Historic Photography

Album ‘DISCOVERY OF OIL IN IRAQ‘ (1929/30): Baba Gurgur, Sulaiman Bek, and British Petroleum

88 photos mainly taken during an extended business trip by car in the region between Baghdad, Tuz and Kirkuk
Package of original photos and digital files
Size: 18 x 12 cm
July 1929 and August 1930

In July 1927 oil was discovered near Kirkuk making it the first commercial oil find in Iraq. British Petroleum (BP) started drilling the first oil well at Baba Gurgur north of Kirkuk. BP was shareholder in the ‘Iraqi Petroleum Company‘. The photographs in this small album depict an interesting documentation of that time, embedded in private insights of the photographer. Our bibliographic and archival services for libraries and museums: For cataloguing and digital availability the album is offered with an electronic invento...
more »

Photograph No. III – ‘DIE KA'BAH‘

Historic photo from Snouck Hurgronje’s Bilder-Atlas zu Mekka, taken in 1885.
Size of photo: 21 x 16.8 cm (Passepartout 37.7 x 27.4 cm)

Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje (1857-1936)

Following his PhD with de Goeje in Leiden and further studies with Nöldecke in Strasbourg Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje (1857-1936) went on an extended research trip to Jiddah and Mecca during the years 1884 and 1885. He converted to Islam during his stay and lived in the Holy City of Mecca from February until August 1885. Snouck Hurgronje was the first European photographer in Mecca and the second photographer ever after the Egyptian Mohammed Sadiq Bey. Upon return to the Netherlands he became lecturer at Leiden University. ...
more »

Album ’PHOTOGRAPHIES DE TERRE SAINTE’ – Holy Land by Felix Bonfils (1908)

48 large-format photographs – Distributed by F. F. Marroum, Jerusalem
Size: 35 x 25 cm
Package of original photos and digital files
c. 1908

Félix Bonfils

Particularly beautiful and very well preserved collection of 48 photos by Bonfils, enclosed in a wood carving binding. Besides some of Bonfils’ well known photos this album comprises many rarer views and a number of rather unknwon portraits as well as scenes of local life. The album and the photographs are well preserved and make altogether a good example for the touristic interests of the time as well as for the real situation . Félix Bonfils was a French photographer who was one of the first commercial photographers to pr...
more »

Album ‘UPPER EGYPT & CAIRO‘ with focus on Architecture & Archaeology (1908)

Large-format travel album with 262 photos including by Zangaki and Lichtenstern & Harari
Size: 42 x 32.5 cm
Package of original photos and digital files
1908

Zangaki, Lichtenstern & Harari, others

Album meticulously documenting a private trip to Egypt during presumably 1908. This absolute rarity in size and volume presents, in addition to some personal motifs, mainly direct insights into life in Egypt at the turn of the century. However the majority of the pictures covers various archaeological and architectural sights, often from an unusual perspective. Also included are many details, such as in Assuan, in the sanctuary of Philae, in Komombo, Edfou, Louqsor and Karnak, Valley of the Kings or in Dendera. Some of the 2...
more »

Panorama de Jérusalem (PANORAMA OF JERUSALEM). Albumen print, c. 1880.

Three part albumen print panorama (84.5 x 21.7 cm) backed onto linen.
Photographic title and numbers 298, 299, 300 in the negative.
Fair condition, some fading where prints are joined.

Félix Bonfils

Panorama view of Jerusalem as seen from the Mount of Olives, with the dome of the Al-Aksa Mosque featuring prominently at the left. Félix Bonfils (1831-1885) was a French photographer and writer who was active in the Middle East. Having served in a French army expedition in 1860 he left France for Lebanon in 1867 and established Maison Bonfils photographic studio. Around 600 negatives were produced by Felix Bonfils, notably of Jerusalem, but also of Egypt, Syria, Greece and Constantinople. Today they offer valuable document...
more »

Album TUNISIA: Biskra, El-Kantara, Mansouria, Sidi Okba, Temacine, Touggourt

Album with 40 Silver Gelatin Prints
Size: 31.5 x 25.6 cm
Package of original photos and digital files
c. 1925

This album from a private trip to Biskra, El-Kantara, Mansouria, Sidi Okba, Temacine, Touggourt in Tunisia in around 1925 contains a few shots of well-known tourist attractions but, above all, a large number of pictures of everyday life. 35 well-preserved gelatin prints show vivid and authentic street and market scenes with a focus on the representation of children and groups of people with different occupations. Our bibliographic and archival services for libraries and museums: For cataloguing and digital availability t...
more »

Album MOROCCO – FEZ & MARRAKECH: Souks, Buildings, Street Scenes, Ramadan Prayers

Album with 27 Silver Gelatin Prints by E. Hoffmann
Package of original photos and digital files
Size: 20 x14.5 cm
c. 1929

E. Hoffmann

Beautiful example of a travel album that reproduces aspects of personal interest on a trip to Marrakech and Fez in 1929 to a good technical standard. in addition to images that capture familiar tourist views of architecture and landscape from unusual perspectives, this album focuses on shots of people and situations on the street The album contains many precise observations of special occasions such as the funeral of a child or the celebrations at the end of Ramadan. Our bibliographic and archival services for libraries a...
more »

Album TUNIS & CARTHOAGO: Mainly Islamic Architecture

Album with 44 Large Albumin Prints
Size: 44 x 31.2 cm
Package of original photos and digital files
c. 1890

Neurdein, Soler, Rives,, Albert

Album with 44 well preserved large format, mostly Albumin prints a third of those taken by Neurdein, Soler, Rives, and Albert. The album focuses on Carthage and Tunis with intricate architectural details, many of them onFrench buildings there. Not least the cathedral of Carthago is covered from different perspectives. The album also contains several street scenes and situations in greater Tunis. Our service for libraries and museums: For cataloguing and digital availability the album is offered with an electronic inven...
more »

Album EGYPT: ASSUAN, LUXOR, MEDINET HABU, KARNAK, THEBES, CAIRO

Album with 81 Gelatine Prints by Anonymous Photographers
Size: 27 x 20.8 cm
Package of original photos and digital files
c. 1911

Well-preserved travel Album of 1911 with 81 gelatine prints focusing on Assouan, Philae, Luxor, Theben, Carnak and Cairo. Excellent amateur photographs highlighting important details in the Pharaonic sites and giving a lively impression of the circumstances in which the trip took place. Several archaeologically interesting pictures of the visited sites, some of them details of the frescoes or pillars. The unknown photographer had a good eye for light and perspective. Our service for libraries and museums: For cataloguing...
more »

Album ALGERIA: Architecture, Portraits, Street Life, Tents

Two Albums with 57 Albumen Prints, Photogravure, Heliotypie, and 54 Postcards
Size: 32.8 x 25 cm
Package of original photos and digital files
c. 1890 – 1900

Album on Algeria from 1890/1900 with 57 mostly Albumin prints. The first half of the album focuses on architectural details mainly in Algiers, the second half features street scenes and portraits of the local population. Most pictures are privately taken, some are unsigned but obviously professional photographs. The collection is complemented by a rare collection of 54 postcards in a second Album. This album also focuses on Algiers but contains numerous pictures of scenes from the army and of city and street life. The depi...
more »