Oblong Folio album (ca. 25,9x32,8 cm). 40 cart stock leaves (9 blank leaves). With 261 mounted original gelatin silver photographs, real photo and printed postcards, from ca. 3,4x4,3 cm (1 ½ x 1 ¾ in) to ca. 15,1x10,2 cm (6 x 4 in). Several photos and postcards with period ink inscriptions (in English) and dates on the verso, nineteen photos signed. One printed postcard signed to “Miss Marion Galbraith. 427 No 7th St. Manitowoc, Wisconsin.” Period full cloth album with blind-tooled decorations and generic title “Photographs” on the front board, paper label of the “C. Nubian” on the inner side of the rear cover. Several photos & postcards missing or loose, mild-silvering, but overall a very good album with strong, interesting photos.

Historically interesting private album with original photographs and real photo & printed postcards, illustrating the life of an early Manitowoc (Wisconsin) family in the 1920s-1930s. As follows from one of the printed postcards presented in the album, the photographs were likely taken and collected by a local resident Marion Galbraith (1908-1967).

According to the U.S. Federal Censuses of 1940, Marion Galbraith was born in ca. 1908 in Manitowoc in the family of a Wisconsin native Archibald Galbraith (1867-1918) and a Germany native Anna Bohman (1877-1959). In 1926, then, eighteen years old, Marion lived with her mother and siblings at 427 No 7th Street. “The U.S. City Directory for the Year 1942” lists Marion Galbraith (then about 34) as a stenographer at the M Shipbuilding Co. in Manitowoc; Galbraith’s residence is still indicated as “427 No 7th Street.”

The album opens with over a hundred lively vernacular photographs of Marion, her family & friends resting, having fun, riding horses, working in field, washing boilers, drinking beer, and posing by cars (with clearly visible license plates). Several well-executed photos document early views of Manitowoc residences, including Galbraith’s family house at 427 No 7th Street. About fifteen candid urban scenes depict Marion attending her sister’s wedding at the local Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The images feature dressed-up guests and bridesmaids smiling for the camera, holding flowers, and posing with the newlyweds (Grace & Arthur Grunwald). The photos were produced by the renowned “Moen Photo Services” studio, a rapidly growing business active in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the first half of 20th century. Twenty-five studio photos show Marion’s classmates from the Lincoln High School posing for the 1926 yearbook, with most of the photos lovingly signed to Marion. There is also an excellent series of photographs taken in New Orleans, likely showing Marion and her companion observing the city and posing by the St. Louis Church.

At the album’s rear, about fifteen lively photographs show the compiler and her friends during leisure trip in San Antonio, Texas. Most of the photos were produced by the Studer's photography studio, a dominant chain of portrait studio and photo processing labs in S.A. Overall, historically interesting private album with original gelatin silver photographs and postcards illustrating the pre-war life of a Manitowoc family.