#PD49
Ca. 1870s-1890s
Folio (ca. 35x28cm or 13 ¾ x 11 in). 71 leaves. 139 mounted albumen photos from ca. 24.5 x 15.5 cm (9 ½ x 6 in) to 28 x 22 cm (11 x 8 ½ in). 81 are captioned in negative, 79 are numbered in negative. Period dark green quarter morocco and cloth boards album; spine with raised bands; moire endpapers. Both boards with water damage on extremities, several mounts with tears and minor losses on extremities not affecting images, some photos mildly faded, several with minor tears or losses on corners, but overall a very good collection of strong interesting photos.
An extensive collection of large early albumen photographs of Egyptian cities and antiquities, as well as three views from Ottoman Syria, Tunisia, and Palestine. Forty-seven photos are signed by or attributed to the Zangaki Brothers, sixteen are signed by or attributed to Antonio Beato, and seven are signed by or attributed to Maison Bonfils.
The 136 views of Egypt include Egyptian temples and antiquities; the Philae temple complex (Temple of Isis, bas-reliefs), the Dendera Temple complex (Temple of Hathor, bas-reliefs), Luxor Temple (Pylon of Ramesses II, Statue of Ramesses II), the Karnak Temple Complex (Great Hypostyle Hall, lotus columns, Avenue of Sphinxes, Pylon of Ptolemy), the Colossi of Memnon, the Temples of Wadi es-Sabua, the Temple of Edfu, and bas-reliefs from the Temple of Seti I, the Tomb of Ramesses IX, and the Tomb of Nakht (TT52). It also contains an image of the statue of Khafre and a view of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Also included are views of Cairo, including the Muhammad Ali Mosque and Ablution Fountain, Abdeen Palace, the Cairo Citadel, and the City of the Dead; Alexandria, including the aftermath of the Bombardment of Alexandria (1882), taken by Luigi Fiorillo; and the Suez Canal, including Port Said and the Hotel Eastern Exchange, Port Tewfik (Suez Port), and Lake Timsah. Additionally, there are three views of a street in Tunisia, Mount of Temptation in Palestine, and the Temple of Jupiter in Baalbak, current-day Lebanon.
Overall, an extensive collection of strong early studio photographs of Egyptian cities and antiquities.
