Albert, Alfred and Chris Schlechten
Encyclopedia
Albert Alfred (May 24, 1877 – November 1970), and Alfred "Chris" Schlechten (May 9, 1911 – November 1979) were members of a family noted for their photography of Montana
, especially their images of Gallatin County, Montana
, and Yellowstone National Park
. Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana
, brothers Alfred and Albert started a family photography business in 1900, and the business continued until the death of Alfred's son Chris Schlechten in the late 1970s. The heirs of the Schlechten family sold an extensive collection of the photographs taken by the three men to the Museum of the Rockies
in 1980.
s featuring their images of the Bozeman area. About 1910, the two brothers opened separate studios.
Albert Schlechten specialized in landscape photography and his work was notable for the use of a large format field camera which produced 11 x 14 negatives. He used it to take a series of photos of Yellowstone National Park
. He also took many photos of locations and the landscape in and around the Bozeman area. Albert sold his photography studio in 1922 went into wheat farming. After his farming venture failed due to drought, he started the "Central Studio" in Anaconda, Montana
in 1929 and operated it until his retirement in 1946. Alfred Schlechten continued his photography business in Bozeman, specializing in commercial portrait photography, until the 1940s.
candy bars, and posed students in humorous and unexpected ways. A photo showing a collection of horses' hind ends was identified as some of Rivenes' fraternity brothers. The annual also prominently featured a mysterious, bearded character dubbed "Clarence Mjork" who appeared on nearly every page, often superimposed by Schlechten over existing photos. "Clarence Mjork" was supposedly the "class playboy" from fictional "Endgate, Montana," but actually was a friend of the annual staff, and due in part to Schlechten's mastery of photographic processes, his image appeared in nearly every group photo in the album. Unable to stop the presses, the college administration managed to pull six pages that they considered the most offensive from all but two copies. The school put Rivenes on probation (he earned straight F's due to the time he spent on the yearbook) and temporarily expelled Chris, but the National Association of College Annuals declared the publication the "most original" of the year, and it won additional awards. Eventually, Chris nonetheless was permitted to graduate.
Following college, Chris first ran a studio in West Yellowstone, Montana
and in his father's tradition, created extensive photography of Yellowstone National Park. Later, he took over the family photography studio in Bozeman in the 1940s. Until his death in the late 1970s, he won several awards during his career from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and was notable for his professional portraiture. He also mentored young photographers and his studio did double duty as a training ground for new professional photographers.
In the meantime, the 1933 annual is considered one of the finest college pranks of all time, and is now a collector's item. Rivenes had obtained the two uncensored copies of the annual and donated one to MSU in 1989. "Clarence Mjork" reappeared in 2003 as the grand marshall of the MSU homecoming parade.
in 1980. The collection includes more than 10,000 images, including over 175 of Albert Schlechten's 11 X 14 negatives.
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, especially their images of Gallatin County, Montana
Gallatin County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Gallatin National Forest * Yellowstone National Park -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 67,831 people, 26,323 households, and 16,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 29,489 housing units...
, and Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
. Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
, brothers Alfred and Albert started a family photography business in 1900, and the business continued until the death of Alfred's son Chris Schlechten in the late 1970s. The heirs of the Schlechten family sold an extensive collection of the photographs taken by the three men to the Museum of the Rockies
Museum of the Rockies
The Museum of the Rockies, is located in Bozeman, Montana. The museum, originally affiliated with Montana State University in Bozeman, and now, also the Smithsonian Institution, is known for its paleontological collections, although these are not its sole focus...
in 1980.
Schlechten brothers
Albert and his brother Alfred came to Montana in 1900 and purchased the Bozeman photography business of Grant and Tippet. They renamed the studio "Schlechten Brothers." Considered the top photographers in the Gallatin valley, they also published a significant number of postcardPostcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
s featuring their images of the Bozeman area. About 1910, the two brothers opened separate studios.
Albert Schlechten specialized in landscape photography and his work was notable for the use of a large format field camera which produced 11 x 14 negatives. He used it to take a series of photos of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
. He also took many photos of locations and the landscape in and around the Bozeman area. Albert sold his photography studio in 1922 went into wheat farming. After his farming venture failed due to drought, he started the "Central Studio" in Anaconda, Montana
Anaconda, Montana
Anaconda, county seat of Anaconda City/Deer Lodge County, is located in mountainous southwestern Montana. The Continental Divide passes within 8 miles of the community with the local Pintler Mountain range reaching 10,379 feet...
in 1929 and operated it until his retirement in 1946. Alfred Schlechten continued his photography business in Bozeman, specializing in commercial portrait photography, until the 1940s.
Chris Schlechten
Alfred "Chris" Schlechten, the son of Alfred Schlechten, first achieved considerable notoriety and was temporarily expelled from Montana State College (now Montana State University-Bozeman) for his part in creating a spoof college annual in 1933. While the faculty advisory committee had reviewed and approved a traditional annual, Chris and the annual's editor, Dave Rivenes (1912–2003), along with a small team of fellow conspirators, worked secretly on an alternative version that was sent to press. The publication featured Schlechten's prank photos of clubs and organizations, replaced the basketball team with a row of ButterfingerButterfinger
Butterfinger is a candy bar made by Nestlé.The bar consists of a flaky, orange-colored center—somewhat similar texture to crisp caramel, with a taste similar to peanut butter—that is coated in compound chocolate.- History :...
candy bars, and posed students in humorous and unexpected ways. A photo showing a collection of horses' hind ends was identified as some of Rivenes' fraternity brothers. The annual also prominently featured a mysterious, bearded character dubbed "Clarence Mjork" who appeared on nearly every page, often superimposed by Schlechten over existing photos. "Clarence Mjork" was supposedly the "class playboy" from fictional "Endgate, Montana," but actually was a friend of the annual staff, and due in part to Schlechten's mastery of photographic processes, his image appeared in nearly every group photo in the album. Unable to stop the presses, the college administration managed to pull six pages that they considered the most offensive from all but two copies. The school put Rivenes on probation (he earned straight F's due to the time he spent on the yearbook) and temporarily expelled Chris, but the National Association of College Annuals declared the publication the "most original" of the year, and it won additional awards. Eventually, Chris nonetheless was permitted to graduate.
Following college, Chris first ran a studio in West Yellowstone, Montana
West Yellowstone, Montana
West Yellowstone is a town in Gallatin County, Montana, adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. The population was 1,177 at the 2000 census. The town is served by Yellowstone Airport...
and in his father's tradition, created extensive photography of Yellowstone National Park. Later, he took over the family photography studio in Bozeman in the 1940s. Until his death in the late 1970s, he won several awards during his career from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and was notable for his professional portraiture. He also mentored young photographers and his studio did double duty as a training ground for new professional photographers.
In the meantime, the 1933 annual is considered one of the finest college pranks of all time, and is now a collector's item. Rivenes had obtained the two uncensored copies of the annual and donated one to MSU in 1989. "Clarence Mjork" reappeared in 2003 as the grand marshall of the MSU homecoming parade.
Legacy
The heirs of the Schlechten family sold an extensive collection of the photographs taken by the three men to the Museum of the RockiesMuseum of the Rockies
The Museum of the Rockies, is located in Bozeman, Montana. The museum, originally affiliated with Montana State University in Bozeman, and now, also the Smithsonian Institution, is known for its paleontological collections, although these are not its sole focus...
in 1980. The collection includes more than 10,000 images, including over 175 of Albert Schlechten's 11 X 14 negatives.