Bruce Murray Collection Story
Since 1991, Shawn Murray, the grandson of Bruce Murray, Sr., has been printing, publishing and marketing his grandfather's photo artwork. For over four decades, "The Master" photographer, Bruce Murray, Sr. (1893-1969) has captured amazing images of sports legends, historical figures and Americana. Bruce Murray Sr.'s fascination with photography started at the age of 12. He started his professional career around 1911 with the old Philadelphia newspaper the Public Ledger and spent the rest of his career with The Evening Bulletin, retiring in 1958. For decades his work with the newspapers, earned him recognition as one of the best in his field. In the years between the two World Wars, he photographed hundreds of stirring events and world-famous figures. His subjects varied from baseball legends and presidents to children and flappers, as well as judges and composers to landscapes and everyday people. Murray truly loved his work and was a founding father and president of the Philadelphia Press Photographers Association, the second oldest association of it's kind. His son Bruce Murray, Jr. followed in his footsteps and was a press photographer for the Evening Bulletin before and after his time in the service in W.W.II. He learned his skill from his father, and had the foresight to preserve whatever existing photography of Bruce Sr.'s that survived. He passed on the skill and photography to his son, Shawn (almost Bruce III). Shawn has proudly preserved the legacy and committed his life to publishing his grandfather and father's work. Shawn prints these photographs directly from the original glass plate negatives that were handed down to him. The baseball photographs feature the true legends of the game and are done as archival silver gelatin prints in a numbered limited edition. The final number photos are now part of the permanent collection of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Over the years Shawn has succeeded in getting his grandfather's work in the public eye. Bruce Sr.'s work was included in the Sports Illustrated book "20th Century Sports - Images of Greatness." The photo collection has been featured nationally on the Yes Network and Fox Television networks. The photos have been auctioned at many charity fundraising events for such organizations as the Red Cross, ALS, Alzheimer's Assn., Aids Coalition and M.S. Society. The photos are also part of the permanent collections of such institutions as the Thomas Edison Museum, the Babe Ruth Museum, the Franklin Institute and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. They are part of the private collections of many notables such as Reggie Jackson, Tom Hanks, Larry King, Gary Sinise, Les Paul and John Goodman. Other collectors include former Phillies Larry Christensen and Don Money, and Phila. D.A. Lynn Abraham. "I'm always happy to shake hands and talk about my grandfather and father’s work," Shawn said. "Even though they are both gone, this keeps me very close to them...I'm proud to do it."
