Oblong Folio album (ca. 25x32,3 cm). 60 card stock leaves (2 blanks). With 290 mounted original gelatin silver photographs ca. 5,5x8 cm (2 ¼ x 3 ¼ in). Most photos with captions (in French). Front endpaper with the title written in period brown ink: “Photographies. Kodak 6x9. Album IV.”  Period brown pebbled cloth album. Professional restoration of the spine. Several photos with mild silvering, but otherwise a very good album with strong, interesting photos.

Historically significant collection of original gelatin silver photographs taken during an early Mediterranean cruise and showing rare, excellent photos of the Holy Land, Lebanon, and Syria.

According to the captions, the album was compiled by a French traveler, who is likely captured in several of the photographs. The journey began with a voyage through Gibraltar to the port cities of Spain, followed by stops in France and Malta. In the Eastern Mediterranean, the traveler visited Jaffa, Jerusalem, Bethany, Jericho, and Bethlehem, before continuing to Beirut and Baalbek, and then on to Damascus. On the return journey, the traveler passed through Famagusta in Cyprus, and Rhodes and Athens in Greece.

The album contains 290 photographs taken during the cruise, with 131 early photos of the Middle East. The Jerusalem series mostly features panoramic city views and key landmarks, including the Tombs of the Kings, Chapel of the Ascension, Jewish graves on the Mount of Olives, Al-Haram al-Sharif, Dome of the Rock, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Isardiyya building, and the façade of the South transept. Several candid urban scenes vividly portray tourists (possibly the compiler and his friends) in European costumes exploring the city and Muslims in traditional attire carrying headloads. About ten excellent photos of Bethlehem showcase the Church of the Nativity and lively scenes, capturing locals navigating crowded streets with donkeys and camels. There are also several interesting cityscapes of Bethany and well-executed portraits of its residents. The rest of the Holy Land series mostly includes photos of the Jerusalem–Jericho route, serene views of the Jordan River, the Monastery of Saint John in the Wilderness, and what appears to be a dynamic market scene in Jaffa.

About ten excellent photos of Lebanon primarily depict the port of Beirut and the ruins of Baalbek, showcasing the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter from various angles. The images were taken shortly after the temples' discovery, likely during their early restoration efforts. The Middle East series concludes with fourteen well-executed images of Damascus, featuring the Umayyad Mosque (before the major 1929 restoration), local minarets, and town cityscapes.

In the European series, the album features about 75 photos of Spain, showing Malaga (a local bridge), Chorro (general view), Grenade (Carrera del Darro, Court of the Lions, Palace of Charles V), Alicante (port with dock ships), Elche (general views and street scenes), Valencia (Miguelete Tower, Lonja de la Seda, Church of Saint Juan, lively street scenes, etc.), and Barcelona (coastal views). The French photos (21) mostly depict St. Malo (Saint-Malo Cathedral heavily damaged during WWII), St. Servan (views of the coastline), Melun (street scenes and nature views), and Luce (a street view with signs “Chocolat Menier” and “Vignes”). Especially interesting are five photos of la Chambre, portraying the compiler in European costume posing by the Chateau. There are also 25 excellent coastal views of Malta, including three and four-piece panoramas showing the port. The rest of the photos mostly depict Gibraltar (sea views), Famagusta (Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, St. George of the Greeks, Church of St. Anne, and general views of the city) in Cyprus, and Rhodes (cemetery) and Athens (port) in Greece.

Overall, historically significant collection of original gelatin silver photographs taken during an early Mediterranean cruise and showing rare, excellent photos of the Holy Land, Lebanon, and Syria.