#PD71
Ca. 1905
Oblong Quarto (27.5 x 23 cm or 10 ¾ x 9 in). Twelve cardstock leaves. 24 gelatin silver photographs ca. 20 x 15 cm (7 ¾ x 5 ¾ in) mounted in windows. 21 images captioned in negative. Period black sheep album, spine a bit roughly rebacked with black morocco; moire endpapers; binder’s paper label on upper right corner of inner front cover; all edges gilt. Mild rubbing on cover extremities; one mount with minor tear not affecting photo; one photo with corner tear, but overall a very good album of interesting strong photos.
A well-preserved collection of studio photographs showing Johannesburg, South Africa, and environs near the start of the 20th century. A customs import receipt attached to the rear endpaper attributes the album to one Adolph Ott of Newark, New Jersey.
Twelve photographs show lively street views of Johannesburg, including a line of horse-drawn cabs, an auction sale at Market Square, and buildings with signs reading “Cuthbert’s Boots & Shoes,” “P. Amm & Sons,” “The Johannesburg Dental Institute,” etc.
Four photographs show Jumpers Deep Gold Mine and Robinson Deep Gold Mine, both near Johannesburg. They include a view of an interior battery, the Jumpers battery, and infrastructure at Robinson and Jumpers.
Four photographs are portraits of indigenous African men, women, and children. One shows African workers at leisure in the “Robinson Compound,” another is a group portrait of women and children in their village. Additionally, there is one portrait of three Chinese men.
Overall, an interesting and well-preserved collection of studio photographs showing Johannesburg and environs at the start of the 20th century.
List of legible captions (spelling original): […] Str.; Pritchard Str.; Auction Sale, Market Sq.; Commissioner Str.; Rissik Str.; Market Square; Bank of Africa. Harrison Str.; Pritchard Str.; Kirk Str.; Jeppe’s Town from Bellevue East; Rissik Str.; Commissioner Str.; Jumpers GMCo.; Interior Battery; Robinson Deep GMCo.; Jumpers GMCo. Battery; Witporje Falls; We Love Tennis; Interior, Robinson Compound; Aukland Park.
