#PF26
Ca. 1887, 1893-94
Oblong Elephant Folio (ca. 40.5 x 31 cm or 16 x 12 in). 26 cardstock leaves (one blank). 49 mounted albumen photographs from ca. 28 x 22 cm (11 x 8 ½ in) to 20.5 x 15.5 cm (8 x 6 in), with one loosely inserted albumen photograph ca. 10 x 7 cm (4 x 2 ¾ in). 48 images with period pencil Swedish captions on mounts; 39 images captioned in negative; 31 images signed in negative; loosely inserted image with period pencil caption on verso. Period red cloth album with gilt-tooled decorative borders on front cover and blind-stamped decorative borders on rear cover. Spine and covers mildly rubbed on extremities; mounts slightly waved; but overall a very good album of strong photos.
A collection of 50 albumen studio photographs showing the eastern Mediterranean, Spain, the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Egypt. The compiler was likely a Swedish traveller, who took a trip to Spain in 1887 and through Madeira, the Canary Islands, Egypt, and the eastern Mediterranean between 1893 and 1894. Fifteen photographs are signed in negative by Maison Bonfils, fifteen by the Zangaki Brothers, and one by S. Hakim.
27 photographs show the eastern Mediterranean. They include views of Jerusalem (city views, the Church of Mary Magdalene, the Ecce Homo arch, interiors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Mosque of Omar, the road to Bethlehem), Baalbek (the Temple of Bacchus), Damascus (city views, the Sulaymaniyya Takiyya, a bazaar, Maktab Anbar, the interior of “HotelVictoria”), Bethlehem (pilgrims entering the city on Christmas day, ), and the Anti-Lebanon mountains. One photograph is a portrait of two Syrian women.
There are also several photographs of Spain (the Alhambra in Granada), the Canary Islands (an ossuary at Vegueta Cemetery in Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), a dockyard, the Easter Holy Week processions in Las Palmas, the village of La Atalaya (Gran Canaria), a view of Santa Cruz (Tenerife)), Madeira (views of the capital of Madeira, Funchal), and Egypt (views of Alexandria, Pompey’s Pillar, a group portrait of Bishari people). One photograph is a portrait of four men taken in Madeira, possibly featuring the compiler.
Overall, an interesting collection of large studio photographs showing the eastern Mediterranean as well as Spain, the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Egypt during the late 19th century.
