These collections supplement the existing Everett offering, which unites contemporary celebrity shots alongside historical collections. Everett also represents several smaller archives, such as the Wisconsin Historical Society and U.K. photojournalism agency Rex Features.

Founded in 1990 by collector Morris Everett, Jr. and film-industry veteran Ron Harvey, the Everett Collection now licenses 2.5 million publicity stills of over 60,000 film productions. Harvey, who is the company president, says Everett has done well by selling niche content, leading to the company's decision to expand and update its core film library with related images. Now, the Everett library is constantly updated with classic and new content through acquisition and representation arrangements.

Founded in 1927 and owned by French media company Eyedea, the Keystone archive includes 15 million images from all over the world. It depicts personalities and events in the fields of arts, sciences, business, politics, sports and everyday life in a classic photo-reportage style. The content is currently being digitized, with new images available weekly to U.S. markets through Everett.

Mirrorpix represents the image collections of several U.K. newspapers, including the Daily Mirror, which was first published in 1903 as a women's journal, and its sister titles The Daily Herald, Sunday Mirror, The People, Daily Record and Sunday Mail. Containing more than 30 million images, the archive is being edited to bring the first million online. According to Everett, this collection brings the U.S. market a largely unseen and untapped visual resource.

The 40-year-old Mary Evans Picture Library further expands Everett's historical offering with a diverse array of illustrations, vintage historical photography and engravings. In addition, Mary Evans recently became the exclusive sales agent for The Illustrated London News Picture Library, which includes imagery from the world's first illustrated newspaper and eight other titles.

Everett is also growing its contemporary entertainment offering. Celebrity photo agency Matrix, founded in 1999, will offer Everett's clients 24/7 coverage of London's entertainment and royalty scenes. Everett offers trend insight and story ideas to accompany fashion and entertainment photography.

Although most images in Everett's inventory have been created and marketed as editorial content, the company says it is seeing a shift - using historical imagery in advertising, in place of traditional stock. Mirroring a recent move by the Bridgeman Art Library, which pitched ad creatives on using fine art in place of stock photography, Everett plans to capitalize on the trend toward vintage styling and personalities by revamping its search to include a separate category of historical images suitable for advertising.

"We now have a few carefully chosen collections you cannot find on Getty or Corbis," Harvey says. He also points out that being a small, niche company has helped secure the latest representation deals, since many independents do not want to place images with larger houses, fearing a loss of control.