Viole "Blondie" Surozenski Sorting Oysters

2026.2.20

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

Viole "Blondie" Surozenski Sorting Oysters, inscription reads, “Close up of girls sorting oysters, according to size.”

Oyster Hopper

2026.2.2

1944

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

Man operating a oyster hopper, inscription reads, “GREENPORT BASIN & CONSTRUCTION CO., Inc. GREENPORT, NEW YORK”.

Oyster Farmers

2026.2.3

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

3.375 × 4.75”

Three fishermen picking up shells on a boat.

Jim Heaney and John Macimber

2026.2.4

1944

Gelatin DOP Print

3.25 × 4.625”

Jim Heaney and John Macimber, two fishermen, shoveling shells off of the boat, L.F. Terry.

Sorting Oysters

2026.2.10

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

Two women sorting oysters from different baskets, inscription on the back reads, “Close up, girls sorting oysters, according to size.”.

Zig Nelenski

2026.2.6

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

3.5 × 5”

Zig Nelenski, a fishermen, seen grabbing oysters shells from a dredge on a boat, Warnor. The boat is filled with oysters along with the dredge.

E. Warner ‘47

2026.2.1

1947

Diffusion Transfer Print

2.75 × 4.5625”

Two fishermen seen shoveling oysters into a chart to be loaded off the boat. Inscribed on the back, “E. Warner, ‘47”.

Rushing Oysters to Packing House

2026.2.21

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

Fishermen aboard the L.F. Terry are rushing back to the packing house with the oysters they caught for the day.

Dredge Dragging and Throwing an Empty Dredge Overboard

2026.2.7

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

5 × 2.625”

The two pictures show three men shoveling oysters back on top of the oyster pile.

Dumping Oysters

2026.2.9

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

5 × 2.625”

The two pictures show oysters being thrown on to the dock of the boat and the empty dredge being thrown back overboard to catch more oysters.

Wheeling Barrels to Shipping Room

2026.2.11

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A man wheeling Shelter Island Oyster Company barrels into a shipping room.

Shoveling Oysters

2026.2.12

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

5 x 2.875”

The two pictures show fishermen shoveling oysters on to a conveyer which carries the oysters in to a packing house.

Packing Oysters

2026.2.13

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A man putting oysters into a barrel in order to prepare them for shipment. Man putting high crown on top of barrel to give customer good measure.

Emptying Oysters from Washing Tank

2026.2.14

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A man operates a washing tank which washes the oysters and prepares them for sorting.

Blower Tank

2026.2.15

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A man operates the blower tank a process used to wash oysters. The tank works by having a false bottom, with perforations, under which are placed air pipes. Compressor pumps air through pipes agitating oysters. As oysters revolve in tank, sand and small particles of shell fall through the perforated bottom and are removed through water drain pipe in bottom of tank. Oysters are removed from gate in side of the tank.

Ed Kruszeski

2026.2.16

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4.5 × 3”

Ed kruszeski, a fisherman, aboard the L.F. Terry is shoveling oysters into a corner of the boat.

Albert Dickerson

2026.2.17

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

Albert Dickerson spreads the oysters on a stainless steel sheet, then sorts them according to size. Each size is then put into a separate pail.

Shucking Oysters

2026.2.18

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A close-up of an oyster shucker, cutting the oyster out of it’s shell.

Oyster Shucker

2026.2.19

ca. 1940

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A man pictured shucking oysters. This is known as the cracker method. The bill of the oyster is first broken with a hammer then a knife is inserted.

Oyster Bucket

2026.2.5

1944

Gelatin DOP Print

4 × 5”

A Oyster bucket, a feature of the oyster hopper, inscription reads, “GREENPORT BASIN & CONSTRUCTION CO., Inc. GREENPORT, NEW YORK”.