Oblong Folio (ca. 31 x 24 cm or 12 x 9 ½ in). Nine cream cardstock leaves. 107 gelatin silver photographs, three from ca. 29 x 8 cm (11 ¼ x 3 ¼ in) to 22 x 15 cm (8 ¼ x 6 in), the rest ca. 10 x 7.5 cm (4 x 3 in). Most images with period French ink captions on mounts; four images with captions on recto; 19 images with blue ink stamps on recto reading “Cliché R.I. Morana.” Period green quarter morocco and cloth boards album with blindstamped borders and spine; moire endpapers. Mounts slightly waved and age-toned; a few photos mildly faded, but overall a very good album of interesting photos.

A collection of well-preserved original gelatin silver photographs showing French military activity during the first years of the Conquest of Morocco, which began in March 1907 and ended in March 1912 with the establishment of Morocco as a French protectorate, though pacification campaigns lasted until 1934. The album was likely compiled by a French officer; several of his fellow officers are identified in the captions (Fort, Pichon, Vergé, etc.).

The album opens with photographs showing preparations for the bombardment of Casablanca (5-7 August 1907), as well as the aftermath. Several images show large groups of soldiers congregating on the shore and the French cruisers Condé (1902), Gloire (1900), and Jeanne d’Arc (1899) off the coast. Others show the structures of the city destroyed by the bombardment.

Over 40 photographs show military camps in or around Casablanca, including Sidi Bel Yout (Sidi Belyout), Sidi Moumen, and “Sidi Brahim el Qadmiri.” They include several photographs showing a raid of the camp, soldiers setting up tents, the “[7th?] company” at the beach, soldiers fortifying a crest, and the tent of “General Drude,” likely Antoine Drude (1853-1943). At least one other photograph shows Drude. There are also two photographs of “conscripts” chained together.

Five photographs are group portraits of French soldiers and officers, some are Moroccan goumiers. They are captioned with a description of events taken between 30 May and 10 July 1908 at “Dar el Baroud,” with “guards placed at city gates” and one “Captain Bussy” bringing “15 goumiers.” On the next page, three photographs show a “Nzaha” at “Dar el Baroud.” They show French officers sitting at low tables with Moroccan men dressed in white. The caption identifies several of these men: “Abdelkader Bangach,” “Si Seddiq Bangach,” “Abd el Khaleg,” etc.

Several photographs show Abd al-Aziz, sultan of Morocco (1894-1908), arriving to and leaving Rabat as part of his efforts to garner European support against his brother, Abd al-Hafid.

Overall, it is a historically interesting collection of photographs showing French military activity in the early years of the Conquest of Morocco.