#PF22
Ca. 1890s-1900s
Oblong Elephant Folio (ca. 46.5 x 32 cm or 18 ¼ x 12 ½ in). 31 cardstock leaves. 53 albumen photographs from ca. 27 x 21.5 cm (10 ½ x 8 ½ in) to 17 x 11 cm (6 ½ x 4 ¼ in). 26 images are captioned in negative. Period black quarter sheep album with cloth boards and spine with raised bands; moire endpapers. Boards and spine mildly rubbed on extremities, staining on front board; mounts slightly waved and age-toned, several mounts with mild foxing; a few photos mildly faded, but overall a very good album.
An attractive collection of 53 albumen studio and amateur photographs of Algeria, including the cities of Algiers, Constantine, and Bôme (modern-day Annaba). 11 photographs are signed in negative by the Nuerdien Frères, a prolific studio known for their views of North Africa.
Photographs of Algiers include general views of the city (from the Casbah; from the “Amiraute”/Admiralty), Basilica Notre Dame d’Afrique, Governor’s Palace (modern-day People’s Palace), Djamaa el Djedid at the Place de Governement (modern-day Place des Martyrs), the Sidi Abderrahmane Mosque, the interior of Djamaa el Kebir, a house located in the Casbah, “Moorish” sitting rooms, and a street scene from the “rue de la Marine.”
There are also photographs of Constantine (general views, interiors of the Ahmed Bey Palace, views of the Rhummel river, a street scene) and Bôme (general views, “Point de Lion”). A series of six amateur snapshots also show street scenes, likely in Algeria.
The album concludes with a photograph of the Zaghouan Aqueduct and several views of Palma on the island of Mallorca, part of Spain’s Balearic Islands.
Overall, an interesting collection of photographs showing Algeria around the turn of the 20th century.
