five with Doerr's rubberstamped imprint "H.A. Doerr / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." Views include:

1. Untitled image. Verso with manuscript notation "2a Mis de San Jose 1720" and two backstamps, "H.A. Doerr / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." and that of Austrian-born bookseller "Nic Tengg / Books / Stationery / & Newspapers / San Antonio, Texas." An exterior mission view with two individuals in the foreground, on yellow mount.

2. Untitled image. Verso with manuscript notation "1a Mis de Conception" and backstamp "H.A. Doerr / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." An exterior mission view.

3. Untitled image. Verso with manuscript notation "1a Mis Conception" and backstamp "H.A. Doerr / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." An exterior mission view with dilapidated fence in the foreground, on orange mount.

4. Untitled image. Verso with manuscript notation "Mex. Cathedrale old San Antonio" and backstamp "H.A. Doerr / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." An exterior mission view with fence-height wall surrounding the mission and a building to the right with partial signage "AUCTI" visible, on yellow mount.

5. Untitled image. Verso with three separate manuscript notations: "First Mission. Interior of Chapel," "Interior Mission Conception," and "1a de la Conception 1731 interior." Backstamp "H.A. Doerr / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." Interior view of chapel, on yellow mount

6. "Views In and Around San Antonio, by Doerr & Jacobson, Photographers." Mission Concepcion De La Purissima De Acuna, Exterior. Exterior view, on gray mount.

7.  "Views In and Around San Antonio, by Doerr & Jacobson, Photographers." Mission San Juan Capistran. (Third Mission.) Exterior view, on gray mount.

8. "Stereoscopic Views In and Around San Antonio, by Doerr & Jacobson, 63 Commerce Street." San Juan - Third Mission. Exterior view, on gray mount.

Henry A. Doerr (ca 1822-1885) was a Prussian-born photographer active in San Antonio during the last third of the nineteenth century. A March 1867 San Antonio Ledger article describes Henry Doerr as "the first gentleman who took photographs in San Antonio, and has been engaged in this business over seventeen years." Over the course of his more than three-decades in Texas, Doerr operated both independently and in partnership with other photographers. His most enduring partnership was with Samuel E. Jacobson (also known as Sammy E. Jacobson). The pair operated an establishment at 63 Commerce St. from roughly July 1875 to 1879. Arthur V. Lynch's article "San Antonio: As Viewed By Henry A. Doerr Photographic Artist," (Stereo World, Jul/Aug 1981) notes the following: "In December,1872 Henry A. Doerr moved to a new building on Commerce Street where he remained through 1875. Examples of his work during this period are on yellow, round-cornered mounts with a small  'H. Doerr, Photographer, San Antonio Texas' uniformly stamped in the center of the back. For eleven years the titles on Doerr's views were handwritten on the backs. Many in-town views, with images familiar to the purchaser, were sold untitled.... At the end of 1876 Doerr was at 63 Commerce Street where he was joined by Samuel Jacobson....During their association (1876-1879), the views were usually on gray mounts. Apparently, Jacobson was responsible for the new format with backs headed by 'Views In And Around San Antonio, By Doerr & Jacobson...." By 1880, Doerr was again working alone. He passed away in October 1885 and is buried in the Saint John's Lutheran Cemetery New, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas.

Doerr's images of San Antonio's historic Spanish frontier missions document buildings that today constitute part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Stereoviews, Stereographs, Albumen Prints, Texas, Missions]

Generally good to very good condition overall. Several cards exhibit typical peripheral handling wear, light surface soiling, faint foxing, or corner softening consistent with age.Versos retain period and collector pencil inventory markings.