#PB28
Ca. 1901
Oblong Octavo (ca. 14 x 20 cm or 5 ½ x 7 ¾ in). 24 stiff grey paper leaves. 48 mounted gelatin silver photographs ca. 9.5 x 7.5 cm (3 ¾ x 3 in), with four gelatin silver photographs mounted on embossed cardstock loosely inserted ca. 10 x 7.5 cm (4 x 3 in). Period ink captions on verso of four photographs, period pencil caption on scrap paper tucked behind one photograph. Period brown suede album with etched title and illustrations on both covers. Portions of suede detached from covers; a couple of photos mildly faded or with minor silvering, but overall a very good album of interesting strong photos.
A collection of gelatin silver photographs showing a hunting trip to the Rocky Mountains in 1901, undergone by the “Two Spike Club.” This trip took place in the Colorado Rockies, possibly including the area of the future Rocky Mountain National Park, established in 1915.
Photographs include hunting trophies, the group’s campsites, and the men at leisure, as well as log cabins, the horses and carriage with their supplies, and one photograph of a post office with a poster possibly reading “Forest Fire Warning.” They also show landscapes and terrain—three photographs are captioned “Rifle Canon,” “Entrance to Rifle Canon,” and “‘Sleepy Cap,’ Rio Blanco County”—including a photograph of a waterfall. Additionally, several photos show the recently constructed Hotel Colorado (1893) in Glenwood Springs. Hotel Colorado is one of the oldest hotels in the state and played host to many famous visitors, including US Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.
Overall, an interesting and early collection showing the Colorado Rockies.
