Copelin & Son

American, active 1870s

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Copelin & Melander was a partnership of Alexander J. Copelin and Lewis M. Melander. Both men had worked in John Carbutt's studio, and Carbutt sold it to them when he moved his studio in 1868. Copelin bought out Melander on October 1, 1871, gifted it to his son Thomas, and the studio became Copelin & Son. Thomas Hine had been a photographer for the studios and had days earlier returned with negatives from Yellowstone, Montana and Wyoming. The studio had bought new stock and equipment in preparation for producing the views. On October 8, fire destroyed a vast section of Chicago, including the Copelins' studio. An employee was able to rescue a significant amount of books and papers, but the losses were about $8,000. Because the transfer of ownership was incomplete, Copelin received only $1,500 in insurance. On Wednesday, October 11 Alexander Copelin entered a brief partnership with Hine (Copelin & Hine) to produce views Hine had taken of the destruction. Copelin & Son continued into 1876.