#PF60
Ca. 1900s.
48 loose original gelatin silver photos (including ten duplicates), from ca. 9x12 cm (3 ½ x 4 ½ in) to ca. 4,5x9,5 cm (1 ¾ x 3 ½ in). With ten cabinet portrait gelatin silver photos, mounted on the original card, image size 11x16 cm (4 ¼ x 6 ¼ in) to ca. 6x9 cm (2 ¼ x 3 ½ in). Five cabinet portrait photos have gilt- or colour-printed names of the studios on the mounts (Berlin, Breslau, Königsberg, Colmar, Mannheim); eight have period pencil or pen captions on verso, identifying people (three are also dated “1901,” “1902” or “1906”). A few photos with minor creases, several mildly faded, three cabinet portrait photos are slightly soiled, one slightly scratched, but overall a very good collection of strong interesting photos.
Interesting collection of early original gelatin silver photos of German Southwest Africa (Namibia), apparently taken and collected by a German military officer during his service in the colony in ca. 1900s. Among the identified photos are three views of the Sesfontein Fort (Kunene Region of modern-day northwestern Namibia): a general one and two close-up views of a wall with a damaged roof and corrugated iron sheets laid on the ground. Other images show another German fort with a waving flag, a German farm, military men in the countryside, posing with hunted antelopes, an oxen-driven wagon, Namibian hills, deserts and bush country, portraits of native Namibians wearing traditional and German-influenced outfits, people peeling corn, riding donkeys, &c. The cabinet portrait photos include four pictures of “Heinrich [Penk?]” (two taken in German Southwest Africa in 1901 and 1902), as well as of “Rave” and two unidentified German officers (all three wearing Schutztruppe uniform). Overall an interesting extensive collection of early original photos of Namibia and its people in the early 20th century.
