Brastislava SNP c. 1974

full-page (280×280mm) and 63 smaller (90×90 mm) b/w original photographs pasted on black pages and protected by tissue guards. Gilt printed text on cream paper. Album size 410×320 mm. Gilt lettering on front cover, red cloth paste down and end papers. Protective cloth slip case. Beautiful album in fine condition. Photographic record of the reconstruction of No 6, Jiráskova Street [ named after the Czech writer Alois Jirásek (1851 – 1930. It is a two-storey building which is now in the popular pedestrian area of Bratislava (Venturská). The building however once was a public house where the Slovak National Uprising allegedly started in 1944. In 1974, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding socialist Slovakia, a major reconstruction of the building was undertaken and it repurposed as a socialist memorial. It became the 'Municipal House of Resistance'. The photographs show its reconstruction from cellar to roof, its new facade as well as its functional yet stylish interior designed by the architects Eva Spurná (b. 1940) and Ľubica Galikova (b. 1937). Text in Slovakian. An excellent record of a specific reconstruction project. Possibly a one off production or very limited one. Unrecorded.

n.d. (c. 1880)

78 b/w photographs. 4to. leather, gilt decorated, with gilt-edged block. Exceptionally good album. Photographs of various sizes, ranging from 295×240 to 105×150mm, taken at Oxford, Cambridge and the North of England. Photographs by English photographers Francis Firth (1822-1898) and Elijah Yeoman (1849-1930), by Scottish photography firm James Valentine (1815-1879) and George Washington Wilson (1823-1893). Some photographs have been captioned with pencil, others are inscribed with the initials of J.V. or G.W.W on the plates suggesting the album comprise a combination of good amateur images and tourist photographs. It is effectively an album in two parts, the second part, comprising c 25 photographs are particularly interesting and mostly comprise Yeoman's photographs of Ilkley, Bolton Abbey, Rokeby and surroundings in North Yorkshire and Durham including the cathedral. The Yeoman collection is held at the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle. His business was based at Barnard Castle. His photographs are less well known than the other photographers featured here but his documentary photographs are of considerable interest.

Cologne 1894

9 sepia photographs on thin collodian paper, each measuring 380x305mm. Mounted on dark card mounts with photographer's details on verso. Mounts sl. bumped at corners. Images generally vg, though a little faded. Repairs made to the glass plate negatives have resulted in small dark blemishes on the photographs. Contained within dark green morocco folio, worn at edges, with ribbon ties and paste down label. A collection of remarkably early photographs of a townhouse in Cologne, belonging to Adolf Meyer Lowenthal and his wife. The four large images (each has multiple copies) depict a suite of interconnected rooms, including a bedroom and sitting/reception rooms. The Lowenthals were the parents of Frida (1847-1923), who married the chemist and industrialist and philanthropist Ludwig Mond in 1866 and moved to England shortly after. He set up Brunner, Mond & Co. with John Tomlinson Brunner. (Later became ICI). Frida became prominent in literary and artistic circles, and, with her husband, built a large collection of artworks and literary memorabilia. These photographs show a house full of portraits and artistic objects, no doubt contributing to her passions. These photographs, later in the possession of her son, Robert Mond, may have reminded her of their origins. They are lovely, high quality images, taken by the prolific and well known photographer Anselm Schmitz (1839-1903), most famous for his work on Cologne Cathedral and recording the city walls before they were demolished in 1883.

Wallsend? 1929

Unpaginated. 16 original plates mounted on thick card mounts. Long 4to. Rexene album with tilt titles and motif on upper board. Maroon cord ties. 440 x 350mm. Image sizes are 255 x 203mm Presentation inscription on first leaf "Messrs Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend Yard, Wallsend on Tyne 11 October 1929" Small split on spine of album else very good. The ship was constructed by Swan Hunter for Swedish Lloyd as a passenger Line in 1929, sister ship to the "Britannia". All the photographs show the interiors of the liner from first class to third class accommodation. Each photograph has a printed caption and the photographs have blind stamp of photographer in bottom corner with A Kassels, Gotenborg printed below. Images show high quality furniture in the style of Maples or Waring and Gillow traditional in style. Beautifully composed images.

1886

c78 sepia photographs mounted on stiff card mounts. Mostly 290x190mm End paper foxed, paper guards to each photo also has scattered foxing. Lovely album however with Monogram on upper board, E & R C - ownership unclear. Photographs by John Valentine, [JV] George Washington Wilson, [GWW] Francis Frith and competent amateur photographers. First photographs is of John O'Groats followed by 2 of Thurso. 2 unattributed of The International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art was a World's fair held in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1886, 5 unattributed of Bradford, mostly Lister Park, 3 City of Liverpool, St Georges Hall and LNWR Station, Town Hall, all unattributed, The Mersey [JV] Great Eastern by Brunnel [JV] Shipperies Exhibition [JV] 4 Queens Room, Liverpool Exhibition, [ Hand written captions - Queen Vctoria, opened the Shipperies Exhibition] 2 Birmingham, 6 of Leamington Spa, architecture, gardens, Oak tree at centre of England etc. [JV] 5 of Stratford on Avon [JV] + one with hand written caption of the Theatre at Stratford, 3 of Warwick Castle [ 1 by Francis Bedford] + 1 interior unattributed. 1 of Warwick [JV] one with hand written caption of Eastgate, Warwick. 1 of Guys Cliffe, [JV] 1 Kennilworth Castle [GWW] 2 of Kennilworth Castle [ JV] 7 Coventry including Cathedral [GWW] 12 of Oxford [GWW] including colleges, riverside and High Street, 2 of London, Fleet Street and Albert Hall, [JV] 2 of Sandgate seaside, unattributed with hand written captions, 4 of Folkestone, unattributed with hand written captions, 2 of Folkstone Tidal Boat with Francis Frith embossed stamp on photograph, 2 unattributed photographs of the French Packet leaving Folkstone and the Bathing Establishment at Boulongne. An album which is a very specific tour of the UK at the time.