This collection documents the architectural design and construction of the firms of Ballinger & Perrot, from ca. 1905-1920, and the still active Ballinger Company, from ca. 1920-1959. Buildings illustrated include a large number of industrial sites & manufacturing plants, but also include office buildings, retail facilities, schools, churches, clubs, and many other types of buildings. The firm, known for its patented "saw-toothed" roof construction, practiced primarily in the Delaware Valley and in New York City, but also in New Jersey, Virginia, W. Virginia,and Washington, D.C. The firms proposal for the Toronto Terminal, Toronto, Canada, are shown in 3 undated photos of drawings. The photos are primarily construction photographs, but also include photos of architectural drawings, some of which provide clear title block images, with the firms project number.

The Biographical dictionary of Philadelphia architects, p. 30-31 and 602-603 provides name & date information on the firm partners and dates. Ballinger & Perrot, active ca. 1902-1920, included partners Walter Francis Ballinger and Emile George Perrot. Ballinger began work for the firm of Geissinger & Hales in 1889, which subsequently became Hales & Ballinger ca. 1895 until Hales retired in 1901. Perrot, already working as a draftsman for these firms, became Ballinger's partner in 1902 until he began working independently in 1920. Although Ballinger died in 1924, The Ballinger Company, formed in 1920, and with the son Robert Irving Ballinger now an active member, continued practice based in Philadelphia. Robert, born 1882, died in 1974, not long after this collection was given to the Athenaeum. The Ballinger Company continues practice today. Included with the photographs are 4 log books giving a brief name of the project, and the associated photo numbers with a brief description of the view. Data is not always accurate, and becomes more and more incomplete, with no information provided for many of the later photos. Log book [1] gives the photographers' initials or name with most images, showing the as yet unknown "J.P.R", and "[W.N.] Jennings" taking most of the images. Other photographers noted include J.V. Phelan, Phillips, W.F.B.(Ballinger), Trevaskis, E.G.P.(Perrot), Gibson, Shaw, C.H.S.(possibly Shaw), King, H.H.K.(possibly King), DeM.(Louis deMoll), H.Denby, and Wilcox Studio. Photo nos. 1593-1596 are listed in the book as Wurts [Brothers] as the original photographer & "Jennings" as the copy photoist. Most photos themselves are attached to the black pages of the photo albums, obscuring any photo stamps which may be available on the verso. However, it appears that photographer data is only rarely given on the items. When a reprographers imprint occurd on the image, it has been noted in the catalog record. Most often this is Camera Craft of N.Y. or General Reproductions, Philadelphia, but also includes Felker Photo, Easton, Pa., Fairchild Aerial Surveys, Inc., N.Y.C., and Davis Studio, Washington, D.C.

For The Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. project, four different types of photographs are given, including a portfolio formally prepared by Joseph W. Molitor, Architectural & Industrial Photography, 10 East 39th St., New York. Molitor's business card is included. Additionally, two photos for this site are by Skyphotos, Phila. and 4 labelled by hand "YT1-YT4, G.W. Goll".

In those images showing architectural drawings, particularly the later photos, several delineator's names can be read, including: D.E. Sutton, S.J. Laschenski, Louis deMoll, T.G. Weatherwax, R.G. Morrison, G.A. Newman, A. Polinger, "Oakes", H. Pitts, and Hughson Hawley. Some drawings show the firm in association with other architects, including Lynn H. Boyer, E.O. Shakespeare, Thomas W. Harris(Toronto), H.C. Brubaker, E.K. Taylor and most signicantly with Harry Sternfeld on the development of the Stephen Girard Estate property on Chestnut St., Philadelphia. The drawing images include some composite "collages" of the firms noted commercial & industrial buildings.

Individual holding records for this collection are available on the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings website.