Oblong Quarto (ca. 28.5 x 18.5 cm or 11 x 7 ¼ in). 46 black paper leaves (34 blank). 59 mounted gelatin silver photographs ca. 12 x 7 cm (4 ½ x 3 ¾ in) or slightly smaller. 39 photos with period ink captions on white labels attached to mounts (some captions relate to up to four photos). With ca. fifteen pieces of ephemera, mounted or loosely inserted from ca. 22.5 x 9.5 cm (9 ¾ x 3 ¾ in) to 4 x 3 cm (1 ½ x 1 in). Period brown cloth album; front board with elaborate gilt-tooled and blind-stamped decorations; binder’s blind-stamp in right lower corner of rear cover. Minor rubbing on front cover; binding slightly rubbed on extremities; three pieces of ephemera possibly previously removed from album; several photos mildly faded, but overall a very good album of interesting photos.

A lively collection of 59 snapshot photographs and over 15 pieces of ephemera, compiled by a Chicago native, Pauline Otte, of her trip to Mexico during the final years of WWII in 1944. The trip was a tour organized by Cartan Travel Bureau, which was established in Chicago in 1899 and ceased operations in the 1990s. Cartan Travel Bureau was well-known for its luxury organized tours to locations in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

The album contains photographs of the hotels the group visited or stayed at (Hotel Reforma, Posada de la Mision, Chula Vista, Garci-Crespo, Ruiz Galindo) and places in Mexico City: Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral; the Palace of Fine Arts; and Reforma Boulevard facing the House of Tiles. There are also photographs of Borda Garden in Cuernavaca; the Church of Santa Prisca in Taxco; Desert of the Lions National Park; Teotihuacan; markets in Toluca; a bull fight in Xochimilco; and the Mexican countryside. Additionally, there are street scenes with local men and children. Other photos show Otte and her fellow tourists.

Ephemera in the album include the tour’s brochure; a luggage tag and train ticket, both with Cartan Tours branding; a souvenir booklet on the history of the House of Tiles; a menu from El Patio, a Mexico City nightclub; ticket stubs for Teohihuacan and Museo de El Carmen; a ticket for a bullfight; two matchboxes; one peso; and mint wrappers. There are also two envelopes: one contains blank stationary from Hotel Reforma and the other, addressed and sent to Otte, contains a letter from one Luisa Monzáles, as well as a menu, tour instructions, and several receipts.

Overall, a lively and well-preserved collection of snapshot photographs and ephemera from a tour of Mexico in 1944, one of the final years of WWII.

List of captions (spelling original): Mexico – out the train window; Monterrey; Natives – Street Scenes; San Luis Potosi Park; Reforma Hotel; Cuernavaca Golf Club; Posada de la Mission; Taxco; Borda Cathedral Taxco; Cuernavaca; Borda Gardens; Toluca – Markets; Desert of the Lions; Glass factory, Lorraine, Luisa, Jessie, [Bird?]; The Hidden Convent Garden; Chula Vista, Cuernavaca; Xochimilco; Pyramid at Teotihuacan; Cathedral, Mexico City; Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City; Sanborn’s, Mexico City, Reforma Blvd; Mexico City; Just resting! Mexico City Park; Pool at Chula Vista, Cuernavaca; Garci-Crespo Hotel; [Gardenia?] Pool, Ruiz Galindo Hotel; Ruiz Galindo Garden; “Muchacho.”