Catalog: Traditional Collectibles: Ephemera: Photographs (29)

An albumen photograph of the Swedish flagged Olga on the Nile river. The riverboats were known as dahabiya and typically travelled from Cairo upriver to either Luxor or Aswan on a forty or fifty day journey. Travel on one of these dahabiya was usually luxurious, for the times. The flag on the stern mast is that of Sweden, the one on the foremast is that of Egypt, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Very faintly signed in the negative lower left, “Lengaki” and in the lower right, “No. 613...

An unsigned albumen photograph titled in the negative in the lower left, “590. Shachem (Nablous).” The photograph depicts trees in the foreground, a crumbling square stone tower, the city of Nablus and the hills beyond. It is mounted on tan paper. The image is 6 1/8 x 8 1/8 inches (15.5 x 20.5 cm) mounted in a 10 x 13 inches (25 x 33 cm) mat.

Condition: Good with small surface imperfections and a little discoloration along the left edge.

An albumen photograph of the Ghats from across the River Ganges. On the shore below the photographer is a man in the stern of a small boat and another boat to the far left with a large expanse of river dividing them from the bathing Ghats lined up on the far bank of the Ganges. The studio stamp for Thomas A. Rust (English, 1841-1904) is on the back. Also, on the back in pencil, “General view of Bathing Ghats Benares.” 8 1/8 x 10 7/8 inches (20.5 x 28 cm)...

A sepia toned silver print of a Bedouin shepherd with his flock grazing on sparsely covered ground below a hill. In the lower right corner is the blind stamp, “American Colony/Jerusalem.” The original dates from around 1920 and this would appear to be a print of roughly that age. The Number 161 is stamped on the back. The photograph is 8 ¼ x 11 ¼ inches includes a thin margin.

Condition: excellent...

An albumen photograph by Felis Bonfils (French 1829-1885) showing a group of dahabiya moored on Gezira Island with the original Kasr el Nil bridge over the Nile at Cairo showing in the background. The bridge opened in 1872. Dahabiya were boats for tourists cruising up the Nile to either Luxor or Aswan on trips lasting respectively about forty or fifty days. These were luxury tourist accommodation and the central experience of a tour of Egypt in the late 19th century...

An albumen photograph of the Kas Mahal, the Royal residence inside the Red Fort at Agra built by Shah Jahan from 1632 to 1640. The photo shows the building and in the distance on the right the Taj Mahal. Signed in the negative, “Rust,” and possibly with the number 8. Also, on the reverse is the photographer’s stamp. Thomas A. Rust (English, 1841-1904). The image is 8 x 9 7/8 inches (20.5 x 25 cm)...

Albumen photograph of the quay from across the water at Port Said with what is, I think, the light house that was built in 1869 and architecturally important because of the early, if not the first, use of reinforced concrete. Written in the negative, lower left, “Lankaki” and lower right, “Quai du Port Said.” The Zangaki brothers who often wrote Langaki were among the early photographers of Egypt. Photograph mounted on thin card and matted. Image 8 5/8 x 11 1/8 inches (22 x 28.5 cm)...

Albumen photograph depicting the city of Damascus in the distance with a town in the middle distance and a man standing in a graveyard toward the foreground. Written in the negative lower left, “Bonfils” and lower right, “402. Damas-Vue general de Damas prise de ‘Sulkirk’(?)” Laid on paper and matted. Image 8 ¾ x 11 ¾ inches (22 x 30 cm). Mat 16 x 20 inches (40.5 x 51 cm). Felix Bonfils (French 1831-1885) was one of the early photographers of the Middle East...

A well composed albumen photograph of the Mosque of Sultan Sulieman with the Golden Horn in the distance. In the distance to the very far left of the photograph is the Hagia Sophia. In the golden Horn are both sailing ships and steamers...

An albumen photograph of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque also known as the “Blue Mosque” in Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey by Pascal Sebah taken circa 1880. The photograph is 10 ¼ by 13 ¼ inches (26 by 33.5 cm). It is mounted with clear photo corners in a 16 by 20 inch mat (40.5 by 50 cm). Printed on the photograph from the negative in the lower left, “58. Mosquee Sultan Akmed” and in the lower right “P Sebah.”

Condition; generally excellent. Slight foxing in the sky and along the u...

An oversize albumen photograph of the exterior of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul by the photographer Pascal Sebah. The view is taken from outside a stone wall pierced with grilled windows. The monumental structure rises behind the wall. Pascal Sebah (1823-1886) was born in Constantinople. His photographic studio there opened in 1857. In the lower left in the negative, “68. Mosquee St. Sophia” and lower right “P. Sebah.” The image is 10 ¼ x 13 1/8 inches (26 x 33 cm). The mat is 16 x20 inche...

An oversize albumen photograph of the exterior front of the Beylerbeyi Palace on the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul. The palace was built from 1861 to 1865 as an Imperial summer residence. The photograph is by Pascal Sebah. In the lower left in the negative, “38. Palais du Sultan a Beyler Bey,” on the lower right also in the negative, “P. Sebah.” 10 ¼ x13 ¼ inches (26 x33.5 cm) in a 16 x20 inch (40.5 x50 cm) mat.

Condition: good, with some wrinkles, a spot of discoloration in the s...

An interesting view of the monumental Hagia Sophia rising above houses on either side and a man standing in a square(?) that is probably some distance from the mosque but with the perspective appears quite close. No writing in the negative and the identification of the view in pencil appears later than the image which is around 1880. It is attached to a thin paper page that from the roughness of the back side might have been an album page that was separated. The mat is protective. The image is 7...

An albumen photograph of Cairo titled on the mat, “CAIRO, FORM THE CITADEL,WITH THE MOSQUE OF SULTAN HASSAN.” Also in smaller type the number648. An excellent print with good tones. 5 7/8 by 8 1/8 inches (15 by20.5cm). The white light cardboard stock is shaded slightly darker for about one inch around the photo. Overall size is 12 inches by 15 inches (30.5 by 38 cm).

Condition; The photo is in excellent condition with minor surface scratches. The mount is soiled, has minor foxing and th...

An albumen photograph circa 1880 of a man feeding a group of dogs gathered at his feet. In the lower left printed in the negative, Abdullah Freres. 515” and in the lower right, “Les Chiens des rues.” The image is 7 7/8 inches (20 cm) by 10 1/8 inches (25.7 cm). It is presently corner mounted in a large mat 17 inches (43 cm) by 14 inches (35.5 cm). The tones are rich and the contrast good.

Condition: In a raking light three lines that look like partial creases are visible. A few printi...

Albumen photograph mounted on a stiff card with the title, “Interior of Carlee Caves” written in ink below the image. The Karla Caves are a group of ancient Indian Buddhist rock-cut caves located in Karli near Lonavala, Maharashtra. The one pictured is the Great Chaitya. It was dedicated in 120 CE. The photographer of this image is unknown. The image is 7 ½ x 9 3/8 inches (19 x 24 cm) The card is 11 x 14 inches (28 35.5 cm).

Condition: The image is in excellent condition with minor surf...

Albumen photograph mounted on a card and titled in ink in script under it, “Bheel women grinding Bajri.” The Bhil are a large group of people from west India including Gujarat where pearl millet is called bijri. The photograph shows a group of men and women including a woman seated by a grinding stone posing for the photograph. The image is 7 5/8 x 9 3/8 inches (19.3 x 24 cm) and the card 11 x 14 inches (28 x 35,5 cm).

Condition: the image is in very good condition. The card is rough aro...

A landscape albumen photograph of Darjeeling India. Titled in script in the negative, “534. Darjeeling. General view with the Snows(?) from Woodland’s Hotel.” Presumably, “the Snows” are the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas that show more as a line of clouds, but are visible in the distance. The details of the image are sharp at the center, but blur slightly at the edges.

Condition: slight surface dings to the image. The contrast and the browns are good with a slight yellowing ...