Fourteen loose original albumen photographs ca. 17,1x12,3 cm (6 ¾ x 4 ¾ in) mounted on ornamented cardboards. All photos with period Russian captions on the verso. Photos housed in a folder. Light soiling of the cardboards, photos age-toned, several photographs with small stains, but overall a very good collection of strong, interesting photos.

Historically important collection of professional albumen photographs, mostly documenting Mashhad, Iran, in the late 19th century and before the 1912 bombardment of the city.

At the time, Mashhad was a major political and commercial center under the Qajar dynasty. Owing to its proximity to Afghanistan and Russian Central Asia, the city became a focal point of the Great Game between Britain and Russia. Following the establishment of the Russian consulate in Mashhad (1889), Russian consular guards, Cossack escorts, and military advisers appeared in the city to protect Russian subjects. In 1912, amid anti-Russian protests, Russian Cossack forces heavily bombarded the city, heavily damaging the Imam Reza Holy shrine complex and surrounding areas.

As follows from the captions, the photographer was of Russian origin and was likely on assignment related to the military interests of the empire in the region. The stiff ornamental mounts suggest that the photos were produced for official or presentation purposes, possibly intended for consular archives, a government report, or as a gift to a high-ranking official.

The collection contains 14 photographs of mostly Mashhad, including four well-executed early views of the pre-bombarded Imam Reza Holy Shrine. The images show a general view of the crowded shrine, the arch and courtyard with horses, and an archway guarded by armed soldiers. Another important photo depicts the interior of the nearby Gawhar-Shad Mosque with three Russian soldiers posing on the pulpit. Especially interesting is an image of the British Consulate entrance, established in the city in 1889 (The consulate was closed in 1911 following the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907, which divided Persia into spheres of influence). Despite thorough research, no other photographs of the consulate have been found online. Other identified photographs from Mashhad include the Persian artillery barracks with cannons in the yard, and the entrance to the governor’s palace, showing a dozen militaries and civilians posing for the photo.

The collection also includes at least two photographs from Afghanistan, depicting the crowded “Tehran Gate” with locals in traditional attire passing through, and the “New Afghan Gate,” with armed soldiers facing the camera.

Among four unidentified photographs are “Igda” (possibly “Eedgah,” Kandahar, Aghanistan), “Kochan” (possibly Kashan, Iran), the “Ergov” gates, and the “Bank Gates,” with Kazak soldiers guarding the entrance.

Overall, historically important collection of professional albumen photographs, mostly documenting Mashhad, Iran, in the late 19th century and before the 1912 bombardment of the city.